Spring at EOD is a very busy time! For Impact Managers, this time of the year is filled with classroom observations, curriculum retreats, principal meetings and program post-assessments.
Additionally, for me, this time is filled with brainstorming future partnerships and new relationships with schools. Aside from being an Impact Manager, I also specialize in strategic partnerships. Simply put, I have the privilege of envisioning and planning how and where EOD will grow next! EOD is now in over 32 schools and afterschool programs throughout Dallas County and although we impact thousands of kids each year we know there is more work to do! There are countless more kids who deserve the knowledge and tools to successfully navigate through high school to college.
EOD has a small but mighty team of 4 Impact Managers, but soon more Impact Manager will come on board, allowing us to expand our program across Dallas County. In the past, we have regrettably had to decline numerous schools and programs simply because we didn’t have the capacity to support them. Imagine having to look into the eyes of a concerned principal or excited scholar and tell them that the program can’t come to their school this year. Bringing on additional staff means we can now say yes more often. Yes, to more opportunities. Yes, to more kids. And yes, to brighter futures!
My next strategic partnering step is deciding WHO we say yes to and next where will we grow? Which school districts are top priorities? Throughout the year I have been researching schools districts as well as meeting a number of educational leaders and community stakeholders.
We want the new schools we grow into to be as much as a good fit for us as we are for them. We want campuses with a thirst for college, teachers who are committed to changing student trajectories and taking on challenges, and leaders who are invested in the importance of college knowledge.
My most recent conversations have been with Garland ISD middle schools. Garland is deeply invested in the future of their scholars and wants to create even more opportunities for their kiddos. This past week, my colleague Amy Tran and I met with five Garland middle school campuses and had the pleasure of introducing our program to them. The principals were very excited and felt that the Roadmap to Success curriculum filled a critical gap of knowledge that their students and communities need.
If you know of any schools or school leaders that have a need for a college knowledge curriculum, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Also, follow us on social media to stay up to date with new EOD partnerships!
-Paris Ball, former EOD Impact Manager
