Education. Alliance of Northern Kentucky, Inc. Annual Report

Transcription

1 Education Alliance of Northern Kentucky, Inc. Annual Report

2 Education Alliance of Northern Kentucky, Inc Annual Report Celebrating 20 Years The Education Alliance of Northern Kentucky is a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation organized to support excellence in public education in Northern Kentucky schools. The Alliance was incorporated in January 1991 through a joint venture of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Northern Kentucky Superintendents Association. This unique business/education partnership provides a special way for the community to work together to prepare the future workforce population for business and life success. The long-standing tradition of excellence of the Education Alliance is the result of cooperative partners and dedicated board members, staff, and volunteers. On this special 20 year anniversary, we thank all who have contributed time and talent to this endeavor. Sincerely, Nancy A. Spivey, CCE Executive Director Education Alliance of Northern Kentucky, Inc. 2 Education Alliance Annual Report

3 Education Alliance of Northern Kentucky, Inc. About the Education Alliance Our Initiatives Goals The Education Alliance of Northern Kentucky, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, is a partnership between businesses and schools and was formed to develop a more effective educational system, thus preparing students to be more productive members of our workforce and community. In 1991, a group of business and education leaders formed the Education Alliance as a nonprofit organization to improve educational opportunities in Northern Kentucky. Throughout Boone, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, and Pendleton counties, the initiatives of the Alliance enable public and parochial schools and area businesses to work together to promote educational excellence. Ultimately these efforts are helping prepare the workforce, which will contribute to the productive and successful future of Northern Kentucky. In addition to the many programs that have been developed over the years, the Alliance strives to facilitate regular communication between business and education leaders in Northern Kentucky. Through such dialogue about mutual concerns and hopes for the young people of Northern Kentucky, the region continues to develop an educational system which will prepare students for a successful transition into adult life, whether workforce, advanced training or post-secondary education. Since its inception, the Alliance continues to expand by adding new initiatives and updating those in place. At this time, approximately 60,000 students from schools across six counties in Northern Kentucky are participants in one or more of the Alliance s educational initiatives. Be the voice of business to all educational institutions in Northern Kentucky to improve the regional workforce. Connect the business community with the workforce of tomorrow. Network with leaders in the education community. Provide students with information on career opportunities and skills required to meet current workforce needs. The Alliance is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors consisting of business representatives, educators, school board members, and at-large members from the community. The Board works closely with the staff and volunteer committees to develop and implement initiatives which will best serve the Alliance s mission. Education Alliance Annual Report 3

4 Workforce Development Collaborative Board of Directors Steve Harper Education Alliance President Harper Oil Products, Inc. Eric Haas Education Alliance Board Vice-Chair National Band and Tag Co. Steve Stevens Education Alliance Secretary/Treasurer/Reg. Agent Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Marianne Schmidt Hurtt Education Alliance Board Chair PNC Bank Melanie Frey Chair-Elect, Education Alliance of NKY Turner Construction Company Ray Hebert Chair-Elect, Education Alliance of NKY Thomas More College Robert Yost Education Alliance Board Chair Pendleton County Schools Pat Murray Education Alliance Board Chair Boone County Schools Chamber Staff Nancy Spivey Exec. Director, Education Alliance of NKY Amanda Dixon Manager, Education Alliance of NKY Chris Ising Coordinator, Education Alliance of NKY 4 Education Alliance Annual Report

5 Promoting a Positive Work Ethic Work Ethic Diploma In 2000, the concept for a regional Work Ethic Diploma was brought to the Northern Kentucky Chamber by employers that felt students were not completing high school with the soft skills needed to be successful employees. With the input of area educators, business leaders, and post-secondary representatives, standards were developed to measure work ethic in students. The demand for strong soft skills, such as work ethic, continues to grow according to several reports on the demand for these key skills in new employees. From the Class of 2011, nearly 1500 students from 25 high schools earned the Chamber s Work Ethic Diploma. Representatives from area businesses attended graduation and honors ceremonies to present diplomas and recognize the importance of a strong work ethic. Purpose Supply Northern Kentucky employers with a skilled workforce. Produce emerging employees prepared to face the challenges of a global marketplace. Be a filter for hiring and selecting candidates that have demonstrated knowledge, skills, abilities, and a strong commitment to their work. Reinforce the value of positive work ethic and the link to successful employment. Develop and improve soft skills of Northern Kentucky students. What are the standards? Attendance Absenteeism Tardiness Community Service/Internship Discipline Grade Point Average Organization/Flexibility/ Time Management Punctuality Respectfulness Teamwork Education Alliance Annual Report 5

6 Business Education Success Teams (B.E.S.T.) What is B.E.S.T.? B.E.S.T. is a program established to connect the business community to schools across Northern Kentucky. B.E.S.T. seeks to bring schools and businesses across the region together to develop activities to impact student achievement, support needs of schools and businesses and prepare students for college and career. In May 2011, outstanding business support and partnerships were recognized, specifically to highlight partnerships that achieved the Gold Standard level of activity. A Gold Standard partnership has been defined as one that: 1. Supplies measurable results and impacts student achievement; 2. Provides equal benefits to both the school and business; 3. Demonstrates the implementation of high impact initiatives; and 4. Impacts the community through partnership activities Gold Standard Partnerships Latonia Elementary and Thomas More College Longbranch Elementary and Northern Kentucky Health Department Piner Elementary and Ticona Sixth District Elementary and Gateway Community and Technical College Howell Elementary and Mazak Corporation St. Cecilia Elementary and The Bank of Kentucky, Independence Boone County High School and Citi Conner High School and Ellison Surface Technologies Turkeyfoot Middle School and Central Bank R.C. Hinsdale Elementary and Thomas More College Goodridge Elementary and Citi North Pointe and Arlinghaus Builders Conner High School and Citi Collins Elementary and Bank of Kentucky Ryle High School and PNC Bank Stephens Elementary and The Bank of Kentucky Holy Trinity School and Thomas More College Ockerman Middle School and Schwan s Global Supply Chain North Pointe Elementary and Remke Ryland Heights Elementary and Toyota Also recognized was the B.E.S.T. Business Partner of the Year, Thomas More College. This honor was given to an area business/organization that is dedicated to impacting student achievement and making a difference through high impact initiatives. Thomas More College received this award for successfully partnering with R.C. Hinsdale Elementary, Latonia Elementary, and Holy Trinity School. 6 Education Alliance Annual Report

