smart-schools.com » Charter School Marketing

“School Pride” on NBC

Smarty — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:50:27 +0000

NBC fishes for new ratings by testing the public’s interest in education. Schools in Los Angeles were part of the episodes. Let’s hope the interest spurs NBC to renew the series. You can watch some episodes here.

http://www.nbc.com/school-pride/

So Cal Educators to Learn About Newest Apps, Best Innovations for Schools

Smarty — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 23:42:27 +0000

Oct. 15 Ed Tech Event at CSULA is Among the State’s Biggest

Hundreds of teachers, technology coordinators, school and district administrators, and select students from around Southern California will gather at Cal State L.A. for a special conference that will explore the innovative and effective ways technology is being used at K-12 schools.

The 21^st Century Learners Symposium, which is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Office of Education, will feature workshops by top consultants and technology specialists on successful and “hot” classroom uses, trends, services and applications. Topics will include mobile technology, digital textbooks, netbooks, open source, Google, and Web 2.0 tools. The conference is one of the largest education technology events in the state.

WHAT: The 21^st Century Learners Symposium of 2010

WHEN: Friday, Oct. 15, 2010 — 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: CSULA Golden Eagle Conference Center, 5151 State University Dr., L.A. 90032

NOTE: Media parking available by checking in at the Welcome Center/Kiosk on

Paseo Rancho Castilla (campus map: www.calstatela.edu/univ/maps/cslamap.php)

WHO: Participants are K-12 educators, staff and students from public and private

schools throughout Southern California. Featured presentations:

All Day: Special hands-on product and demonstration sessions

All Day: Student multimedia projects by Hollywood High School (LAUSD)

and Rowland Avenue Elementary School (Covina-Valley USD)

9:30 am: Leadership keynote: Cheryl Lemke, CEO, Metiri Group

12:50 pm: Afternoon keynote: Milton Chen, George Lucas Ed Foundation

Symposium is presented by the L.A. County Office of Education’s Instructional

Technology Outreach and California Technology Assistance (Region 11) Project.

INTERVIEWS / VISUALS:

Nearly 600 attendees are expected. In addition to open interview opportunities with presenters, experts and participants, there will be numerous displays and demonstrations by product and service vendors, including Troxell Communications.

LAUSD School Choice Reform Board Decision Results

Smarty — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:29:06 +0000

February 23 2010

The tally:

NEW CAMPUSES (24 )

-19 teacher-district proposal

-4 Charters

-1 Mayor’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools

____________________________________

EXISTING SCHOOLS (13)

-10 teacher-district proposal

-2 Mayor’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools

-1 Youth Policy Institute

-0 other charters

____________________________________

1. There was an election, involving parents, students, community members, employees.

2. Superintendent Cortines made his recommendations

3. Board made final decision

____________________________________

Challenges for Charter Management Organizations:

Vernerable charter organizations, Green Dot, ICEF, Alliance proposals not approved.

Charter parcel tax, and Proposition 39 issues remain.

____________________________________

We wish the best to all!! Innovation is afoot!

Classroom 2.0 Seminar for L.A. School Principals

Smarty — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:31:06 +0000

How do teachers integrate 21st Century technology into a seamless learning and teaching environment? … including interactive whiteboards, document cameras, student responders and countless other tools?

It’s easy to see the benefits of many of the 21st Century learning tools & techniques, but having an effective integration plan and knowing what tools, when to use them and how to integrate it into curriculum, effectively, is not easy.

This seminar, designed for School Principals and Administrators, will host a continental breakfast.

It will be a morning of current & relevant content for the K-12 education environment in Los Angeles, which is both very demanding and very budget weary.

Tuesday March 23, 2010

Embassy Suites Los Angeles-Glendale

800 N Central Avenue

Glendale, CA 91203

8:30 -9:00 AM Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 am to 12:00 pm Classroom 2.0 Seminar

Seminar designed for School Principals, Key Administrators and Technology Leaders.

How do you define 21st Century Learning?

How can technology increase student engagement?

Are your teachers 21st Century educators?

How do you seamlessly integrate 21st Century technology into the learning environment?

Seminar for Registered Guests. Hosted by Troxell Communications & Presented by Eduscape Learning.

