Project Link Update
Coordinator's Report to Oversight Committee - January 2016
Mission
Vision
Our vision is to promote a culture of students who desire to graduate from high school and pursue college or workforce opportunities, preparing them to become effective contributors to society.
Education. Workforce. Community. Success.
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LA VEGA HIGH SCHOOL
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December Activities
- Project Link Team Meeting
- Faculty Meeting
- LIT Monthly Meeting
- Met with Juniors for 1:1
- Completed flyers for Leadership Election & Christmas Party
- Completed Christmas Party/Activities
- Completed Leadership Election
- Lunch Sessions (Sophomores & Freshman)
- Scholarship Essay Editing
Completed December Goals
- Juniors 1:1
- Continue Sophomore/Freshman lunch sessions (Texas Genuine)
- Update Project Link Website with LVHS news
- LIT Meeting
- Complete Project Link Christmas Activities with students
- Collect Acceptance Letters from Seniors
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January Goals
- Schedule Leadership team meeting with all officers
- Schedule Spring Campus Tours
- Complete 1:1 with Juniors
- 1:1 with Seniors
- Attend Region 12 training
- Research database (Choice 360)
- Post Office
- Send Parent letters regarding Robbie Stabeno
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UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL
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December Activities
- Complete 1:1’s for all juniors
- FAFSA info session with Advanced Academics at UHS
- followed up with seniors to assure they are all on track for graduation
- Prepare activities for January including FAFSA with Ms. Stabeno
- LIT team meeting
- After school office hours weekly
- TSTC Financial Aid Counselors workshop
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January Goals
- MCC and TSTC Project Link Personnel visit Project Link at UHS.
- Advanced Academics parent information night @ WHS
- continue to check in with seniors to assure they are on track
- begin Sophomore 1:1
- Senior FAFSA 101 group sessions
- Project Lead inaugural meeting
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MCLENNAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
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December Activities & Meetings
December 1
- Project Link Team Meeting
December 2
- Bi-Weekly meeting with Beth Holquin, College Readiness & Advancement
December 3
- Career Cruising meeting with Brittany Fitz
December 4
- Meeting with Harmony Science Academy
December 7
- Career Cruising meeting with Brittany Fitz
- One-on-one meeting with Meghan Becker, MCC POC
December 8
- Meeting with Karen Crump of MCC's Hospitality Program
- Department Meeting
December 11
- Bi-Weekly meeting with Beth Holquin, College Readiness & Advancement
- Meeting with Matthew Polk
December 12
- ACT Test
December 14
- Career Cruising Meeting with La Vega
December 18
- College to Career Training for Brazos Education Scholarship Recipients
Student meetings throughout the month.
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January Activities & Meetings
January 4
- Career Cruising Training at Tennyson Middle School
January 5
- Project Link Team Meeting
January 6
- UHS & MCC Workplace Communication Skills Workshop Planning meeting with Professor Hoefer
January 7
- Data Management Meeting with Brittany Fitz
- Meeting with Meghan Becker, former POC, to tie up loose ends.
January 8
- Pick up data files from liaisons
- HOT P20 Meeting
- Monthly Meeting w/Matthew Polk
- Follow-up meeting with AmeriCorps VISTA from Baylor
- Month Meeting with Paul Holfman (new POC)
January 19
- Project Link Team Meeting
- Project Link Advisory Committee Meeting
January 22
- Bi-Weekly meeting with Beth Holquin, College Readiness & Advancement
- Education Steering Committee Meeting
January 27
- Project Link Monthly Meeting w/Rob Wolaver
Student meetings throughout the month.
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Completed Goals from December
- Continued collaboration on data collection and management
- Continued to work on buy-in and participation at the college level.
- Met with MCC Project Link students
- Met with PL team members and POCs for 1:1 meetings
- Continued collaborating with Mrs. Jenna Hoefer and University on providing the Workplace Communication Skills Workshop where MCC students from Mrs. Hoefer’s SPCH 1311 classes provide a variety of workplace communication skills presentations for Project Link students from University High School during Spring 2016
- Continued working with Data Management Team to purchase and implement a software system that provides a way for the Project Link team to track the progress of their students.
- Identified Project Link Intern beginning Spring 2016
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Goals from January
- Meet with appropriate personnel regarding institution’s evaluation process.
- Schedule monthly meetings for Spring 2016 with each team member, Point of Contacts, Post-Secondary Working Group, etc.
- Continue to collaboration on data collection and coordination
- Continue to find and coordinate training, team-building, and professional development opportunities
- Continue to get more buy-in and participation at the College level.
- Meet with MCC Project Link students and track information
- 1:1 Meetings with PL team members and POCs
- Continue collaborating with Mrs. Jenna Hoefer and University on providing the Workplace Communication Skills Workshop where MCC students from Mrs. Hoefer’s SPCH 1311 classes provide a variety of workplace communication skills presentations for Project Link students from University High School during Spring 2016.
- Continue working out the details to finalize the purchase and training of Career Cruising for Project Link Team.
- Work with Brittany Fitz to make sure all data needed is collected by the Project Link Team in Career Cruising
- Continue evaluating where Project Link, as a whole, is at after the first semester. (data)
- Complete necessary paperwork to finalize Project Link Intern for Spring 2016.
- Work with Project Link teams to coordinate a volunteer opportunity for PL students at the 28th Really Big Fishing Event for Very Special People on February 6, 2016.
- Begin Planning Project Link Parent’s Night with High School Teams for Spring 2016
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TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE
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December Activities
- No activities due to short month, vacation and winter break.
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January Goals
- Continue to reach out to TSTC Cohort
- Meet with Jana Polansky from TSTC Financial Aid about Grants
- Meet with Leah Williams from TSTC Financial aid about Scholarships
- Meet with Outreach
- Meet & Greets at High Schools
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OTHER NEWS
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Last Updated 1/11/16
January 1, 2015 through November, 30, 2015
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DATA REPORTS
Naviance/Career Criusing
At the last Oversight Committee meeting, Brittany Fitz-Chapman and I requested approval from the oversight committee to purchase with contingency funds ($5,000) access to the career readiness data tool Naviance for each Project Link student. At that time, Waco ISD was also considering adopting Naviance for all students in grades 7-12. The oversight committee unanimously approved the use of grant funds to provide Naviance for all students for up to five years.
Since that meeting Waco ISD and Project Link have moved away from purchasing the Naviance software. Due to unforeseen issues, Waco ISD chose to go with another career readiness data tool called Career Cruising. Brittany and I have participated in several webinars, discussions, and training, and determined that Career Cruising is comparable to Naviance and at a reduced rate. We also learned that Midway ISD currently utilizes Career Cruising, and La Vega ISD is familiar with the software as well.
To align our efforts with Waco ISD and LaVega ISD (and possibly Midway ISD), stay on Waco ISD's timeline for implementation, and cut cost, we chose to move forward with our partnership in the purchase of a career readiness data tool, and chose to purchase Career Cruising instead of Naviance. Of course, there have been some obstacles and delays, but we are working closely with Career Cruising and the schools to get everything figured out.
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MEETING MINUTES & REPORTS
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Advisory Committee Minutes
PREVIOUS COORDINATOR REPORTS
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Find us on the web
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If you have any feedback or questions, we would love to hear them. You may call me at 254-299-8517 (office) or email me at njames@mclennan.edu.