Business Network
The Business Network is a statewide alliance of representatives from various professions, businesses, foundations and community leadership. The Network provides human and fiscal capital to further the dissemination of California GEAR UP resources, materials, and to support activities that have proven to be effective in creating a college-going culture. Participants are invited to engage with various components of the program and advocate within their professional and social communities about the importance of all students being prepared for college and the workplace. Network members meet quarterly to discuss workforce and educational issues and to learn about GEAR UP program activity.
Faculty Workgroup
The faculty workgroup will bring together selected faculty from Schools and Colleges of Education throughout the state to discuss lessons learned from the school-based components of California GEAR UP. Teacher and counselor education faculty will recommend a plan of action to incorporate the curriculum, strategies, resources, and expectations engendered by GEAR UP into the development of new middle school educators. Funding for this project is provided by the Improving Teacher Quality grant through the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC).
State Directors Network
This network is a collegial alliance of GEAR UP State Program directors to share and replicate best practices and lessons learned in the interest of strengthening linkages between state efforts, local activities, and the policies that affect common activities with schools, families and communities. The network will produce periodic reports about common challenges.
GEAR UP/Valley High School Collaboration
California GEAR UP entered into a collaboration with Valley High School, Elk Grove School District, to provide information, resources and support services for students, families, teachers, counselors and administrators. While primarily focused on tenth grade students whom the GEAR UP program has been serving since they were at Jackman Middle School, the collaboration also provides services for the total school community. more details...
LEADERSHIP SKILLS INITIATIVE
This initiative focuses on Character, Confidence and Career/College Choices for the 10th grade African American male students at Valley High School being served by GEAR UP. Students and their families receive information and academic services to help them become school and community leaders through engagement with their peer group, school counselors, mentors and leadership coaches. more details...
BRIDGE PROJECT
California GEAR UP is focused on continuing support for the statewide middle grades reform agenda and on sustainability of effort. Beginning in January 2009, the Bridge Project will launch to foster effective connections between middle and high school site leaders and families and provide opportunities for them to work together. Through this effort GEAR UP hopes to share with selected high schools lessons learned in our continued work with the adult middle school community. Crystal Robinson is the Project Coordinator for this collaborative effort.
GEAR UP- IBM Translation Services
California GEAR UP has been awarded the IBM iTraduceloAhora! (Translate Now!) automatic translation grant program. This program uses an enhanced version of IBM WebSphere Translation Server Software to translate web sites and e-mails automatically from English to Spanish and Spanish to English. GEAR UP will use this grant at GEAR UP middle schools to broaden access to English content on the World Wide Web for Hispanics from various ethnic backgrounds and to enhance communication between school staff and families.
IBM is making a significant contribution to schools through this grant. The dollar amount is $20,000 per school which represents the product, staffing, evaluation and training support the organization will provide for each participating site. In the initial year of operation 2009, GEAR UP has selected four Continuing Sustainability Project schools in Southern California who will work with the project coordinator and IBM to utilize this tool. The schools are Bellflower Middle School, Pacoima Middle School, White Middle School, and Sepulveda Middle School.
Karla Lagunas is the Project Coordinator. She can be contacted at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Program Policy Publications
Additional information on our LSI program, Valley High School Collaboration, Education Trust Awards, and Family Initiatives can be downloaded below: