Adventures in advocating
More bittersweet news to report: My last day with Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF) will be this Friday. What a fantastic bunch of people I’ve been blessed to work with over the past few years. I’m still amazed at how much good this organization has achieved on behalf of all Arkansans since it was founded 30 short years ago. I’ve heard countless stories about kids who now have access to health insurance and preschool for the first time; students who’ve survived the child welfare and juvenile justice systems and gone on to build healthy and productive lives; working families who are finding it a bit easier to make ends meet, etc., etc. — much of which would not have happened without AACF’s leadership. I am proud to have been a small part of it, however briefly. I won’t miss my colleagues at all, because I’ll still be hanging out and advocating with them all the time.
Now another door has opened, quite unexpectedly yet fittingly: I’ll be helping KIPP Delta Public Schools expand its marvelous college prep campuses throughout the Arkansas Delta, from right here in Little Rock. (Kind of like the club I started to do just that a few months ago. New members are still being accepted.)
My new title is “Chief Development Officer,” which means I’ll be hunting for money to help make up for the 20-30 percent less funding that public charter school students receive from the state under current law. It also means I’ll be doing a bit of legislative advocacy, communications, facilities shopping, and whatever else needs to be done to help KIPP’s students succeed. It’s both thrilling and intimidating; I’ve seen these kids in action, and they’re really sharp. I hope I can keep up.
Stay tuned!
P.S. Now I’m recruiting for two organizations: If you or someone you know would be a great senior policy analyst at AACF or leader of a new KIPP school in the Arkansas Delta, please get in touch ASAP: ginny.blankenship@kippdelta.org. Superheroes are especially encouraged to apply.
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Tags: advocates, Arkansas, education, KIPP
The Roundup- Child Poverty Growing in Northwest Arkansas - KFSM June 12, 2010
- State Supreme Court says rural school can close June 3, 2010
- States roll out curriculum standards June 3, 2010
- Poverty on rise in nation’s public schools May 28, 2010
- KIPP GRADUATION DAY: Culture of college leads all school’s seniors to hit goal May 21, 2010
- Analyst: Identify grade-inflating schools differently May 24, 2010
- Graduation day in Helena May 20, 2010
- Stimulus money to help state track students’ progress May 21, 2010
- State audit critical of Pulaski County Special District May 14, 2010
- Education: Technology changing way of teaching as school uses netbooks in classroom May 13, 2010
- Arkansans weigh in on national school-standards plan May 13, 2010
- Board rejects teacher pact; union aims to resume bargaining May 12, 2010
- Struggling Schools April 27, 2010
- Legislator seeks more state sway in colleges May 3, 2010
- School Board again yanks recognition; union bristles April 21, 2010
- Mansfield ending 4-day school week experiment April 23, 2010
- Cloverdale in Little Rock becomes a charter school - Today's THV April 22, 2010
- Education notebook April 14, 2010
- School Choice case ruling to get appeal April 15, 2010
- Youth group seeks nonwhite mentors April 9, 2010
Come link your blog to our Arkansas Bloggers page at arkansasbloggers.blogspot.com. This is just a fun way for us to get to know and support one another.
Sorry we were unable to help with Soup Sunday this year. Since the grandbabies now live in Fayetteville, we are up there frequently. I’ve always enjoyed helping out.