What's next Hale Cook?

We're moving forward and look forward to an exciting year of activities, outreach, and community-building in support of our Neighborhood School. While we might not have the numbers we needed for enrollment, the feedback has been so positive that we are committed to moving forward and planning for Fall 2012. Here is some more information about how we would like to reorganize our committee to engage you and help us accomplish many of the great ideas you've proposed over the past three months.

Proposed Goals for 2011-2012

1. Increase public awareness and support for the community plan to reopen Hale Cook Elementary in Fall 2011 through outreach, school-centered activities, and broader engagement of stakeholders.
2. Work with the School District to establish a realistic and sustainable strategy for the school in its first year and beyond.
3. Further develop the School Plan with the community and School District.
4. Create partnerships with organizations and stakeholders to not only activate the school building before it reopens in Fall 2012 but will support the school once it is open.
5. Support student enrollment and parent commitment to the school to reach the target of 350 students by February 2012.

Organizational Structure
Steering Committee

• Expand the Steering Committee to include one active representative from each of the subcommittees and introduce new members to expand reach within the community. Establish standards and role descriptions to promote transparency and accessibility of our efforts.
• Oversee all committee activity as a functional clearinghouse for all external communications on Hale Cook and coordinate strategic efforts to ensure we are always meeting our goals.
• Develop and maintain an outreach strategy to meet Goal 1. Maintain a calendar of all activities.
• Engage marketing/PR professionals to assist us with outreach to media and broader public.

School Vision & Plan Committee

• Continue the development of a school plan for Hale Cook and provide more information to community members about the strategy to ensure transparency and help build trust in the KCMO School District through community planning and strategy sessions throughout the catchment area to support Goal 3.
• Establish an approach for capturing feedback on the school plan (e.g. surveys, public meetings, presentations to different organizations) and facilitate an ongoing discussion on the blog.
• Work closely with School District administrators to ensure we are making realistic and sustainable commitments to the community in support of Goal 2.
• Identify in-district best practices and showcase their success on HaleCook.org
• Initiate a dialogue with the “next step” schools to include them in the conversation about Hale Cook. Foster a conversation so parents will understand what’s next after elementary school in the KCMO School District.

Community Partnerships Committee

• Develop a partnership and sponsorship strategy to engage stakeholders with in-kind and cash gifts to support Hale Cook which includes identifying what we are allowed to do with the School District, creating a strategy for outreach, and developing of a list potential partners for Hale Cook Elementary.
• Opportunities: facilities enhancement, sponsorship for renovation of a room, utilization of the space for other organizational activities, program support (e.g. arts, science, etc.), human resources (volunteers).
• Establish a schedule for building partnerships.
• Execute through outreach to different organizations and stakeholders to meet Goal 4.

Facilities and Events Committee

• Work with the school district to create a calendar of activities to improve the school facilities and activate the space throughout the calendar year in support of Goal 2. Find ways to use the space regularly even if we have to rent it.
• Develop strategies for once the school opens to promote sustainability and healthy lifestyle and create a preliminary calendar of events for School 2012-2013.
• Engage community members through programs at the school that would showcase the ideas and vision for the school plan (e.g. speakers on standards-based curriculum and success) and invite partners to host events at the school.
• Opportunities: Community gardens, school clean-up, community events, Clay Guild, etc.
• Plan a Spring 2012 event to kick-off the 2012-2013 School Year with a fundraiser to support the school in its first year.

 Some of the tasks/initiatives we brainstormed:

• Exterior signage for Hale Cook (increase visibility of the school in the neighborhood)
• Building appearance and restoration, including landscape maintenance and improvement projects
• Develop lists including a media list, sponsorship/partnership lists to help track leads and make us more effective in our outreach. This might include lists of other organizations; HOAs; churches; daycare programs; etc. as well.
• Enhance our social media online through Facebook and create even more substance for our blog to keep people engaged
• Find other groups who might like to use Hale Cook for events
• Continue working on school logistics and options such as part-time Pre-K program; create a filter for ideas, track input and "crunch numbers" to see what will work
• Engage Hale Cook Alumni
• Reach out to retirees and seniors to see if they would like to volunteer at the school
• Create a nonprofit to support the cause
• Develop a calendar of events and activities that we might want to know about for outreach or even invite to share the Hale Cook space (ball room dancing, Ripple Glass, etc.)