BloomBoard

Today, we’re putting a spotlight on the creative and thoughtful Edward Vandenberg! Ed has been with BloomBoard for eight years. Before joining the BloomBoard team, he spent 13 years working with a Los Angeles charter school management organization as a teacher, school principal, and area superintendent. As BloomBoard’s director of educator support systems, Ed oversees a team of full-time and contract staff members who focus on supporting higher education partner faculty and learners. He holds himself and his team to high standards in order to provide the best and most consistent experience for the learners in our programs. Ed is a collaborative team leader, whose approachability and dedication to helping others make him a highly respected manager. As one staff member says, “He is a colleague who makes you want to be the best version of yourself.” We are grateful to have Ed on the BloomBoard team! 👏

Across the country, educational service centers (ESCs) provide a range of critical services to school districts and their employees. At BloomBoard, we are proud to partner with a number of these organizations to bring on-the-job teaching degrees to school districts. In this new video profile, see how BROWN COUNTY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER and Southern Ohio Educational Service Center have partnered with BloomBoard to offer an on-the-job Bachelor’s Degree in Education (PK-5 or MMIS) for paraprofessionals. ESC leaders and program participants speak to the value of the program and highlight the benefits of the residency-based model. Check it out! ➡️ https://hubs.li/Q02VqZ4r0

Join BloomBoard on October 29, 2024, for a conversation with Dr. Deborah Osher, Director of Instructional Leadership at Evanston/Skokie School District 65 in Illinois. She’ll be talking about the district’s teacher apprenticeship program, a pathway that enables working paraprofessionals to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary or Special Education while on the job. During the webinar, you will also hear firsthand from two of the dedicated paraprofessionals participating in the program who will share their experiences, challenges, and triumphs as they work towards becoming fully qualified teachers. Register today! ➡️ https://hubs.li/Q02SffJv0 📆 October 29 at 11 a.m. CT

Thank you to all of those who participated in our Kentucky Texher Shortage Summit this week. As BloomBoard President and Founder Jason Lange says here, “One of the best ways we can help school districts tackle their biggest challenges is to make space for committed leaders to share ideas and create solutions collectively.”

At BloomBoard's Kentucky Teacher Shortage Summit today in Lexington, a panel of KY teachers shared with the district leaders in attendance how nontraditional on-the-job learning improved their instructional capability and advanced their careers. They discussed how the flexibility, relevance, and coaching support provided in their on-the-job advancement programs made it possible for them to further their careers as educators and deepened their commitment to their school districts.

Today, BloomBoard gathered superintendents, policymakers, HR directors, and education leaders from across the state of Kentucky to discuss practical solutions for teacher recruitment, development, and retention. Here, State Representative Killian Timoney speaks about the importance of having open channels of communication from home to school to state house. He shared how he's made sure the voices of kids and families of Fayette County are heard in the legislature. “We have to be super-intentional about what we’re doing and make sure we’re all communicating.” He encouraged the audience of district leaders to personally email their educators and give them real insight into the needs of the districts. 

Today, we’re putting a spotlight on the dedicated, Micaela Jones! Micaela has been with BloomBoard for almost two years. She came to us after an impressive stint teaching kindergarten for 9 years. She also worked as an early childhood specialist, providing support, coaching, and curriculum development for preschool teachers. In her role as senior program manager for BloomBoard, Micaela helps ensure smooth program implementation and supports program candidates to help them stay on track. She is inspired by the school district leaders she works with and their commitment to developing and advancing their educators. Micaela’s approachable nature makes her easy to collaborate with, and her willingness to help at any time truly sets her apart as a team member. Her colleagues describe her as calm, thoughtful, and a joy to work with! We are so happy to have Micaela on the BloomBoard team! 👏

BloomBoard is proud to be a Dimond Elite Sponsor of American Association of School Personnel Administrators' (AASPA) 86th Annual Conference in Seattle next week! We hope you’ll stop by booth #310 to learn how we’re partnering with school districts and universities to bring on-the-job teaching degree and certification programs into PK–12 classrooms. Our district partners are sustainably addressing their teacher recruitment and retention challenges and becoming employers of choice by investing in their staff. Hope to see you in Seattle! Watch this video to learn more about BloomBoard ➡️ https://hubs.li/Q02Sg3vF0

In Pennsylvania as in much of the country, the teacher shortage is growing. Capital Area Intermediate Unit (CAIU)—one of 29 educational service agencies in Pennsylvania—is tackling the problem head on with an innovative program for its member school districts. Now, thanks to CAIU’s Capital Area Pathways to Teaching Program, over 50 future educators (and more to come) are on the path to fill critical classroom vacancies by earning their education degrees and certifications on the job. Read more here ➡️ https://hubs.li/Q02RzNQT0

Thank you to the education leaders from across Western PA who came together for our Western Pennsylvania Education Leadership Forum. We were inspired by the thoughtful conversations and sharing of innovative strategies for teacher recruitment and retention. Take a look at some regional coverage of the event here: https://lnkd.in/edSqMStz