7 Programs and Services Brighton Center Partnership In 2010, Education Alliance entered a partnership with Brighton Center and its Employment Training Network. As part of a U.S. Department of Labor grant received by Brighton Center, Education Alliance is working with Brighton Center to expand services and opportunities provided through the Young Parent Career Center and Center for Employment Training. The project has a career mentoring focus in which mentors hired by Brighton Center guide youth towards employment opportunities. Education Alliance works with the mentors to connect selected individuals with opportunities/ experiences related to job shadowing, resume building, and community service/community involvement. In , programs ranged in topic from the importance of giving back to your community to goal setting for a balanced life. Other topics included financial education, etiquette, customer service training, and resources for post-secondary education. Partners included Fidelity, Citi, United Way, and C-Forward among others. College Connect College Connect is a network of post-secondary institutions and area businesses representing the Greater Cincinnati region, including partners throughout Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. Participating colleges and universities include: Northern Kentucky University, Thomas More College, Gateway Community and Technical College, Xavier, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati State, Brown Mackie College, Beckfield College, Mid-Continent University, University of Dayton, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, College of Mount St. Joseph, ITT Technical Institute, National College, Indiana Wesleyan, Southwestern College, Daymar College, and Strayer University. Growing Local Talent (GLT)programs were offered throughout the year and provided information for post-secondary staff and faculty on workforce and hiring trends, skills needed by area employers, and ways for students to market themselves in a competitive job market. GLT events connect schools to area companies. The GLT series offered a program called The Real Mid-Life Crisis: What Colleges Need to Know About Helping Transitioning Adults and provided post-secondary representatives an opportunity to tour Fidelity Investments and learn about hiring needs, skills, and the culture of the company. Education Guide is a valuable online tool for newcomers, realtors, and parents to provide knowledge of educational opportunities across our region. Features of the website include a directory of K-12 schools (both public and private) throughout Boone, Campbell, Kenton, Gallatin, Grant, and Pendleton counties; information on pre-schools and childcare; career and technical information; adult learning opportunities; and a listing of our area postsecondary institutions. The site also provides regular updates on education issues in our region and upcoming events. Education Alliance Annual Report 7

8 Programs and Services STEM Business Engagement / Regional Alignment In addition to the conference, the Collaborative organized a Girls Day Out opportunity with employers including: Messer, General Cable, Duke Energy, Cincinnati Bell Technology Solutions, UDF, Wild Flavors, P&G, Delta, Cincinnati Children s Hospital, and MAG Cincinnati. Over 60 girls from grades 4-11 were able to visit employer sites and learn about the types of careers within each company. Education Alliance and the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce partnered with the Kentucky Girls STEM Collaborative at University of Kentucky to highlight the need for students to consider STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics) careers. The Alliance promoted this message in the region and engaged area schools, businesses, and parents. The Northern Kentucky Regional STEM Collaborative was launched to address concerns regarding STEM education and careers and what can be done to encourage more students to develop interests in STEM careers. The Chamber partnered with Northern Kentucky University to host the 2011 Kentucky Girls STEM Conference on June 29, 2011 at NKU. Nancy Holiday, general manager of Microsoft and a Kentucky native, was the keynote presenter at the conference. The conference provided an opportunity for educators, business and community leaders, parents and girls to explore emerging career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Waiting for Superman Screening On November 4, 2010, the Chamber hosted a private screening of the documentary, Waiting for Superman. The film was followed by a facilitated conversation with a panel of key stakeholders. The purpose of this screening was to start a dialogue within the community and increase business engagement in this conversation. The screening was sold out with nearly 100 in attendance and served as a call to action for the community to get engaged in our children s education. The Education Alliance Steering Committee led the Action Team 5 under the newly structured Northern Kentucky Education Council. The Northern Kentucky Education Council serves as the P-20 Council for Northern Kentucky, addressing transitions along the academic pipeline from early childhood to postsecondary. The Council adopted the six education goals identified in the Vision 2015 plan for the Northern Kentucky region. The focus of the Alliance was business engagement and service learning. Under the leadership of Action Team 5, four strategies were developed: Evaluate the impact of business engagement in schools; Increase value of a strong work ethic in NKY among students, employers, and parents; Increase number of students impacted by service learning; Increase number of businesses engaged in meaningful school partnerships. 8 Education Alliance Annual Report

9 Financials $2,090 Revenue $19,756 Programs Grants Interest Income $51,536 Total Revenue: $73,382 $2,591 Expenses Programmatic Management & General Total Expenses: $85,704 $83,113 Net Income/Loss: -$12,322 Education Alliance Annual Report 9