SC GEAR UP
Weekly Memo - 8/3 to 8/9
Good Morning!
I hope everyone had a good weekend.
We are quickly approaching the beginning of what may be our most critical year. The things we do this year will go a very long way towards determining not only the success of the current GEAR UP Grant/Cohort, but it may have a impact on whether or not there is a fourth GEAR UP Grant in SC. Hopefully you are all finalizing the COMPASS programs in your schools and looking to get off to a strong start.
COMPASS Reports
Surveys & Comparison school update
New Survey's are out and ready for use. Vickie also sent out the Word version last week, so for those of you looking to get a early start by using Registration and Schedule pick-up as a survey distribution method (great idea!), you should be good.
You'll notice a COMPARISON School survey as well. We are moving in a slightly different direction this year. Even with the increased stipend amount, we did not receive enough data to accurately tell our story. We had such a difficult time getting responses from the previous Comparison schools that we have decided to use the class above us as our Comparison group moving forward. This is consistent with what a lot of Grants are doing so we aren't re-inventing the wheel here. Vermadel may need your assistance moving forward to get data. We will talk more about this at the Coach meeting.
Graduation Coach Meeting
Will be 8/26 at FDTC. The time is from 9:30am-2:30pm. I will send out a tentative agenda this week. I am probably going to ask you guys to do your same presentation you gave in SF at this meeting, so don't be surprised when you are on the agenda. I'm doing this for a few reasons:
1) Its time to give the coaches some skin in the game. They are going to be taking the reigns of the project on the day to day, so it's time to show them our goals.
2) Karen didn't get a chance to see you guys present the data. She's seen the data, but missed how you shared it.
3) So much of this project has hinged on information and communication. I want EVERYONE to have the clear message of our intentions and purpose for this project so that if someone in this program is engaged on this COMPASS project, they can speak competently on it and there is no ambiguity.
Graduation Coach Recognition
Just to be sure we are on the same page, let me re-cap where I thought we were. At the August GC meeting, we want to recognize the Graduation Coach(s) who:
* Had the best overall percentage of passing Biology overall from each Region
* Had the most in-kind - One overall coach (unless there was more than one coach at school)
* Each of you wants to recognize one coach from your Region that did the best job this past year as a whole. This is an award selected by you as the Regional, but there is no standard criteria (though we can identify a number of the elements that are consistent across the regions). If a coach wonders why they weren't chosen, I can point them to their individual Regional Coordinator
I'm asking so that I can make sure we start gathering some type of award for them before the meeting.
COMPASS Follow-up
As stated, this is a report week. By now the structures of the program should be worked out, but maybe the hiring process is going slowly. Let's stay on it folks. Some of the questions to keep the conversations moving:
- 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? Are they certified/qualified?
- Have the teachers been vetted by the high school or tech college?
- Is every known member of the cohort scheduled for some type of enrichment or dual credit work this Fall/Spring?
- How will the invoicing process work? (whose budget?)
- If you aren't doing a program in Fall/Spring/at all, what are you doing in that school that is different and new?
- Is there a plan for inventory and storage with books/tech?
- Dates you shared data with stakeholders (parent night? IGP?)
- Will you have a parent night in Fall?
- What concerns have parents shared with you or the school?
- Issues you are encountering at any level
- What will be the role of the Graduation Coach?
- How will the GC monitor the progress of the D.E students?
SuperIntendent Appreciation
NCCEP/GEAR UP Summer Conference - San Francisco
I haven't had the chance to tell you. I thought the meetings in SF went really well and you should be commended on your efforts. The data you shared was really important and we have established targets for this project. Karen was pleased when she had a moment to review your presentation afterwards. Great job all.
Retreat 8/25
We will be having the retreat on 8/25, at FDTC.
If you have anything specific you think we should put out there for the group, please let me know in a separate email just for me.
SCGU Award Letters for 2015-16
I'm going to send my typical letter to your supervisors this week. That letter is going to ask for thoughts on your performance from their point of view. More importantly, that letter is going to ask for changes to your budgets moving forward. I just wanted you to know so that there isn't any surprise if/when they come to you with weird questions about your supply use, technology or travel. Some of your supervisors may require a meeting with me in person/phone. I'm fine with that, just let me know or give them my contact info.
Objectives for 2015-16
The SCGU Grant objectives for 11th grade will be that 1) At least 25% of our cohort will have passed at least 2 math courses above Algebra by the end of 11th grade; and 2) 80% of our students will pass U.S. History by the end of 11th grade.
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?
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.
I NEED Q3 INVOICES ASAP!! The 2015-16 award letters WILL be impacted by whether or not I have your Q3s. Please push the schools to get you these invoices.
College Access/Social Media Update
Getting very close to CAM time. I will have a short presentation on CAM and the College Access expectations at the GC meeting this month. I'll need you to check in periodically with the coaches on their CAM participation and activities with our cohort as well. Remember, this is the last "pilot year" for these programs.
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.
Don't forget about the newsletters as well!