Teacher Innovation Grants. Communication Plan WakeEd Partnership 706 Hillsborough Street, Suite A Raleigh, NC 27603

Transcription

1 Teacher Innovation Grants Communication Plan WakeEd Partnership 706 Hillsborough Street, Suite A Raleigh, NC 27603

2 Overview In 2016, WakeEd Partnership reviewed the number of applications for Teacher Innovation Grants over the last three years. Our research found that the number of grant applications had decreased 34%, from 86 applications in 2013 to only 57 in We also found that 14% of applicants had applied for more than one grant during this period. While it is our hope that educators will continue to apply for these grants each year, creating more opportunities for professional development and innovation in their classrooms, we would like to see an increase in new and overall applicants for the school year. WakeEd Partnership needs an updated communication plan that will reach a larger number of potential applicants by increasing educator awareness of Teacher Innovation Grants. The following communication plan was created in response to this research. It provides tactics for reaching educators through various channels, including school principals and area superintendents. Contents Goals 2 Outcomes and Evaluations 2 Audience Profiles 3 Messages 3 Tactical Plan 5 Appendix 7

3 Goals 1. Spread the Word about Teacher Innovation Grants For more than 30 years, WakeEd Partnership has invested in Wake County Public Schools by funding inspired teachers. Research on Teacher Innovation Grant success concluded that the number of grant applicants has decreased 34% since To increase the number of applicants for 2016, WakeEd will review and update current communication tactics to reach a larger number of educators each year Total Number of Proposals Number of Applicants Outcomes and Evaluations Several measurable goals will be used to determine the success of this communication plan. Measurable Goals for 2016 Increase the total number of Teacher Innovation Grant applications by at least 10%. Receive 3 new* Teacher Innovation Grant applicants. *Educators who did not apply for grants between 2013 and Soft Goals for 2016 Increase overall awareness of Teacher Innovation Grant opportunities in Wake County Public Schools. Convince area superintendents and school principals to be advocates for Teacher Innovation Grants.

4 Audience Profiles Name Tommy Teacher Peggy Principal Audrey Area Superintendent How They Get Information School Principal Co-Workers Area Superintendents Teachers District Meetings School Principals and Teachers Admins Superintendent and Area Superintendents Messages WakeEd has almost exclusively directed messages regarding grant opportunities to educators. I. Main Message Teacher Innovation Grants provide unique opportunities for educators to develop engaging, innovative, and interactive learning experiences for Wake County students. II. Secondary Messages Teacher initiative and enthusiasm inspires success in students. Teacher Innovation Grants can set WCPSS apart from other districts. All educators should apply for these grants.

5 Message Matrix The messages listed above can be tailored to reach different stakeholders such as teachers, principals, and area superintendents. Below, we have provided guidelines for each stakeholder, to create more effective messages. Audience Tone Primary Message Supporting Point Call to Action Tommy Teacher Helpful - Give teachers exactly what they need to succeed. Teacher Innovation Grants help teachers inspire success in their students. WakeEd celebrates excellence in teaching. Apply for our Teacher Innovation Grants. Peggy Principal Informative - Being mindful of their busy schedules, provide all necessary information. With your support, we can create engaging, innovative, and interactive learning experiences for students. WakeEd invests in Wake County schools and students by funding innovative, inspired teachers. Encourage educators at your school to apply for Teacher Innovation Grants. Audrey Area Superintendent Informative - Being mindful of their busy schedules, provide all necessary information. Well-supported, innovative, professional educators are essential for a high quality school system. Teacher Innovation Grants increase teacher retention. WakeEd funds educational excellence in Wake County Public Schools. You have a busy schedule. Forward Teacher Innovation Grant information to principals and educators in your area.

6 Tactical Plan Tactics for this communication plan will be very specific and tailored to each audience to make the most of our short timeline. Applications are already online and teachers have been signing up for grant writing workshops this month. The following tactics should increase the number of proposals and workshop sign-ups in March as well as the overall number of Teacher Innovation Grant applications submitted. Tactic Description Timing Personal Phone Call Informative Call the admin for each Area Superintendent; inform them of incoming WakeEd about Teacher Innovation Grants. Copy them on the . Area Superintendents are busy; the admin can ensure that they read the . Immediately follow-up the phone call with an to the Superintendent (and admin) about Teacher Innovation Grants. Ask them to forward information to area principals, encouraging teachers to apply. Answers Questions: (1) What are Teacher Innovation Grants? (2) What can Teacher Innovation Grants do for Wake County Schools? (3) What do you need me to do? 3/2 3/2 Tommy Teacher Peggy Principal Audrey Area Superintendent X X X X Make it as easy as possible: Provide exact language and informative attachment that they can

7 forward to principals/educators. Reminder Several weeks later, send a reminder to Area Superintendents, updating them on a current project and encouraging them to tell Principals/Educators. 3/23 X X X Answers Questions: (1) What are Teacher Innovation Grants? (2) What are the upcoming deadlines? (3) What can Teacher Innovation Grants do for Wake County Schools?

