PORTFOLIO
Throughout my experience I have utilized a Human-Centered approach with students, families and staff. After observing student/families or receiving feedback from colleagues, I would brainstorm ideas on how we could work together for possible solutions. Then I would engage community partners to collaborate an effort to address the areas of concern. These are few of the projects I have implemented in my years of work.
PROJECT REACH PROGRAM
September 2014 - July 2023
I supervised a team of 30+ staff across district as we worked to provide services to pregnant and parenting teens in different capacities. I focused on evaluating, brainstorming and implementing projects to improve the services for the teen parents we serve. I was responsible for a multi-million dollar budget and grant funds to include determining how funds were spent to overcome barriers. Each year I created goals for our department and a system to track data to report the progress of those goals. Additional projects were implemented to support students included technology assistance, teen father support, new moms support and child literacy. Approximately 90% of teen parents in FWISD graduate from high school.
TEEN FATHERS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
September 2014 - July 2023
At this time, the district was serving approximately 500-600 pregnant and/or parenting students of which approximately 60-80 of those were teen fathers. I previously working with a mentorship program that provided direct services to dads on the campus I served and knew there was a growing need to support our teen fathers. I collaborated with the program facilitator and we discussed ways we could provide that support. We created a plan and implemented direct services for our teen fathers across 14 campuses. The plan was to provide group sessions with our teen fathers utilizing evidence based curriculum. A healthy lunch was provided to students during their lunchtime in order to maximize class time. The group was lead by a male mentor that focused on topics such as healthy co-parenting, goal setting for the students and their babies, financial planning, making healthy choices, career plans, etc. To date, we continue to see high rates of academic success with teen fathers that participate in the program.
SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR
PREGNANT & PARENTING STUDENTS
Sept 2014 - July 2023
Another role during my leadership with Fort Worth ISD was to oversee this scholarship fund on behalf of the district. The Advisory Committee compromised of local community leaders who were interested in supporting the academic success of pregnant & parenting teens; both moms and dads. In representation of our district, I was the acting chair for this committee and scholarship process district-wide. I wrote requests for donations from within our local community agencies and private donors. In collaboration with my team, we hosted a scholarship banquet for the recipients and their families. I also created reports to demonstrate funds received and utilization by the recipients.
CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE GRANT
August 2016 - July 2017
During my leadership overseeing the Adolescent Pregnancy Services program, my team discovered an increase in the need for child care assistance. In order to meet this student need I sought donations from local foundations. I facilitated the utilization of funds and provided a report to the funders.
HEALTH EDUCATION GRANT FUNDS
September 2014 to July 2016
During my leadership with Fort Worth ISD, I oversaw various grant funds to support our program. In collaboration with my team, we recognized the need to support the health of pregnant teens as not everyone receives prenatal care. To help address the lack of health education with our pregnant teens, we applied & utilized funds granted from the March of Dimes. We facilitated sessions of prenatal information from their Becoming a Mom curriculum. Funds were utilized to provide a healthy lunch and baby items for incentive.
EMERSON ELEMENTARY EMERGENCY FUND
July 2008 - June 2009
During my time with Amarillo ISD, I worked with economically disadvantaged families with very limited resources. After evaluating the needs of our population and the challenges they faced, I wrote a local grant seeking funds to create an emergency fund. Funds were utilized as a last resort when community resources were not available. Examples of assistance included medication & physician copays, hygiene items, and cleaning supplies.
THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE
November 2007 - November 2008
The families in the community began to see our school as a place of support as well as education. The local outreach center contacted me and wanted to sponsor our families for the holidays. I surveyed our families to determine where they needed the most support. The center and I brainstormed ways assist and determine that meal assistance was a great need. I created a voucher system to identify the number of meals needed and solicited volunteers from the surrounding high school organizations. I created a drive-thru/walk up event for families to receive assistance a hot meal and groceries to celebrate Thanksgiving.
SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE
August 2006 - August 2008
In this community, 95% of students were identified as economically disadvantaged. Families were struggling to provide school supplies for their children. I requested support from a local outreach center and created a plan of how we could collaborate. I created a system to identify families needing assistance and coordinated the event on campus. Food, school supplies and activities were provided by the outreach center.
EVELINE RIVERS COAT ASSISTANCE
September 2005 - February 2009
Due to negative degree temperatures in the area, these economically disadvantaged students were in need of coats, gloves and hats. This project was a collaboration to provide approximately 500 students and their families a warm coat and gloves for the season. I coordinated the effort with our with community partner to create a seamless effort in identifying families in need and creating a voucher system. I then facilitated an evening event where families showed up with their vouchers to pick out clothing for their children. The vouchers were a seamless way for the agency to track how many children they assisted.