Linked Learning: Better way to prepare H.S. students for real life w/ Multiple Pathways

Smarty — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:17:37 +0000

Whats the big deal? This effort helps High School Students prepare for real life, both additional schooling afer high school and vocational readiness. This is opposed to simply delineating between college bound and career worker students, and hopes to utilize small learning communities to grow overall life skills for all students.

What is the Linked Learning initiative? Originally called “Multiple Pathways”, this is a effort by a consortium of public and corporate entities. It is a new way of teaching and learning, a new way to deliver curriculum, including online strategies.

Here is the latest draft ofthe initiative, Assembly Bill 2648 Multiple Pathways Report

More Info here on new Report, dated Jan 15 2010

Grant Writing Ideas/Best Practices for Public, Charter, Private Schools

Smarty — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:18:37 +0000

Grant Writing Notes Dave Boller | Troxell, Los Angeles, CA

Grants are important than ever, and more competitive than ever. But they are there, and with some smart effort, you can win them.

Once you do the first one, you’ll be doing more grants. Get started.

2 Approaches to Begin

1. RFP Search in specific georgraphical or subject areas

2. Create a Proactive Needs Assessment

Don’t spend time (waste time) on grants that don’t FIT what you want to do.

Don’t let needs assessment get too lengthy

You don’t necessarily need consultants to write it.

Informal needs assessment can work fine.

Steps in Needs Assessment

1. Clarify organizational expectations, goals, or objectives

2. Review current practices and though

3. Collect and analyze data

4. Identify areas of need

5. Determine where to start

Once you know your needs….Search for Solutions

-research and pilot projects

-Professional journals Ed Leadership, Edutopia…

.. pages in back of journals that list grants

-Gov publications, including web sites

(What Works in Public Education website)

-Stakeholder resources

-Software companies

-Be creative

Who (what position ) do you write too a big corporation?…

make a call first, find foundation manager or budget manager.

Additional educational grant information sources

-business

-journal lists

-local grant makers (find their “Mission Statements”)

-state agencies

-foundations

-title programs

-SIGs

Use creative Boolean strategies in search engines. See search engines listed here at smart-schools.com in addition to Google.

Try http://www.zuula.com as you can search all major engines in addition to Google. We will post more on smart web searching later. But it can help you find the “needle in the grant haystack” you’re looking for and increase YOUR chances of scoring the grant.

Be creative in your thinking….get what you want and still satisfy the grant makers.

Getting Organized

Print RFP including all instructions

Form a grant writing team…DON’T DO IT ALONE

Form a list of partners.

Read all instructions, including rubrics and grant-maker goals.

Set up a timeline.

Assign responsibilities.

Gather data.

Begin writing.

Invite an employee from the grant offering company to help !! Great way to keep on-target and build rapport.

Writing process

Divide into sections:

(can get grant writer help..but write the cost into the grant with % to grant writer)

Abstract

Intro

Needs

Goals & objectives

Activities and personnel

Evaluation

Budget

Communicate with your grant maker along the way. Even if you don’t have a serious question…email a question or a call or visit, that way you accomplish them getting to know you…they know you’re working on it, you can bounce ideas off of them.

Utilize resources from nearby colleges/community. Sometimes leverage them for specific projects in their training…help each other

Matching funds….?…

go to local businesses to secure matching funds…

FINAL STEPS

Double check requirements. Don’t risk losing it

Edit one last time

Let the grant maker know that the grant is on the way

Follow submission format

Send multiple copies if requested

Turn in on time

If mailing or facing, request a receipt

Make it happen

Follow the proposal

Stick to the timeline

Spend only the original budget, or request a modified budget

Collect data

Document the project with notes, photographs, video, and testimonials

Celebrate

Give credit

Communicate

Share information

Complete all reports & evaluations on time

Thank partners and the grant maker

Plan for sustainability. Look for ways to sustain the project….it is a personnel and time issue after the grant is all done…keep it alive and plan for it.

Individual schools probably even more eligible than district…more emotional, closer to the source, individual children.

