Lindsay

Lindsay

Fulfilling Institutional Aspirations at a Service-focused University

East Carolina University (ECU) aspires to be a national model for student success, public service, and regional transformation. In the ECU College of Education, the Rural Education Institute (REI) pursues that goal with a specific focus on rural schools and communities. As one of the flagship programs in the REI, the GRAD Partnership provides a model and mechanism for meeting our goals and fulfilling our aspirations to the benefit of students, families, and communities in rural eastern North Carolina. Notably, we’re talking here about more than simple alignment (i.e., the idea that the structure and content of the GRAD Partnership matches up with the purpose and mission of REI). Our experience suggests that the partnership has elevated our work’s relevance and impact.

Community Conversations: Elevating Local Perspectives on Student Success Systems

Transforming the nature of public education so that it maximally serves all students is in everyone’s best interest. Of course, our best opportunity to achieve that transformation occurs when we intentionally center the desires, aspirations, and concerns of parents and community in the instructional and organizational decisions we make as public school leaders. Ultimately, this work is about cultivating key national partners to grow the national movement for student success.

New Year, Fresh Start

For students, the first day of school is rarely just another day. It’s the culmination of a summer filled with emotions — anticipation, uncertainty, hope. Students walk through school doors wondering: “Will I succeed here — not just academically, but socially, emotionally, and in preparing for my future?”

Improving Graduation Rates with The GRAD Partnership

NCLD is a founding member of the GRAD Partnership, established in 2022 with the shared commitment to working in collaboration with leading education organizations to maximize our collective impact on students’ ability to succeed in school.

Where Personal Experience Meets Professional Purpose: Our Journey with GRAD Partnership

When we signed on as an Intermediary partner with the GRAD Partnership - an initiative housed in Johns Hopkins University’s Everyone Graduates Center - my professional excitement was matched only by my personal investment in this work. As President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, I've spent years witnessing the power of collective impact to transform systems. As the grandmother and guardian of two teenage boys navigating high school in a post-pandemic world, I've experienced firsthand the urgent need for that transformation in schools.

Slowing Down to Move Forward: The Power of Reflection in Our Work

In our fast-paced world of education, it's easy to rush from task to task without pausing to ask ourselves a critical question: What are we learning from our experiences? In our April community of practice session, we explored how intentional reflection can be a powerful driver of growth for ourselves, our teams, and ultimately our students.

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