Cheri and I are at the February follow-up meeting of the grantees for the Learn and Serve grant.  Right now we are going around the room and saying what needs we Developmental grantees have and seeing what the Model grantees (the experienced folks) can offer us.  While they are talking, I’m getting too excited to just sit, so I have to type these ideas before I lose them!

1.  It is important to write news articles about all our service learning work, so it is important to create lessons in the curriculum about communication – communicating our needs, communicating our successes, communicating our positions.  This will then integrate well into all English classes, but especially into Journalism, etc.

2.  Madison Comprehensive HS (Deb Pickens is here) is partnering with the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society to help with the preservation of the building.  She is wanting to increase the number of non-career/tech teachers into the project.  History teachers would be a natural.  I wonder if we could collaborate on some online curriculum with Rick Jones leading the way?

3.  I mentioned that the one area that we could use some help in was in establishing, developing and strengthening community partnerships.  Kimberly Bash of Hancock County ESC mentioned that is an area where they could help.  Cheri started looking on the Internet for additional partners and found that Mansfield has an Altrusa group.  She also found Leadership Unlimited (leadershipunlimited.com) in Mansfield which may be able to help us with PD for teachers, etc.

4.  I think we need a presentation from a community service organization for our final Think Tank celebration.  Altrusa Mansfield might be appropriate.

5.  Kristi Scott of Ripley High School has lots of experience in establishing, administering and raising funds for scholarships.  She also has lots of video production equipment from Ripley’s 21st century grant, FYI.