8 Appendix Message Scripts The following scripts and messages were used to facilitate this communication plan between February and April They can be updated and used in following years to promote Teacher Innovation Grants. Introduction for Phone Call: Hello, my name is and I m calling on behalf of Teresa Pierrie at WakeEd Partnership! I wanted to let you know that I will be ing Superintendent some important information about our Teacher Innovation Grant program in just a few minutes. Could I copy you on this ? We just opened applications for grant proposals and we really want to encourage more teachers to apply this year. We have funded some great projects in the past, but we want all Wake County educators to know that this money is available. Sample Subject: Grant Opportunities for Wake County Educators Dear : I am ing on behalf of Teresa Pierrie at WakeEd Partnership with important information regarding our Teacher Innovation Grants. I am hoping that you will spread this information to Wake County Educators. Teacher Innovation Grants provide unique opportunities for educators to develop engaging, innovative, and interactive learning experiences for Wake County students through creative projects or professional development. For more than 30 years, we have invested in inspired teachers, knowing that their initiative and enthusiasm inspires success in their students. The tremendous impact of these grants can be seen in schools throughout the county.

9 In 2014, grant-funded technology allowed at-risk literacy students to write stories and record themselves reading, giving them the practice and confidence that they needed to improve their writing scores by more than 20%. Last year, Sanderson High School used grant funds to send one of their teachers to the Teach Like a Champion training in New York City. That teacher returned to the school to lead a professional development workshop for the entire teaching staff. [Personalized Example. See table below.] We are hoping to fund equally exciting and valuable projects for the school year. Please take the time to share this information with your area principals and ask them to encourage teachers to apply. Applications are available through our website Sample Follow-Up Dear : I am ing on behalf of Teresa Pierrie at WakeEd Partnership with important information regarding our Teacher Innovation Grants. I appreciate you forwarding my previous to principals in your area - we were delighted to see more sign-ups for our grant writing workshops. I hope that you will continue to encourage your area principals to share this information. Teacher Innovation Grants provide unique opportunities for educators to develop engaging, innovative, and interactive learning experiences for Wake County students through creative projects or professional development. [Personalized Example. See table below.] The deadline for grant applications is May 2nd. Please continue to share this information with your area principals and ask them to encourage teachers to apply. Applications are available through our website

10 Personalized Examples for Area Superintendent s ( ) Area Superintendent for Elementary Support James Overman (919) Came to Wake County to be Assistant Principal Intern at Timber Drive Elementary in Initial: One Teacher Innovation Grant is allowing special education students at Lincoln Heights Elementary School to build a butterfly garden. This hands-on, engaging, and sustainable project integrates multisensory, creative, and innovative instruction in science that will lead to student success for years to come. Southern Area Superintendent Lloyd Gardner lygardner@wcpss.net (919) Follow-Up: One Teacher Innovation Grant is allowing special education students at Lincoln Heights Elementary School to build a butterfly garden. This hands-on, sustainable project has been a great experience for these students and they are excited to work on the project each day. Their teacher, Mrs. Propp, has also extended this project into other areas of study, significantly impacting students engagement in other curriculum areas. When this project started I was expecting the students to be excited, she told us, but I never expected them to take it to the level they have. They have scheduled a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community celebration for May. Spent eight years as Principal and six as Assistant Principal of Enloe High School. Initial: One of our Teacher Innovation Grants is at work in Timber Drive Elementary this year, as 5th graders complete an inquiry-based social studies unit on early American history. Founding Fathers? Is that a band? is allowing students to examine artifacts and participate in interactive centers - the result of teacher collaboration and additional media resources. Follow-Up: During the school year, Teacher Innovation Grants have significantly impacted student engagement and comprehension in areas such as literacy, history, environmental science, and technology. By planting butterfly gardens, building robots, and updating creative spaces, Wake County teachers are inspiring their students to succeed.

