SC GEAR UP
Weekly Memo - 3/22 to 3/28
Good Morning!
Good Morning SC GEAR UP!
I Hope everyone had a great weekend.
Objectives for 2014-15
The SCGU Grant objective for 10th grade will be that 80% of our students will pass Biology by the end of 10th grade. As of first semester, I believe Vermadel has us at 38%.
Remember, the success of the SC GEAR UP Grant will be judged on three things:
1) Did your GU cohort graduate high school at a higher rate than the non GU cohorts?
2) Did your GU cohort enroll at a post-secondary institution at a higher rate than the non GU cohorts?
3) How prepared to succeed were our GU cohort when they arrived at college?
SuperIntendent Dinner
New Evaluations
APR
I need your language. Just so we are clear, we had the following projects going on and I need some language re: their development and their impact (data) of:
- TI Inspire in Marion County, Wilson High and Woodland High
- PROPEL Program in Battery Creek High
- Technology Institute in Williamsburg County
- Parent Support Initiative in Dillon/St. Johns
I asked for this last week.
ACT Profile
COMPASS Budgets
COMPASS Follow-up
As a whole, I'm pleased with where we are with the projects.
Now that you've pretty much framed your cost for the project in each school, I think it's important that we shift the discussion once more to "how this looks on a day to day basis in each school". The meetings aren't over. You will probably want to start laying out to your coaches how they fit into this thing. This will not be a report week. I need you to focus on budgets. I want to be sure you cover the following in your reports:
- Date of last meeting/contact on subject and who attended
- Technical college that will partner with high school through project
- Plan for Dual Enrollment Course delivery
- Plan for Developmental or "GEAR UP University Transition Course"
- Who is teaching the courses?
- Have the teachers been vetted by the high school or tech college?
- Does SCGU need to develop the lesson plans for the courses?
- Does the high school need anything from you in order to generate their Master schedule and include these classes?
- Will you have enough students to "make" the course?
- Have you discussed if this "Transition Course" could be offered with Carnegie Unit
- Plan for sharing data with stakeholders (parent night? IGP?)
- What concerns have parents shared with you or the school?
- Issues you are encountering at any level
Remember the deadlines. Let's help the schools move forward.
NCCEP/GEAR UP Summer Conference - San Francisco
Very, very disappointed in the lack of interest on the part of the teams in submitting a proposal for the conference. It also shed a light on the lack of diverse and interesting projects we have going on. Now the questions I'm receiving are, "why are we funding a pilot or new project if they aren't proud and excited to share it? Are they really doing what they said they would do?".
We will move on with what we have. But these are the kinds of opportunities we need to take advantage of to allow the coaches/teams to shine. Every time they elect not to participate in something that is technically "not in their job description" is something they should look at as an opportunity to prove themselves.
Anyway, be thinking of who you wish to invite so we can get rooms early.
Tutoring
Remember, if there is a kid who is failing, that is not attending a tutoring program, your coach will need to document that contact was made and why the student isn't coming.
We will be looking at Coach evaluations closely to determine who needs to move forward. If a coach cannot convince students/parents that a failing student needs tutoring then we will have to look at another coach. The need is clearly there.
I want to go over the GC evaluation tool on Wednesday. I am going to amend it to have some specific targets. I want your thoughts on what we should be looking to add/take off the evaluation for next year. I want specifics on tutoring % of failures you'd like to have as a requirement. I am open to other ideas as well to add to the evaluation tool. I've also asked Catherine to think of some percentages for CAM and CGC for them to meet.
College Access Update
Catherine has contacted all of you regarding coming to your Region meeting to discuss College Goal (CGSC) lessons learned from each Pilot, and to give so preliminaries on College Application Month (CAM). She has not gotten responses from you all re: the dates of your next meeting. If you don't have another one scheduled this year, she needs to know that as well. Not responding is not an option.
Finance
We meet on Tuesdays to go over the Program and sign invoices. Questions usually come up. Be available between 1:30 and 3:00 for a potential call or text.
Social Media Update
The SC GEAR UP Facebook and Twitter are now both up!!!! Please have the coaches encourage students to like and follow SC GEAR UP on social media. We can do better on Twitter and certainly on Facebook.