Saturday, December 20, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Indicator results
As a result of everyone's input, Malia assembled a list of indicators, prioritized according to the three ranking criteria: communication power, proxy power, and data power. Please keep in mind, when looking at this, that although only 4 indicators are listed as primary, we will be using all, or potentially all, in our work.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Homework Assignment after the second RBA session
The 4 members of the RBA team attended the second of four RBA institute trainings and brought with us the attached indicators that we ranked as a group electronically. We got enough responses to feel it was a valid ranking. We also got a unanimous vote for the result statement that we all crafted. (“All Mansfield children ages birth through 8 years old are healthy, successful learners and connected to the community.”)
Our next assignment is really easier than the last. This time you are asked to review indicators and choose the most important ones as you see it considering what you know about our community and the needs you feel are realistic in Mansfield . After we get a vote from everyone on which are the most important to us, then we will begin to think of strategies. Specific instructions are included in the document link below.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pe52fMAK_OQ4PYMZFDjV1WQ
Please give us your feedback after prioritizing your choices. We would like to hear from everyone via email so that we don’t have to have an additional meeting for this important step. You can email your responses back to me by Monday, October 6th, and I’ll work with Malia to analyze the results. Thank you.
Sandy
Our next assignment is really easier than the last. This time you are asked to review indicators and choose the most important ones as you see it considering what you know about our community and the needs you feel are realistic in Mansfield . After we get a vote from everyone on which are the most important to us, then we will begin to think of strategies. Specific instructions are included in the document link below.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p
Please give us your feedback after prioritizing your choices. We would like to hear from everyone via email so that we don’t have to have an additional meeting for this important step. You can email your responses back to me by Monday, October 6th, and I’ll work with Malia to analyze the results. Thank you.
Sandy
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Feedback from "Strategies for Achieving Results" Seminar
Two members of our LWG (Sonya and Raluca) attended a "Strategies for Achieving Results" seminar on July 15th, 2008. Each of us summarized the main ideas and impressions we took away from this seminar. Please see below:
Strategies for Achieving Results
Workshop Summary- Sonya Renfro
The idea of ‘systems thinking’ is an idea that our group should keep in mind as we move forward in our adventure.
Systems Thinking is a way of thinking about, and a language for describing and understanding, the forces and interrelationships that shape the behavior of systems. This discipline helps us to see how to change systems more effectively and to act more in tune with the larger process of the natural and economic world. -Peter Senge
For me, this was a big take away from the workshop. We need to consider what we do and how it will affect the other systems in place in Mansfield and our surrounding area. Some systems/organizations may be addressing needs that we see, we need to ask ourselves how we can use and improve these working systems.
Though our focus is the child between birth and 8, we need to keep the big picture in mind. As we develop strategies for meeting the needs of the children and families in our community, we need to keep the big picture in mind and know that what we do can affect our entire community both positively and negatively.
We are not yet ready to develop the strategies that we will implement. When we get to this point, we will want to consider priority needs for our community and use the results we want to see to drive the implementation of those strategies that we develop.
Strategies for Achieving Results: Summary of Seminar held on 7/15/2008, by Raluca Mocanu
What are the strategies to achieve results? The answers to this question can be summarized in 5 points, as follows:
Systems thinking (as opposed to categorical thinking): this means looking at an issue from various perspectives. Systems thinking focuses on inter-relationships, and is dynamic as opposed to static. For example, when discussing the welfare of young children and their families, systems thinking would consider how family context, schools, public health, housing and neighborhoods, mental health, economics, welfare, etc. interact and interplay to produce the realities we see.
Identifying promising practices: begin by looking at programs and practices that have demonstrated effectiveness in producing results.
Building a comprehensive community strategy: this refers to an array of mutually supported and integrated programs or activities, tailored to the target population (young children and their families in our case), and focused on positive results.
Involving partners in strategy development: partners are anyone who holds a stake in improving results. In our case they may be: parents, neighbors (whether they have children or not), local businesses, elected officials, local and state agencies, etc.
Implementing strategies: at this stage, partners will help support implementation strategies; assume new roles and responsibilities as needed; provide community and political support. The emphasis here is on partners’ openness and flexibility.
I found the content of the seminar interesting and very applicable to the work our LWG is doing. Another strong point of the seminar, I thought, was the fact that it brought together many different communities from CT. All of these communities are essentially involved in the same type of work, yet they are at various stages of the process. It was very interesting to hear different people speak about challenges and successes they encountered along the way, and how they moved on from there.
Strategies for Achieving Results
Workshop Summary- Sonya Renfro
The idea of ‘systems thinking’ is an idea that our group should keep in mind as we move forward in our adventure.
