Bright Futures Leadership Academy Peggy Fuller Christie Barnhart Darren Gallup

The Way We Used to Be!

A little history….. From a vision…. To a grant…. To a director…. TO A BREAKFAST! AND THEN IT BEGAN!

What do you do with 50 volunteers? Ambassador Visits! NOW Needs! 1 st BF Retreat

RETREAT MADE THIS VERY CLEAR ---- Many business and faith-based were lacking in knowledge of what the real school issues were, and what was being done to address them.

– AND THAT LED TO THE VERY FIRST Bright Futures Leadership Academy

First Academy - 7 sessions half-day each September-November of 2010 Attendees – Advisory Board

CURRENT BFLA Strategy – Each session half day – Located at various schools – Very competent speakers who understand importance of being prepared – Principals give tour of school – Team building exercises

SESSION 1 Poverty Culture in Joplin – Have local historian give background – How historical influences still have impact on today’s culture – Ruby Payne Poverty Training

SESSION 2 Eric Jensen Brain-based Poverty research – Taught by people who have been through training Principal Panel – elementary through high school representation

SESSION 3 Education, Crime, and Our Community – Led by highly engaged police officer – Poverty, crime, and how it correlates to at-risk students and dropouts. – Followed by BUS TOUR – VERY EMOTIONAL!

Bus tour should include: – Neighborhoods near schools – Homelessness issues – Difficult neighborhoods where the children live

SESSION 4 21 st Century Learning and Career Pathways Tour of new high school Vision of the schools for 21 st century Career Pathways FUSION! – Helping 9 th graders through the transition

SESSION 5 A Day in the Life of a Teacher – Assign participants to a teacher to spend a half day in the classroom

SESSION 6 At-Risk Students and the Graduation Rate – Current programs and initiatives – How they affect graduation rate Administration Structure and Board of Ed How are decisions made?

QUESTIONS???