Prosper Waco

Our CEO, Jessica Attas, took a well-deserved day off for a long weekend trip to Lubbock for her son’s freshman orientation at Texas Tech, and while there, couldn’t resist the opportunity to visit with our partners in the Texas Tech University College of Education. They discussed our collaborative work to strengthen the regional teacher pipeline for greater Waco, a project generously funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Central to this project is expanding sustainable teacher residency programs with our ISD partners at Waco ISD and LA VEGA ISD. These residencies provide aspiring teachers with valuable time in the classroom, preparing them to be effective educators. Prosper Waco is proud to partner with Texas Tech at the University Center in Waco and Tarleton State University to support their efforts to recruit future teachers, and place them in residencies at area ISDs. This initiative, supported by technical assistance from US PREP, ultimately benefits our students. We know that when teacher quality improves, student outcomes improve. By strengthening teacher prep programs--such as through a high-quality classroom residency experience--we are ensuring that educators are well-equipped to support and inspire children in their classrooms. Further, well-prepared teachers are more likely to stay in the profession; so important in addressing the teacher shortage by helping retain our teacher workforce. Excited for the positive impact this will have on our schools, our teacher workforce, and ultimately, our students.

Heard from an insightful panel today facilitated by The Texas Tribune on the workforce shortages in healthcare and what is needed to address our state’s need. Great to see Prosper Waco Board Member and Waco Family Medicine CEO Dr. Jackson Griggs serving as a resource in the discussion and speaking to why it is so vital that we have an adequate supply of primary care clinicians so that every person in our state has an equal opportunity to thrive. Dr. Griggs--along with other key city and county officials and local healthcare leaders--serves on the Steering Committee of the McLennan County Behavioral Health Leadership Team (BHLT), a Prosper Waco initiative comprised of leadership from the local mental health authority, healthcare providers, local government, and philanthropic foundations committed to aligning their resources to address mental health and substance abuse issues in our community. And we were grateful that the need for access to mental healthcare and how it has only continued to increase post-pandemic was a topic that was also addressed on this panel. A big thanks to our friends at Texas State Technical College Waco for hosting this important dialogue. TSTC and McLennan County Community College continue to be incredible partners to UpSkill Waco through providing accessible, condensed training opportunities so that our community members can get the training and certifications they need to not only attain family-sustaining wages, but to also strengthen our local workforce in areas just like the one discussed today. Catch the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/gM6mygat

With 32 years of service as a Waco Police Department officer under his belt--from mobile patrol to bicycle patrol to SWAT team to commanding the Waco PD Community Services Division--Commander Jared Wallace has a unique perspective on our city, a community of people he loves deeply. Recently, we sat down with Commander Wallace to hear his reflections on working alongside Prosper Waco over the years, and why partnership and cross-sector collaboration is so powerful when it comes to strengthening our community by more holistically serving the individuals who make it up. Read his reflections at the link! https://lnkd.in/gU67rsQc

Do you know what a PIT (Point in Time) count is? A few weeks ago, in the wee morning hours, several members of the Prosper Waco team, including our CEO Jessica Attas, participated in the PIT (Point In Time) count of those experiencing homelessness in Waco, both those in the shelters and those unsheltered. This annual in-person census is not only required to draw HUD funding down to a community, but informs awareness around the issues of homelessness locally and if the numbers of some of the most vulnerable in our community are increasing or decreasing year to year. As an organization, we see the significant amount of work there is still to be done. But, as the PIT numbers show us, we also see that, when community partners pool expertise, resources, and goodwill, the issue is far from insurmountable. We can solve it together. Read more at the link! https://lnkd.in/gdsS9CfQ