School districts around the triangle may close on May 16. Perhaps you also know that the school district in your own county is likely to close. (This will happen if enough teachers sign up ahead to take personal leave that day, requesting a substitute teacher. At some point the number of substitutes available in the county cannot meet the need).
We invite faith communities in counties where the schools are likely to close to begin planning right now to support families in the community who are impacted by the school closure. Please consider organizing these efforts immediately.
TEAM FORMATION:
- CREATE A LEADERSHIP TEAM: The magnitude of the work that can be done in each county is enormous. Please create a team that consists of leaders from several churches. Consider using this as an opportunity to build inter-faith relationships. Consider coordinating with churches across the region to ensure that teams are in place to cover each school; or perhaps one team will cover schools in one particular are of the county.
- DESIGNATE 5 LEADERS: Designate 5 leaders to fill these positions, probably from several congregations:
- Project Co-Coordinator 1
- Project Co-Coordinator 2
- Teacher Support Coordinator – see tasks below
- Childcare Support Coordinator – see tasks below
- Nutrition Support Coordinator – see tasks below
- DIVERSITY: Strive for diversity on the leadership team as well as in those recruited to work with each coordinator. It will be important to draw wisdom from a diverse set of experiences and perceptions about what is needed. Consider the importance of creating a leadership team that is intentionally diverse in race, economic background, gender, and sexual orientation.
WORK TO BE ACCOMPLISHED:
- PROJECT COORDINATION: this work will hold together all of the contacts and details of the three teams, ensuring efficiency in communicating with community stakeholders and consistency in messaging. Tasks include:
- Creating a database
- Creating a project management plan (Click HERE for a sample)
- Coordinating Op-Eds which affirm the Day of Advocacy.
- TEACHER SUPPORT: this team will support teachers who are traveling to Raleigh. Tasks include:
- COORDINATING church buses to drive teachers to Raleigh
- SENDING a team of church members to Raleigh to stand with teachers from your community.
- SIGN MAKING: Holding a sign-making event where you provide poster-board, markers, glue sticks, and suggested messages.
- LETTER WRITING: Holding a letter – writing event where individuals write letters to your representatives stating that your church affirms this Day of Advocacy for Public Education and supports efforts to fully fund our public schools.
- COORDINATING LETTERS FROM CHURCHES: Asking churches to send letters from the Board of Deacons or Governing Board affirming this Day of Advocacy and increases in funding for public schools.
- CHILDCARE SUPPORT: this team will work to support the provision of childcare for children whose parents must work on May 16. Tasks include:
- ASKING LOTS OF QUESTIONS
- Find out who in your community is already positioned to offer childcare. Consider talking to the YMCA, camps who already provide intercession camp (for year round students), urban ministry programs that regularly provide summer camp, Boys and Girls Clubs, leaders in churches that already provide daytime care for school aged children at other times of the year.
- Ask principles and ESL teachers and classroom teachers what ideas they have for supporting the specific children in their schools who may need a place to be on that day.
- PARTNERING with folks who already know what they are doing. Ask how your church can help. Consider offering:
- Volunteers to support the programming
- Volunteers to serve lunch
- Your church bus for transportation
- Funds for running a program that was not in the budget
- ASKING LOTS OF QUESTIONS
- NUTRITION SUPPORT: this team will work to support children who qualify for free or reduced breakfast and lunch during the school day. Tasks include:
- ASKING LOTS OF QUESTIONS
- Begin by asking principals how to support the kids in their schools.
- It will be important to refrain from making assumptions about what is needed or needs help.
- Trust the principals or the specialists with whom they connect you.
- PARTNERING with programs already in place. It is likely that the most important thing your church can do is support Backpack Buddy programs that are already in place in your schools. Therefore, it is likely that the most important work this team will do includes:
- Collecting food specified by the schools as useful for filling backpacks. These usually include: oatmeal packets, applesauce packets, canned foods such as Spaghettios and soups, fresh fruits and vegetables such as apples or carrots, individual containers of dry cereal, high protein snack bars. You will often be encouraged to stay away from products that contain nuts.
- Providing volunteers to sort food and stuff backpacks.
- Collecting extra canvas bags or backpacks.
- REVIEWING information about getting a partnership started. Click here if you live in Durham. Click here if you live in Chapel Hill. Information specific to other locations will be available soon.
- ASKING LOTS OF QUESTIONS
FRAME OF MIND CHECK-IN:
Begin with a community meeting or a conference call where these guidelines are communicated:
-
- IDENTIFY NEEDS
- Instead of assuming that you know what the needs are in the community:
- Ask those who are in a position to know.
- Instead of assuming that you know what the needs are in the community:
- BE A LEARNER
- Instead of showing up full of ideas about how you can help fix everything –
- Communicate support: we would really like to support this advocacy effort and we are ready to listen. How can we partner with you? What is already happening? How can we support what is already happening? Are there needs that no one is yet addressing?
- Instead of telling people what needs to be done and how best to do it –
- Talk with principals, school counselors, community coordinators with local shelters or advocacy agencies, and leaders with local groups such as the YMCA or the Boys and Girls Club. You are in the best position to identify who, in your own community, knows what is happening.
- Instead of showing up full of ideas about how you can help fix everything –
- MAJOR IN ASKING AND LISTENING
- Instead of making hasty conclusions –
- Ask questions and listen to the answers.
- Follow up by checking what you have heard: “I heard you say that this is the top priority. Did I understand that correctly? What is the best way for me to help with that need?”
- Instead of making hasty conclusions –
- IDENTIFY NEEDS
PRAY!
Spend time praying individually and corporately for this event and for all who are considering participating. Pray for the teachers and students who gather in classrooms every day. Pray for leaders who will be making decisions. Pray for efforts to support the advocacy of teachers in your own community. Pray for guidance and inspiration of the Spirit!