OTHER NOTES

At Risk/poverty and Spec Ed money available ARRA

-research based not brand new..proven as successful

-list WHO will be doing after school program, must have one certified teacher at least to give program credibility . Grant can pay teacher

-“Race To The Top” funds ARRA be distributed on a competitive basis

Hope something here helped you.

Let’s do this!

Professional L.A. Media company can help Promote your School

Smarty — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:57:56 +0000

I found a unique video production firm in Los Angeles that caters to education clients with an excellent mix of heart & professionalism at a very reasonable cost.

LA’s Ballantine Media Arts has years of experience capturing school productions, events and editing promotional vignettes. Founder Steve Ballantine offers an education-focused, professional media capture experience for school administrators.

“The overall purpose of Ballantine Media Arts is to contribute to the greater good.” says owner Steve Ballantine.

While that doesn’t mean that Steve’s company is free, they are inexpensive because they focus on the education market, have low overhead and love what they do. Especially considering the professional quality sound, multiple cameras, editing and production elements that the company brings to educators, including having finished DVDs available for the school to sell or promote as they see fit.

INTERNET
In this changing environment for Charter Schools, Magnet Schools and School Choice reforms, it may pay to have a professional video presence on the internet; including YouTube or other easy-to-find sites showing the unique character of your school or department. A little bit of search engine presence can help potential student families find the uniqueness you offer, not to mention motivated investors or foundations.

ARTS PROGRAMS
It is difficult to capture live productions, especially when those moments of magic happen. For arts schools, it seems critical to promote the combined talents of the students, faculty in a media-savvy way. Having a dedicated professional on the job can help.

Ballantine Media Arts is available at
http://www.bmediaarts.com/

Online video gains on TV

Smarty — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:45:12 +0000

Nearly 25% of US households now view TV online according to the non-profit organization “Conference Board”. The September 2009 report states that online TV viewing, surging 20% from just a year earlier, is done mostly from home and clearly signifies the weakening of traditional “appointment TV”.

What types of media are your students watching at home?

This potentially underscores the importance of online video for educational purposes. Children are slowly but increasingly shifting towards internet-based entertainment as opposed to traditional media. The classroom is ultimately going to make the shift as well.

Welcome to the Future

Smarty — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:27:37 +0000

U.S. is Still #1 in Manufacturing & Needs Well Educated Students

Smarty — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:09:28 +0000

The recent fear-laden joke is: “Wow, we don’t make anything in America anymore … what are we going to do for jobs, sell hamburgers to each other?” But you may be surprised to learn that the U.S. still maintains the largest, most important manufacturing base of any nation in the world. The U.S.’s manufacturing base is over twice the size of any other country including China or Japan.

In terms of the workforce needs of the United States, workers that are well educated and highly skilled will be in great demand for years to come.

In fact, according to Time Magazine, since 1990 America’s manufacturing output has increased $900 billion, roughly the size of Germany’s total output, and hey, Germany is a manufacturing monster! The jobs are still here in the U.S., although shifting, changing and in many cases declining, but the jobs are different than in the past, requiring well educated highly skilled people. Each new manufacturing job represents a much higher output in individual productivity than in the old days of Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie.

America’s manufacturing base reflects a great strength in developing:

-high-value products

-for high-stakes industries and applications.

This is the growth in coming years and it rests on the backs of our various education infrastructures. Other crucial elements of in the United States’ current dominance in high-quality manufacturing include efficient quality control in supply chains, strong intellectual capital and the highly skilled workforce built by teachers and educators.

A few years back Alan Greenspan, Fed Chairman said “Ideas are becoming increasingly the predominant means by which we create wealth.”

Truth is, we are still the intellectual property leader on the globe and this is reflected in our position as the leading-edge manufacturing force in the world. And we need highly skilled, well educated people to create, market and … yes … manufacture these great products.

Other factors will encourage our manufacturing dominance such as rising energy costs, an increasingly “green” outlook on manufacturing around the world and our own massive consumer needs.

Kids today need to be inspired and stimulated to dream, think and produce new ideas, services, products and contributions in this era of rapid change. Curriculum integration using the latest tools to integrate media and the internet through interaction and social media are key to advancing ideas and developing 21rst Century skills.

Lead the way, educators and teachers! You are vitally important. You influence the future of our nation and the world.