Great Schools North Carolina is launching grant opportunities for charter schools

Great Schools North Carolina (GSNC) “was founded in 2023 to remove barriers to success for both existing and new public charter schools across the state,” according to their website. The organization provides strategic funding and collaborative partnerships.

Madeline Hannigan — a champion of charter schools and educational equity — is the executive director, and the team is now fully staffed.

GSNC’s first grant cycle is getting ready to start, and three grant opportunities for charter school leaders serving students furthest from opportunity will open on Sept. 9:

1.Start-up grants for proposed charter schools with an approved charter

• Up to $250,000 over two years (disbursements tied to award & opening)
• Two-year award for leaders with an approved NC charter
• Support for leaders with start-up costs and guidance to complement RTO (ready-to-open)

2. School quality cohort for existing charter schools with at least three years of state data

• Up to $150,000 in total resources
• 18-month award for leaders of existing charter schools
• Support for leaders looking to identify and implement specific levers of change

3. Founder’s Fellowship for school leaders interested in submitting a new charter application

• Up to $50,000 in initial resources with opportunity for follow-on
• Multi-year grant for proven school leaders looking to open a charter school in NC
• Support for designing a school model and navigating the application process

There is more information on their website, in this one-pager, and you can spread the word by sharing this LinkedIn post.

Blue Cross NC launches youth wellness commitment

Blue Cross NC has launched the first phase of a statewide, transformational commitment to improving youth mental well-being, resiliency, and connectivity.

“We recognize that this is more than a mental health crisis — it’s a crisis of connection, purpose, and community,” says the press release.

The initial phase begins with comprehensive enhancements to the company’s mental health offerings, targeting improvements in support services, and access to care across all 100 North Carolina counties.

Highlights include:

• Expanding access to counseling in schools. This initiative supports early intervention, continuous support, and academic success by making mental health resources more accessible in schools, including virtual care, where youth are six times more likely to accept these services. Behavioral health services provided in schools will be covered for members.
• Bringing Youth Mental Health First Aid Training to all 100 counties. Blue Cross NC will leverage its employees and partnerships with youth-based organizations to train 3,700 people including 1,000 youth and 10% of its workforce in Youth Mental Health First Aid Training by the end of 2025. This training equips adults who regularly interact with young people with the skills to identify and respond to mental health challenges, using a five-step action plan for both crisis and non-crisis situations to foster a safe, supportive environment.

Here is more information.

Two no-cost opportunities connecting young adults to employment

Designed with Opportunity Youth in mind (young adults ages 16-24 who are not in school or employed in living wage jobs), a self-paced course, 7 Steps to Get Hired: The Keys to Building Your Future, is now available free of charge through the N.C. Community College System. The course material offers guided practice in skills like resume-building and on-the-job communication.

Young adults may also secure a no-cost, digital technology-focused credential through Microsoft Fundamentals. Choosing from eight different credentials, interested learners can enter a unique course code to register at no cost. Unlike the employability course that will continue indefinitely, the certification exam must be completed online or in person by Sept.26, 2024. The goal is to credential 100 young adults in the next month. Please share this opportunity with high school teachers, counselors, and parents.

Here is more information about both opportunities.

Communities In Schools of N.C.  offers new tools to enhance parent and family engagement

Communities In Schools of North Carolina (CISNC) has announced a new micro-grant program to enhance parent and family engagement across its affiliate network during the 2024-25 academic year. The $75,000 program targets affiliates in high-risk areas, supporting the roll out of innovative new tools to deepen parent engagement and student outcomes, according to a press release. Here is a map of the affiliates.

Video shares the story of a school for newcomers

A video update on the Sylvia Mendez Newcomers School in Guilford County Schools.

“Make it a great day!”

TPM stands for “Talent Pipeline Management”

By the end of 2024, North Carolina is expected to have the largest TPM movement in the country, according to a press release from the NC Chamber.

The NC Chamber Foundation and the N.C. Community College System are launching a Career Readiness Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) Academy®.

With support from the Lumina Foundation, the academy will train approximately 40 individuals from the community college system and the state’s business and health care communities.

The academy, which will run from August to December, will equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to create and sustain talent supply chain solutions and enhance workforce development programs, says the press release.

“This is an important step in our collective work to create a demand-driven workforce system in North Carolina,” said Dr. Jeff Cox, president of the N.C. Community College System. “North Carolina’s community colleges play a critical role in bolstering the state’s workforce, and this partnership further affirms our commitment to advancing North Carolina’s Talent Pipeline Management strategy.”