THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE IS TO CREATE IT.

Strategic Planning

2024-2026 Goals

• Provide Superior Learning Experiences for Students
• Support Excellence in Teaching and Innovation in the Classroom
• Raise Awareness of Elkin Educational Foundation Programs and Funding Opportunities
• Build Capacity for Elkin Educational Foundation to Achieve its Vision

Strategy:

Create a “College Promise” endowment that covers the “last dollar in” cost for every high school graduate to complete two years of community college, certificate, or credential.

Action Steps:

• Research best practice programs such as the Wilkes Community College Education Promise.
• Determine the amount of funds that will need to be raised to endow enough scholarships for every high school student to attend community college and complete a two-year degree, credential, or certificate. The scholarships will be “last dollar in” after other funding.
• Explore partnerships with Surry County Schools and Mt. Airy City Schools to determine if the program could become a countywide initiative.
• Launch a major fundraising initiative to fund a “College Promise” program.

Lead: Community Engagement and Fundraising Committee

Timeline: Fundraising to begin in 2026

Strategy:

Continue financial support of the Dual Language Immersion Program through at least 2026.

Action Steps:

• Continue to budget funding to support the commitment to the Dual Language Immersion Program (DLI).
• Raise awareness in the community about the program and its outcomes.
• Keep the school board informed on the DLI program by including information in update reports and the annual report.
• Seek additional funding and teaching resources to support the program.

Lead: Scholarship Committee

Timeline: 2024-2026 3

Strategy:

Develop a summer reading program for grades 1-3 to increase the number of students reading at or above grade level.

Action Steps:

• Explore best practice programs such as the summer reading program in Alleghany County Schools.
• Explore potential grant funding for summer reading programs. (The program in Alleghany County was funded by a Duke Endowment grant.)
• Develop a draft framework for the program and curriculum.
• Identify potential facility and program partners such as nonprofits, community organizations, and churches.
• Identify teachers willing to teach in the program.

Lead: Summer Programs Task Force

Timeline: 2025-2026

Strategy:

Develop a math and science summer program to increase the number of students at or above grade level.

Action Steps:

• Consider expanding the summer reading program, described above, to include math and science after the reading program becomes well established.
• Explore best practice programs and potential grant funding for math and science learning experiences.

Lead: Summer Programs Task Force

Timeline: 2026+ 4

Strategy:

Expand Teacher Grant Opportunities

Action Steps:

• Make professional development and coursework that leads to licensure eligible for the Teacher Grants Program.
• Increase the 2024-2025 Teacher Grant Budget to consider requests for professional development and licensure
• Based on need, as evidenced from applications, consider allocating additional funds in the future for professional development and licensure.

Lead: Teacher Grants Committee

Timeline: FY2024-2025

Strategy:
Expand Funding for Curriculum and Classroom Equipment and Materials Retailed to Specific Innovative Programs.

Action Steps:

• Open the Teacher Grants Program to applications from administrators for curriculum purchase and development. ▪ _Fund the purchase of ACT preparatory curriculum for 10th and 11th
• Fund the assessment fee for WorkKeys for 11th
• Consider broader requests for equipment and classroom materials that support innovative curriculum and educational experiences in the Teacher Grants Program.

Lead:Teacher Grants Committee

Timeline: FY2024-2025

Strategy:

Expand Volunteer Support

Action Steps:

• Develop a volunteer database. Create an online form to make it easy for volunteers to sign up, indicate their expertise and availability, and complete background checks.

• Focus first on volunteer staffing of the middle/high school media center.

• Develop a schedule for regular volunteer staffing of the media center.
• Document media center activities (number of students served, research requests filled, books checked out, etc.) and report to the school board to support future funding for a media center staff position.
• Develop plans to add opportunities for volunteers to read to students, conversation programs to support ESL students, tutors, and mentors.

Lead: Volunteer Committee

Timeline: January 2025 (database and media center staffing)

Strategy:

Develop and Implement a Marketing and Communications Plan

Action Steps:

• Identify the EEF audiences (students, parents, teachers, administrators, school board, investors, funding agencies, community, businesses, elected leaders, etc.) and develop targeted messaging and communications strategies.
• Identify partners who can amplify EEF messages. (i.e., school e-communications, Yadkin Valley Chamber, Explore Elkin, Town of Elkin, Elkin Tribune, etc.)
• Develop an annual calendar for social media and e-communications.
• Develop a Foundation “brochure” for the website that can be downloaded, emailed, and shared.
• Develop “profiles” and “stories” of students and teachers who received Foundation funding.
• Spotlight the school system’s successes.
• Develop an annual report to share with all audiences. Present the report to the school board in a public meeting.
• Make regular (quarterly or semi-annual) in-person update presentations to the school board.
• Develop a “stock” presentation of the Foundation for directors to use.
• Post the strategic plan/summary on the website, as well as annual reports for transparency.

Lead: Marketing Committee

Timeline: Ongoing

Strategy:

Ensure Elkin Educational Foundation is Resourced to Implement the Strategic Plan

Action Steps:

• Form a Community Engagement and Fundraising Committee to lead fundraising.
• Develop a comprehensive fundraising strategy to build an endowment that will fund ongoing programming and operations.
• Engage a fundraising consultant in a volunteer or paid capacity to provide expertise and leadership for large-scale, ongoing fundraising.
• Launch a major fundraising initiative to endow a scholarship fund and provide ongoing financial resources to the Foundation.
• Increase grant writing capacity and expertise through volunteers or contractors.
• Develop an annual calendar of fundraising activities to include ongoing solicitation via the website, events, and a major campaign for programs such as the “College Promise” Program.
• Hold an annual community fundraising event to share the annual report, activities, and stories of students and teachers impacted.
• Develop an investor relations strategy that includes donor recognition, regular communications, annual reporting, and annual giving requests.

Lead: Community Engagement and Fundraising Committee

Timeline: 2025 (develop and implement strategy)

Strategy:

Organize for Success

Action Steps:

• Evaluate the committee structure to make sure committees are aligned with strategic plan implementation:
• Leadership, Finance, Strategic Planning (potentially an expanded Executive Committee)
• Scholarships and Teacher Grants o Community Engagement and Fundraising
• Marketing
• Summer Programs Task Force.
• Recruit board members who can expand expertise that aligns with strategic plan implementation.
• Expand committee participation with non-board members who can be developed into future Foundation leaders.
• Conduct an annual board feedback survey. • Maintain an updated board member job description, staff job description(s), conflict of interest policy, confidentiality policy, and 7 operational policies and procedures including having financial policies documents reviewed regularly by the board.
• Have a full audit performed every 2-3 years and perform a compilation in between. Post the audit on the website, share it with the school board, and make it available to the public.
• Conduct an annual retreat/meeting to update the strategic plan.

Lead: Board of Directors

Timeline: 2024