Grundy County Strategic Planning Literacy

June 29-30, 2015 • Hosted by the Office of Community Engagement The University of the South, and cosponsored by the Collaborative for Southern Appalachian and Place-Based Studies, and th

June 29-30, 2015 • Hosted by the Office of Community Engagement The University of the South, and cosponsored by the Collaborative for Southern Appalachian and Place-Based Studies, and the South Cumberland Community Fund

Strategic Visioning & Planning County-Wide Reading Initiative

Purpose:

• To facilitate the creation of a vision and strategy for a county-wide initiative aimed at supporting at reading and literacy skills for children and youth in Grundy County as well as effective teacher training

• To explore and participate in a process that is driven and informed strategically by the history, place, context, strengths and opportunities, and best practices for effective programs

• To engage a diverse team of constituents in the visioning and planning process—in ways that equip and empower the team to move forward with a shared vision and plan to create new programs

McClurg Dining Hall: 8:00 am - 8:45 am

Assemble for introductions

Before the meeting, we will circulate a handout with participants’ thoughts on these two questions:

• How did you learn how to read?

• When you think about a program that will support children and youth to be successful readers, what characteristics comes to mind?

Time will not allow each person to share all of their thoughts For the in person introductions, each person can share:

• One characteristic of an effective program that supports children to be successful readers

8:45 am - 9:30 am

Breakfast, coffee, and casual mingling

Monday • June 29, 2015

Explain Framework

9:30 am - 9:45 am

Review Agenda and Outcomes; Clarify Goals and Expectations

• Brief review of what’s occurred so far (document to be emailed)

• Propose what we aim to get done by Tuesday

• Clarify what we won’t get done

• Review conceptual map of organizations involved and their potential roles

9:30 am - 9:45 am

Discover Relevant History

• We will engage in an activity to share, briefly, some of the relevant history of key projects, events, learning, and leadership from the organizations and communities represented (Grundy County Schools, Head Start, Discover Together, Sewanee, and other partners in the creation of this program)

9:45 am - 10:30 am

Create a Context Map to Inform the Program

• During this time, some additional individuals may join the context mapping We will create a map to better understand and articulate the current context that must

shape and inform the design of the county-wide reading initiative

10:30 am - 11:45 am

Analysis and Priorities

• We will draw out strengths and problems (weaknesses), then opportunities and threats This will allow the group to work through the context map in more depth, narrowing it through analysis We will flag the issues and opportunities that must be addressed through the new initiatives

11:45 am - 1:45 pm (with time to enjoy lunch)

Envisioning the Future

• Through an exercise called Cover Story, we will create a vision for the future and the program

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Translating Our Cover Story into the Beginnings of a Vision

• We will also move over pieces of what surfaced through the Cover Story We will engage in interactive activities to focus on identifying elements of the mission and guiding principles/values

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Logic Model Exercise

• Working from our vision and shared information so far, we will begin to create a logic model for the program

• This process involves working backwards from impacts – articulating intended outcomes, outputs, activities, and resources/inputs

Tuesday • June 30, 2015

McClurg Dining Hall: 8:00 am - 8:45 am

Breakfast, coffee, and recap (then walk over to room)

9:00 am - 10:15 am

Create a Stakeholder Map

• Half of the group will work on a Stakeholder Map –– identifying the individuals and groups that ought to be a part of the program envisioned to make it successful

10:15 am - 11:15 am (Group Splits)

Developing an Action Plan

• The other half of the group will create an action plan for the strategic priorities and plan outlined so far

10:15 am - 11:15 am (Group Splits)

Report Backs and Next Steps

• Each group will share what they have come up with, identifying questions that must be answered

• We will end by articulating Five Bold Steps that will support the work moving forward Adjourn at 12:30 pm

11:15 am - 12:30 pm