Systems Thinking is a way of thinking about, and a language for describing and understanding, the forces and interrelationships that shape the behavior of systems. This discipline helps us to see how to change systems more effectively and to act more in tune with the larger process of the natural and economic world. -Peter Senge
For me, this was a big take away from the workshop. We need to consider what we do and how it will affect the other systems in place in Mansfield and our surrounding area. Some systems/organizations may be addressing needs that we see, we need to ask ourselves how we can use and improve these working systems.
Though our focus is the child between birth and 8, we need to keep the big picture in mind. As we develop strategies for meeting the needs of the children and families in our community, we need to keep the big picture in mind and know that what we do can affect our entire community both positively and negatively.
We are not yet ready to develop the strategies that we will implement. When we get to this point, we will want to consider priority needs for our community and use the results we want to see to drive the implementation of those strategies that we develop.
Strategies for Achieving Results: Summary of Seminar held on 7/15/2008, by Raluca Mocanu
What are the strategies to achieve results? The answers to this question can be summarized in 5 points, as follows:
Systems thinking (as opposed to categorical thinking): this means looking at an issue from various perspectives. Systems thinking focuses on inter-relationships, and is dynamic as opposed to static. For example, when discussing the welfare of young children and their families, systems thinking would consider how family context, schools, public health, housing and neighborhoods, mental health, economics, welfare, etc. interact and interplay to produce the realities we see.
Identifying promising practices: begin by looking at programs and practices that have demonstrated effectiveness in producing results.
Building a comprehensive community strategy: this refers to an array of mutually supported and integrated programs or activities, tailored to the target population (young children and their families in our case), and focused on positive results.
Involving partners in strategy development: partners are anyone who holds a stake in improving results. In our case they may be: parents, neighbors (whether they have children or not), local businesses, elected officials, local and state agencies, etc.
Implementing strategies: at this stage, partners will help support implementation strategies; assume new roles and responsibilities as needed; provide community and political support. The emphasis here is on partners’ openness and flexibility.
I found the content of the seminar interesting and very applicable to the work our LWG is doing. Another strong point of the seminar, I thought, was the fact that it brought together many different communities from CT. All of these communities are essentially involved in the same type of work, yet they are at various stages of the process. It was very interesting to hear different people speak about challenges and successes they encountered along the way, and how they moved on from there.
LWG Meeting Minutes from 06/19/08
You can access the minutes from our June 19 meeting here.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Agenda 7/24/08 Leadership Work Group Meeting
AGENDA
Blueprint for Mansfield’s Children
Leadership Work Group Meeting #2
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Mansfield Town Hall, Council Chambers
5:30-7:30 PM
Light Dinner Available
Childcare Stipends Available
Desired Outcomes: - LWG Members will become aware of the status of the grant award
-LWG Members will adopt minutes of the 6/19/08 meeting
-LWG Members are grounded in the timeline of the project
-LWG Members have identified data and information available to provide a picture of the issues impacting Mansfield’s children and families.
-LWG Members have identified the individuals and groups they will need to connect with to learn more about the issues.
-LWG Members have determined the next steps necessary toward preparing for gathering this data and information.
Introductions:
Dinner, Announcement,
Minutes
Welcome, present status of grant award and adopt minutes of June 19, 2008 meeting
Sandy
5:30-5:45PM
Review Project Time Line
See Time Line to gauge where we are presently and what we want to accomplish by summer’s end
Sandy
5:45-5:50PM
What Do We Know About Mansfield?
-Reflect on issues identified about young children by the Mansfield 2020 town-wide strategic plan
-What has been learned in the MAC committees so far?
-What has the group experienced or heard professionally or personally?
Kevin
5:50-6:20PM
Learning More About the Issues
-What do you need in order to learn more about the issues and how they impact Mansfield’s children and families?
-What data/information would you like to have?
-Who are the people (individuals and groups) that you need to talk to?
-Who, on the LWG, has access to this data/information/people?
Malia
6:20-6:45PM
How Do We Organize this Work?
Large group or small group? Co-Chairs discuss options with the group
Terry and Raluca
6:45PM-7:00PM
What Do We Want to Achieve by 8/28
Discuss what we want to accomplish to move the work forward by the August meeting.
Malia
7:00-7:10PM
Next Steps
Action Plan for the next month. Who will be do what?
Malia
7:10-7:20PM
Next Meeting
Next Leadership Work Group Meeting – August 28, 2008, at 5:30-7:30PM in Town Hall, Council Chambers. Light dinner available.