11 Central Area Superintendent Danny Barnes (919) Mr. Barnes worked with the Wake County Public School System from 1988 to 2013 in various roles including Assistant Principal, Principal, Executive Director of Human Resources and Eastern Area Superintendent. Initial: One Teacher Innovation Grant is funding the redesign of the 7th grade common area at Centennial Campus Middle School. This space will support innovative, collaborative, and comprehensive learning by allowing students to think critically, as well as creatively, outside of the classroom. Follow-Up: One Teacher Innovation Grant is funding the redesign of the 7th grade common area at Centennial Campus Middle School. Educators are collaborating to create a space that will make tutoring and small group work more productive, active, and creative. Mobile white boards and stability ball chairs are just some of the items they will be incorporating into this space, which will support innovative and collaborative learning outside of the classroom. Northern Area Superintendent Dr. Pamela Kinsey-Barker pkinsey-barker@wcpss.net (919) She has made her career in WCPSS elementary schools including teaching at Durant Road, being an Assistant Principal at Wilburn, and serving as Principal in Morrisville and Brassfield. Initial: One Teacher Innovation Grant is funding a project at Millbrook High School this year that is allowing students to develop skills involved in the emerging field of digital media production such as entrepreneurialism, critical thinking, and collaboration. They have used grant money to purchase the equipment that students need to Livestream school events over the Internet. Follow-Up: One Teacher Innovation Grant is funding a digital media production team at Millbrook High School. They are developing skills involved in this emerging field, including entrepreneurialism, critical thinking, and collaboration, and are analyzing real-world problems with livestream technology. Their teacher, Ms. Romano, says there is a real excitement among students about the ability to livestream a multi-camera event. Earlier this month, students set up a three camera shoot to livestream the school s Winterfest Celebration with impressive results!

12 Western Area Superintendent Tim Locklair (919) He began his career in Wake County as Principal at Apex Middle School and later at Holly Spring High School. Initial: One Teacher Innovation Grant is funding innovation in STEM education through a critical-thinking robotics project at East Cary Middle School. All students are invited to participate in a robotics competition that involves collaboration and seeks to solve real-world problems and students have the opportunity to showcase their learning at school-wide, regional, and state competitions. Follow-Up: One Teacher Innovation Grant is funding innovation in STEM education through a critical-thinking robotics project at East Cary Middle School. Students are working in teams to build robots to solve real-world problems and are showcasing their research in presentations and competitions throughout Wake County and the State of North Carolina. Eastern Area Superintendent Dr. Edward McFarland emcfarland@wcpss.net (919) He began his career in Wake County as Assistant Principal at Middle Creek Elementary and later served as Principal at Aversboro Elementary. Initial : This year one Teacher Innovation Grant is helping Knightdale High School students build a beautiful, engaging, and interactive nature trail for the entire school community to enjoy. This collaborative, multidisciplinary project will be implemented by agriculture, carpentry, and computer science students, truly bringing collaborative, creative, and critical thinking outside of the classroom. Follow-Up: During the school year, Teacher Innovation Grants have significantly impacted student engagement and comprehension in areas such as literacy, history, environmental science, and technology. By planting butterfly gardens, building robots, and updating creative spaces, Wake County teachers are inspiring their students to succeed.

13 Southwestern Area Superintendent Dr. Clinton Robinson (919) Mathematician for the Department of Defense; In September 2011, he joined WCPSS as Principal of Wake Forest-Rolesville High School. Initial: One Teacher Innovation Grant is providing teacher training in mathematics at Baileywick Road Elementary School. Over the course of this training, educators are learning about the development of number knowledge in young children as well as research-based instructional strategies that they can integrate into math classrooms. Follow-Up: One Teacher Innovation Grant provided teacher training in mathematics at Baileywick Road Elementary School. Over the course of this training, educators learned about the development of number knowledge in children as well as research-based instructional strategies. In the evaluation interviews, teachers cited two useful aspects of the training - the ability to see gaps in student learning and the availability of resources to use to address these gaps. All of the participating teachers found the training effective and useful and are integrating what they learned into their classes. Northern Area Superintendent Andre Smith acsmith@wcpss.net (919) He came to Wake County as a Millbrook High School assistant principal in 1994 before moving to Central Services as a student assignment administrator in He was named principal of Wake Forest-Rolesville High School in Initial: This year our Teacher Innovation Grant program is funding a project to create a Research and Creativity Center for Forest Pines Drive Elementary. This space provides more opportunities for collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication, and is being integrated into class curriculums in many different academic areas. Follow-Up: One Teacher Innovation Grant funded a Research and Creativity Center at Forest Pines Drive Elementary, which provides opportunities for collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication for all academic areas. The space includes a green screen, a 3D printer, stop motion cameras, ipads, and a Makerspace. Students are enthusiastic and engaged by the hands-on activities and challenges, and are excited about their finished projects.