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Rural Innovation Series | Jessica Morrison, Executive Director, The Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative
In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Jessica Morrison, the Executive Director of Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative, one of the partners in the newly established Career Launch Southwest initiative, which serves as a vital link between employers and the workforce of the future. She was previously the Director of Career and College Counseling at Animas High School in Durango for six years. In June 2021, the school won the Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) Award from the Colorado Department of Education for its Sophomore Inspire Week program.
In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Jessica Morrison, the Executive Director of Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative, one of the partners in the newly established Career Launch Southwest initiative, which serves as a vital link between employers and the workforce of the future. She was previously the Director of Career and College Counseling at Animas High School in Durango for six years. In June 2021, the school won the Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) Award from the Colorado Department of Education for its Sophomore Inspire Week program.
This episode concludes our series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.
This is the final episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.
Some Questions I Ask:
- Tell us more about Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative. (01:21)
- How do you create partnerships? (04:39)
- What are the challenges and successes in working with higher education partner institutions? (07:50)
- What is your funding model and how do you make it work for school districts? (11:51)
- What are the credentials you are currently offering to high school students and what are the outcomes of the program? (15:22)
- What advice can you give to leaders about starting the collaboration process? (24:30)
- How are you sharing your success stories? (30:14)
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
- All about the Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative (01:34)
- Southwest Colorado Educational Collaborative’s partnerships (04:56)
- Challenges and successes in higher ed partnerships (08:14)
- Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative’s funding model (12:07)
- Credentials and outcomes of the program (15:53)
- Advice to leaders interested in collaborating on workforce development (25:17)
- Strategies for sharing success stories and elevating thought leadership in education (30:40)
Quotes:
“I want all of your listeners to understand that these pieces take time—this is not for a school district that is faint of heart. I've worked in K-12 institutions as well as on the federal government side, and I know how important data is. What are the numbers? How many students are earning industry credentials? But laying the groundwork takes years, so it's looking at all of the different components to then determine what are the steps that need to be put in place along the way.”
“As you're building out this dream of consolidating resources in order to do more or bring more to a region, you can also be doing some more low-hanging fruit like priming students to be ready, which pushes your partners to get to the place of shared courses.”
Stay in touch with Jobs for the Future:
Email: info@swcoedcollaborative.org
Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
LinkedIn
Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn
About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
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In this episode we have a special group with us from the Sturm Collaboration Campus in Castle Rock, Colorado: Jill Garber, the Director of the CSU Collaboration Campuses; Dr. Stephanie Fuji, the President of Arapahoe Community College; and Danny Winsor, the Assistant Superintendent of Douglas County Schools. We explore the Big Blur and how they have brought individuals, partners, and education institutions together to do what's best for students.
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In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Tim Taylor, who is a co-founder and the president of America Succeeds, a nonprofit organization committed to engaging business leaders in modernizing the education system. He also served as the founding president of Colorado Succeeds. One of the America Succeeds initiatives Tim highlights is Durable Skills, which includes a combination of how you use what you know – skills like critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity – and character skills like fortitude, growth mindset, and leadership.
In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Jessica Morrison, the Executive Director of Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative, one of the partners in the newly established Career Launch Southwest initiative, which serves as a vital link between employers and the workforce of the future. She was previously the Director of Career and College Counseling at Animas High School in Durango for six years. In June 2021, the school won the Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) Award from the Colorado Department of Education for its Sophomore Inspire Week program.
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In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Joel Vargas of Jobs for the Future, a nonprofit that focuses on strategies to transform education and workforce systems. Vargas is vice president of JFF’s Education practice, which supports systems change in the education ecosystem, influences policies that promote diverse pathways, and identifies and applies data-informed, learner-centered solutions. Before joining JFF, Vargas directed, initiated, and studied programs designed to help students from populations underrepresented in post-secondary education enter and complete college.
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In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Marina Parr, Director for Workforce System Advancement at Washington’s Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and Stephanie Davidsmeyer, a Director of Communications for the Washington State Board of Education. Stephanie has 10 years of experience in nonprofit, corporate, and government outreach media relations.
In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Aaron Black. He is currently the Superintendent at Randolph Eastern School Corporation in Union City, Indiana, and is spearheading the Rural Alliance Zone 32. Aaron was named a semifinalist for the Yass Innovation Prize 2023 from the Yass Center for Education (formerly the Center for Education Reform). The prize recognizes leaders in sustainable, transformational, outstanding, and permissionless education.
In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Lauren Marie Hall Riggins, a senior manager at Empower Schools, a national nonprofit that partners with communities and educators to reimagine local education systems. Lauren is currently the Director of Youth Poet Laureate at VOICES Corporation, an organization offering culturally sustaining programs for young people, where she also serves as a board member and consultant. She is an experienced educator, researcher, and nonprofit leader with many notable achievements.
In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Michael Gonzalez, executive director of the Rural Schools Innovation Zone out of Premont,Texas. He was also a former principal at Premont Collegiate High School. This is the first episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.
In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Adam Kulaas, the Director of Innovative Learning and Career and Technical Education for Tacoma Public Schools in Washington State. He also founded Jobs 253, which offers the district’s high school students the opportunity to earn credit toward graduation while gaining meaningful work experience.
In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by a new co-host, Chad Bolser, a Chancellor from Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana. In previous roles, he served as vice president of Strategic Operations-Southern Campuses and Chancellor at the Richmond Campus. Chad was the athletic director at Richmond Community Schools for six years and the head coach for boys basketball for 10 years. We also bid farewell to Dr. Katie Lash as she embarks on a new chapter of her career as Ivy Tech’s Vice President for K-14 and Strategic Initiatives.
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Hello, Build Momentum listeners. We're excited to kick off season four of the podcast and we have some exciting changes to share this season. We're so thrilled for last season's co-host, Dr. Katie Lash, who recently left the service center to take on the role of VP of K-14 and Strategic Initiatives at Ivy Tech are so happy for her and wish her well as she focuses on her new job. The good news is that we're still keeping our Indiana connection and Chad Bolser and Chancellor from Ivy Tech will be this season's new co-host!