Please R.S.V.P.
Sandy
7:20-7:30PM
Submitted by: Sandy Baxter, 860-429-3338, Baxtersp@mansfieldct.org
Blueprint for Mansfield’s Children
Leadership Work Group Meeting #2
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Mansfield Town Hall, Council Chambers
5:30-7:30 PM
Light Dinner Available
Childcare Stipends Available
Desired Outcomes: - LWG Members will become aware of the status of the grant award
-LWG Members will adopt minutes of the 6/19/08 meeting
-LWG Members are grounded in the timeline of the project
-LWG Members have identified data and information available to provide a picture of the issues impacting Mansfield’s children and families.
-LWG Members have identified the individuals and groups they will need to connect with to learn more about the issues.
-LWG Members have determined the next steps necessary toward preparing for gathering this data and information.
Introductions:
Dinner, Announcement,
Minutes
Welcome, present status of grant award and adopt minutes of June 19, 2008 meeting
Sandy
5:30-5:45PM
Review Project Time Line
See Time Line to gauge where we are presently and what we want to accomplish by summer’s end
Sandy
5:45-5:50PM
What Do We Know About Mansfield?
-Reflect on issues identified about young children by the Mansfield 2020 town-wide strategic plan
-What has been learned in the MAC committees so far?
-What has the group experienced or heard professionally or personally?
Kevin
5:50-6:20PM
Learning More About the Issues
-What do you need in order to learn more about the issues and how they impact Mansfield’s children and families?
-What data/information would you like to have?
-Who are the people (individuals and groups) that you need to talk to?
-Who, on the LWG, has access to this data/information/people?
Malia
6:20-6:45PM
How Do We Organize this Work?
Large group or small group? Co-Chairs discuss options with the group
Terry and Raluca
6:45PM-7:00PM
What Do We Want to Achieve by 8/28
Discuss what we want to accomplish to move the work forward by the August meeting.
Malia
7:00-7:10PM
Next Steps
Action Plan for the next month. Who will be do what?
Malia
7:10-7:20PM
Next Meeting
Next Leadership Work Group Meeting – August 28, 2008, at 5:30-7:30PM in Town Hall, Council Chambers. Light dinner available.
Please R.S.V.P.
Sandy
7:20-7:30PM
Submitted by: Sandy Baxter, 860-429-3338, Baxtersp@mansfieldct.org
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The Mansfield Children's Blueprint
WHAT IS THIS BLUEPRINT ABOUT?
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY BLUEPRINT?
Traditionally, a blueprint is a technical drawing used by architects or engineers. However, the term “blueprint” has come to mean any plan that charts a course to accomplish something and details exactly how this goal will be accomplished. Community blueprints are plans that are developed with input from broad audiences, with the idea of allowing the community as a whole to agree upon a set of top priorities and to provide a detailed plan by which the different community entities will work together to achieve certain changes within the community.
BACKGROUND:
The Town Mansfield applied for and received a grant from the William C. Graustein Memorial Fund and the State of CT Early Childhood Cabinet to develop a community-wide blueprint to improve the lives and success of the young children in Mansfield, ages birth to eight. We are just beginning this community plan, and are eager to involve anyone in the community who would like to be involved.
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY:
This grant affords Mansfield an opportunity that is rarely available. It is an opportunity for Mansfield to have an effort that is solely dedicated to determining how we want to move forward as a community to improve the lives of our young children and make them more successful. Specifically, this community plan gives us a chance to think hard about what comprehensive and system-wide reforms we need. Rather than focusing on individual programs or schools, our efforts will work on how the community works together – across programs and departments and sectors – to improve the lives of young children. At the end of 12 months, we aim to have a comprehensive plan that the entire community agrees upon.
APPROACH:
The first step is to develop a Leadership Work Group, a group of leaders who can dive into the details and guide this plan to completion. The Mansfield Advocates for Children (MAC) is the group that will convene the planning process and serve as the champion of this initiative and recruit the Leadership Work Group. Our goal is for this Leadership Work Group is to be inclusive and capable of reaching out to and consulting with all segments of the community. Immediately after we form this Leadership Work Group, our next step is to articulate our vision for early care and education and then collect and analyze data to identify the most pressing gaps and hardships that children and families in Mansfield face that make it challenging to achieve this vision. Once we identify our proposed gaps, we will present the draft to the community to determine if these are the same gaps that everyone else is experiencing. After we as a community agree on the major gaps, we will draft specific strategies to address these gaps. For example, if we learn that there is insufficient infant and toddler care to meet the demand, a strategy might be to work with current providers to learn what is needed to expand the slots in the community. After we collectively agree on the strategies to address the gaps, we will document baseline data and set benchmarks and targets for the plan, creating a way to measure progress and to hold ourselves accountable.
