Todd Dayton’s Post

What are you excited about in the world of education right now? We asked our team, and Communications Strategist Kristin Kelly shared, “When school districts and community organizations come together, it makes our communities stronger and better places to live. Partnerships might include mentorship programs through local businesses and chambers of commerce or hosting philanthropic events through nonprofit organizations. Students learn more about the communities in which they live and are provided with volunteer opportunities. Community members, even those without students in schools, are made aware of these programs and will continue to support public education. It warms my heart to witness invaluable partnerships in any community and I can’t wait for my own children to participate in similar engagements in the future.” . . . . #RethinkPossible #CESO #CESOCommunications #k12pr #k12comms #schoolpr #k12education #k12schools #k12communication #schoolcommunication #schoolcommunications #schoolsocialmedia #educationmarketing #enrollmentmarketing #schoolmarketing #socialmediaforschools #marketingforschools #marketingforeducation #edtools #k12 #NSPRA #communityed #k12admin #socialmediastrategy #communications #socialmedia #pr #publicrelations #schools #communication #stories #socialmediatips #socialmediatip #mediastrategies #mediastrategy #strategicmarketing #socialmediaengagement

Glass half empty post, but hear me out, because I/we/schools need you... So many needs are going unmet, and it pains me every day. In my role, I need people power and a semi-truckload of funding power every day, but today I/my team needs it STAT to further our reach. Activate Good received THIRTY applications for The eLOVEate Schools Project (nearly double the number we received last year!). It pained me to close the application when today's deadline came. Many moons ago I was a teacher in the lowest performing district of SC, and I KNOW the vastness of the needs of public schools and still aim to be a champion for them. As I review these applications, I am blown away by the sheer volume of needs that is detailed within them.  Due to this being the last year of our funding for this project and our small but mighty capacity, we can only select SIX schools for the next cohort. This also really pains me. Currently this program brings volunteer support and community resources to under-resourced schools in Wake County, and countless impacts have been made over our two years of this heart driven work. Other counties have reached out to inquire about expanding this program. We DREAM of broadening our reach and are filled with ideas, but we would LOVE to talk through them with the people who can really care and can HELP us expand our efforts. We need more staff on our team, we need more sponsors for transformative projects, and we need it all right now to help meet the needs in our schools and beyond. If you're passionate about education, we need you to volunteer. If your company, church, university, or group can financially support transformative projects, we need your support. If you're still reading my soapbox rant, know that I appreciate you more than you know. As you ponder how to help our scappy team with its efforts, let these quotes from the applications sink in: "Everything is old and feels trashed." 💔 "We need to have a building that screams a welcoming, positive, and clean environment for both staff, students and families." "We want our students to SEE themselves in our building and feel like this is a place they want to be (attendance is hovering around 51% missing 6 or more days a year). School should be a place of JOY, and we need help getting there!" EVERY school community should have this and SO MUCH MORE.

Having grown up in a small town, many of the components of "community school" makes sense to me. We may not have called what we had "integrated support services", it was just school. #community #schools #family #safe #education "A full-service community school includes four elements: various integrated support services through nonprofits, businesses and higher-education institutions; active family and community engagement; expanded and enriched learning, which can include after-school, weekends and summers; and collaborative partnerships among parents, students, school administrators and community leaders" https://lnkd.in/gnwt5pQJ

Sharing this post from Rose Thompson with my #linkedin network as Activate Good looks to do more good in local schools this year! If you can help, please reach out and connect with me as #boardchair.

Do you know about the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at RMU? They build a stronger community by helping to build stronger, more knowledgeable nonprofits. Check out their offerings if you are looking to strengthen your nonprofit!

During the pandemic, when many grantees were forced to operate in crisis mode, College Futures deliberately aimed to foster a sense of care, support, and community, paired with stable and flexible funding. This was the start of a new policy grantmaking strategy that eventually grew to an “ecosystem” of 16 organizations, intentionally designed to advance connections, knowledge, and movement-building across higher education equity. We offer insights to the philanthropic community to strengthen equity-focused movement-building and grantmaking, especially in support of statewide policy and systems change: https://buff.ly/3WzEjuK.

Apply for Maytree Foundation policy advocacy course. "Improve your non-profit organization’s ability to advance evidence-based public policy solutions, with a focus on social policy. "Designed for non-profit policy leaders, this six-month program will offer you the tools and connections you need to strengthen your organization’s effectiveness in the public policy process."

Today is Giving Tuesday, a day for radical generosity! Every $20 donation helps to provide life-changing information to one more young adult. Megan’s Foundation is a very young tax-exempt 501c(3) non-profit & catalyst for real change & are laser focused on this one thing. Those closest to this issue (Title IX, Counselors, Student Wellness staff) know how desperately this is needed. Having distributed more than $107,000 to colleges and non-profits for programs to prevent relationship violence BEFORE it starts. A few results: at one school, 93% of participants said they now can recognize an unhealthy relationship & would stop it before it escalates. At another school, 87% of young men said they would intervene in a disrespectful situation to prevent it from escalating. Our website has more results: Megansfoundation.org. YOUR gift can empower young adults to hold each other accountable & stop it before it starts!

The secret to thriving school districts? An engaged community. Establishing trust within the community is paramount for school districts as they navigate through polarization, legislative challenges, and budget constraints. By elevating the voices of your educational partners—teachers, students, parents, staff, and community members—and acting on the insights you surface, you'll be setting up your initiatives for success. Want to get more authentic community engagement in your district? We created a tool kit to help you get there! Get our tips and tactics for: ✅ Creating a better community engagement plan ✅ Building community trust in your district, and more! Download the tool kit here 👇 🔗 https://bit.ly/48MqNqY #CommunityEngagement #EducationalLeadership

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘪𝘱𝘴! 🏡 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: Cultivate strong ties with local real estate professionals who play a crucial role in guiding new residents. Share information about your school's unique offerings, success stories, and community engagement initiatives. This ensures that families moving into the area receive firsthand insights about the educational gem that your charter school is. ☎️ 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Establish open and transparent communication channels with parents. Provide them with regular updates on school achievements, upcoming events, and any noteworthy developments about their scholars. This helps keep them informed and comfortable with the educational leadership you provide. 🤝 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀: Actively engage with the community at large by organizing events and workshops. These gatherings not only strengthen relationships with current families but also create opportunities for prospective families to experience the warmth and vibrancy of your school community firsthand. 🍕 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀: Partner with neighboring businesses, like local pizza shops, to curate custom welcome experiences and fundraisers for families in your area. Infuse these events, complete with food generously provided by community businesses, with comprehensive insights into your school's offerings, extracurricular programs, and essential contact details. Community-supported open houses and fundraising events serve as more than just an introduction to your school — they symbolize a commitment to community integration. Remember, strong community connections are the bedrock of a thriving charter school. By actively involving local realtors and other local businesses, you'll be on your way to fostering lasting relationships and ensuring your school remains a beacon of educational excellence in the community. 🌟🔗 #CommunityEngagement #CharterSchoolSuccess #BuildingConnections