SC GEAR UP
Weekly Memo - 9/22 to 9/28
It's National GEAR UP Week!!!!
It's National GEAR UP week!
A few points of interest:
- I believe we are going to be fortunate enough to have an Ed-Op done this week from Mr. Otis Rawls, President and CEO of the SC Chamber of Commerce. This is a major deal and one that will need lost of attention once its done.
- Your materials for National GEAR UP Week should be arriving today if they haven't already!
- Please provide your plans for National GEAR UP week (by school) by close of business today in a separate email. Take pictures of everything so that Vickie and Catherine can place them on the GEAR UP and SCCANGO websites.
- Already seen some of your Monday memos! Don't forget to copy me on the Monday memo to your Regions.
- Please send me your weekly itinerary, CC Vickie on that email as well. From time to time I get questions about where you guys are. This helps me know without having to track you down.
Let's have an amazing week!
COMPASS Initiative - Dual Enrollment / Development
Yet again, this is going to be front and center all year. From what I heard Wednesday, I think we're off to a good start with making contact with the Technical Colleges, so I'm glad you guys have taken the initiative to get going. Just a few reminders to keep in mind based on our discussion last week:
- Be sure that your discussions with the technical college will have two tracks: a dual enrollment track for higher fliers, and a developmental track to catch up those kids who test into developmental coursework. You will need to work out a plan for both. If that is one instructor teaching both types of courses, that's fine. Just plan for both
- Discuss existing options with the high school. Some of our schools actually have partnerships with the local Techs to provide D.E. coursework. If the better option is to pay for transportation to get the kids to the Tech school, then great.
- There will be a cost associated with this project, and it will likely need to be placed in your 2014-15 award letters to start next year in Q4. You'll need to get me figures at some point on cost of the instructor(s) and the books.
- every meeting, every month, I want to have a report on your progress.
- remember that Sonya has done this project before. Use her as a resource if you get stuck or pushback.
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.
Award Letters for Year 4
Well... I had my painful, annual budget meeting with KW to decide on awards for this year. I'll get them to you all by Wednesday at the latest, but here's where we are:
- most of you will be pleased in that you got just about everything you asked for
- in that same token, you may not like it b/c there is an emphasis moving forward on data and providing that 1) we did exactly what we said we'd do with it and 2) it works or doesn't work and there is data to prove it.
- So for each new item or program you're awarded, you will need to figure out how you're going to establish its effectiveness. In other words, what data will you collect to show it works.
- Everyone needs to start thinking of a parent piece to implement this year. Some way to get parents more involved in SCGU.
College Application Month (CAM) events
CAM events scheduled for September are the following:
Battery Creek HS 9/25 8:30am
Whale Branch HS 9/25 9:15am
Creek Bridge HS 9/26 8:30am
Loris High School 9/30 10:00am
Finance Update
Got all invoices that are in our hands signed and downstairs last week. Schools should expect payment soon.
Remember, you're on call between 2:30 and 4:00 on Tuesdays in case I need to share my KW experience with you.
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.
Remember, the registration for CCTI Module 2: Early Career Awareness and Planning is now open and ends on September 26th. Registration link which will open on September 8th: http://sccango.org/collaborative-counselor-training-initiative/.