TIMELINE:
How long does all of this planning take? This is a 12-month process, with the plan completed by June 30, 2009.
GETTING INVOLVED:
If you are interested in getting involved, we would love to work with you! Please contact Sandy Baxter 860-429-3338, Baxtersp@mansfieldct.org
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY BLUEPRINT?
Traditionally, a blueprint is a technical drawing used by architects or engineers. However, the term “blueprint” has come to mean any plan that charts a course to accomplish something and details exactly how this goal will be accomplished. Community blueprints are plans that are developed with input from broad audiences, with the idea of allowing the community as a whole to agree upon a set of top priorities and to provide a detailed plan by which the different community entities will work together to achieve certain changes within the community.
BACKGROUND:
The Town Mansfield applied for and received a grant from the William C. Graustein Memorial Fund and the State of CT Early Childhood Cabinet to develop a community-wide blueprint to improve the lives and success of the young children in Mansfield, ages birth to eight. We are just beginning this community plan, and are eager to involve anyone in the community who would like to be involved.
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY:
This grant affords Mansfield an opportunity that is rarely available. It is an opportunity for Mansfield to have an effort that is solely dedicated to determining how we want to move forward as a community to improve the lives of our young children and make them more successful. Specifically, this community plan gives us a chance to think hard about what comprehensive and system-wide reforms we need. Rather than focusing on individual programs or schools, our efforts will work on how the community works together – across programs and departments and sectors – to improve the lives of young children. At the end of 12 months, we aim to have a comprehensive plan that the entire community agrees upon.
APPROACH:
The first step is to develop a Leadership Work Group, a group of leaders who can dive into the details and guide this plan to completion. The Mansfield Advocates for Children (MAC) is the group that will convene the planning process and serve as the champion of this initiative and recruit the Leadership Work Group. Our goal is for this Leadership Work Group is to be inclusive and capable of reaching out to and consulting with all segments of the community. Immediately after we form this Leadership Work Group, our next step is to articulate our vision for early care and education and then collect and analyze data to identify the most pressing gaps and hardships that children and families in Mansfield face that make it challenging to achieve this vision. Once we identify our proposed gaps, we will present the draft to the community to determine if these are the same gaps that everyone else is experiencing. After we as a community agree on the major gaps, we will draft specific strategies to address these gaps. For example, if we learn that there is insufficient infant and toddler care to meet the demand, a strategy might be to work with current providers to learn what is needed to expand the slots in the community. After we collectively agree on the strategies to address the gaps, we will document baseline data and set benchmarks and targets for the plan, creating a way to measure progress and to hold ourselves accountable.
TIMELINE:
How long does all of this planning take? This is a 12-month process, with the plan completed by June 30, 2009.
GETTING INVOLVED:
If you are interested in getting involved, we would love to work with you! Please contact Sandy Baxter 860-429-3338, Baxtersp@mansfieldct.org
MAC Mission and Roles
The Mansfield Advocates for Children-MAC, (formerly Mansfield School Readiness Council) is an advisory committee composed of volunteers who are appointed by the Town Council and Mayor of Mansfield.
The mission of this body is: “To contribute to the positive development of all young children in Mansfield.”
MAC maintains a relationship with the Mansfield Board of Education, the Town Council and the Mayor. These relationships are important to sanction the work and vision of this group. The connections between Town leadership and MAC represent a clear and valuable commitment to the issues of early care and education by the Town and school district leadership. Regular communication between MAC and these entities is a priority for MAC.
Mansfield Advocates for Children views the following as its Roles:
The mission of this body is: “To contribute to the positive development of all young children in Mansfield.”
MAC maintains a relationship with the Mansfield Board of Education, the Town Council and the Mayor. These relationships are important to sanction the work and vision of this group. The connections between Town leadership and MAC represent a clear and valuable commitment to the issues of early care and education by the Town and school district leadership. Regular communication between MAC and these entities is a priority for MAC.
Mansfield Advocates for Children views the following as its Roles:
To improve access to quality early care and education for young children in Mansfield.
To provide leadership for Mansfield on early care and education issues.
To provide leadership for Mansfield on early care and education issues.
To increase awareness and understanding of early care and education issues among members of Mansfield.
To advocate for long-term investment in early care and education by the community and municipal government.
To empower parents to have an active voice and role in early care and education issues in Mansfield.
To evaluate opportunities for funding, training, and support.
To gather early care and education data and make use of these data to improve the lives of young children in Mansfield.
To identify, promote and publicize programs and resources for early care and education for Mansfield families.
To recruit and orient new members so that there is diverse representation of all constituents of Mansfield on MAC.
To be active in the work of improving early care and education in Mansfield, not only to be advisory in nature. Some of the topics we have been actively involved in are: Full Day Kindergarten research and survey; obtaining State of CT funding for families in need of support for early care and education; working with the UConn Provost’s Council on their survey on childcare needs in the University of Connecticut Community.
Developed 12/01/04
Submitted by: Sandra Baxter,
Mansfield School Readiness Coordinator
To advocate for long-term investment in early care and education by the community and municipal government.
To empower parents to have an active voice and role in early care and education issues in Mansfield.
To evaluate opportunities for funding, training, and support.
To gather early care and education data and make use of these data to improve the lives of young children in Mansfield.
To identify, promote and publicize programs and resources for early care and education for Mansfield families.
To recruit and orient new members so that there is diverse representation of all constituents of Mansfield on MAC.
To be active in the work of improving early care and education in Mansfield, not only to be advisory in nature. Some of the topics we have been actively involved in are: Full Day Kindergarten research and survey; obtaining State of CT funding for families in need of support for early care and education; working with the UConn Provost’s Council on their survey on childcare needs in the University of Connecticut Community.
Developed 12/01/04
Submitted by: Sandra Baxter,
Mansfield School Readiness Coordinator
2008-2009 Monthly Meeting Calendar
All Meetings Will Take Place in Town Hall Council Chambers
Fourth Thursday-(Some Dates may change)
5:30PM-7:30PM*
Meeting Dates
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
*Please R.S.V.P 429-3338
Mansfield’s Know Your Town Fair will take place on Saturday, September 6, 2008 in the Mansfield Community Center 10:00AM-12:00Noon.
Respectfully submitted 6/19/08
By Sandy Baxter, 429-3338, Baxtersp@mansfieldct.org
Fourth Thursday-(Some Dates may change)
5:30PM-7:30PM*
Meeting Dates
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
*Please R.S.V.P 429-3338
Mansfield’s Know Your Town Fair will take place on Saturday, September 6, 2008 in the Mansfield Community Center 10:00AM-12:00Noon.
Respectfully submitted 6/19/08
By Sandy Baxter, 429-3338, Baxtersp@mansfieldct.org
Charge of the Leadership Work Group
· Create a planning process that is community-based and inclusive, with ongoing feedback mechanisms to make best efforts to keep the public informed of the status of the planning process, and to solicit public involvement in that process.
· Coordinate the community planning process and the preparation of the plan, under the guidance of Mansfield Advocates for Children and in consultation with community participants, staff and the Planning Consultant.
· Identify and explore key data sources that are indicators of the overall well-being of young children in Mansfield, including major community assets and resources, as well as gaps in services and unmet needs.
· Review a list of issues already identified as part of the town-wide Strategic Planning effort, data collected by MAC Infant/Toddler committee, and the MAC Parents committee in their 1-on-1 Listening Campaign as a starting point for the plan, as well as review other plans and initiatives underway to ensure alignment of the various plans and efforts.
· Create a vision for young children in Mansfield that is supported by MAC’s vision and supports the “Ready by 5, Fine by 9” goals.
· Propose goals, priorities, and outcomes, and seek feedback on these proposals.
· Propose timelines for responsibilities, management, and monitoring of outcomes and seek feedback on these proposals.
· Serve as a resource and advisory committee to Mansfield Advocates for Children, staff, the project facilitator and community participants.
· Coordinate the community planning process and the preparation of the plan, under the guidance of Mansfield Advocates for Children and in consultation with community participants, staff and the Planning Consultant.
· Identify and explore key data sources that are indicators of the overall well-being of young children in Mansfield, including major community assets and resources, as well as gaps in services and unmet needs.
· Review a list of issues already identified as part of the town-wide Strategic Planning effort, data collected by MAC Infant/Toddler committee, and the MAC Parents committee in their 1-on-1 Listening Campaign as a starting point for the plan, as well as review other plans and initiatives underway to ensure alignment of the various plans and efforts.
· Create a vision for young children in Mansfield that is supported by MAC’s vision and supports the “Ready by 5, Fine by 9” goals.
· Propose goals, priorities, and outcomes, and seek feedback on these proposals.
· Propose timelines for responsibilities, management, and monitoring of outcomes and seek feedback on these proposals.
· Serve as a resource and advisory committee to Mansfield Advocates for Children, staff, the project facilitator and community participants.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)