ROC the Future - December Newsletter

December news & updates

December 17, 2021| Issue 11

Message from the Director

Greetings Partners!

The last two years has been a time unlike any other, but we made it. Take this holiday season to relax, refresh, realign and recharge.

As 2021 comes to a close, I want to send a personal thanks to the collective of community leaders, including parents, providers, educators and other partners who are a part of the ROC the Future Alliance. This work is possible because of partners like you.

As we celebrate 10 years of the ROC the Future Alliance, we do so focused on children’s success, TOGETHER!

2022 will be the year of more. More deliberate actions that produce positive results.

We will continue to work to reach 6,000 parents to hear what they think matters for their children to be successful. Not only to tell us, but to work with us to make change happen. Our WILDLY IMPORTANT GOAL is a momentous challenge, but one we believe we can reach TOGETHER. Download the toolkit to learn how you you can reach parents to get their input.

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Network News

Meet MaryBeth Elko

MaryBeth joins the ROC the Future team as the Continuous Improvement Specialist. Prior to joining ROC the Future, MaryBeth served as Professional Development Specialist with PK-12 school systems in Rochester. In that role, she designed and facilitated customized professional learning experiences with regional school districts, district leaders, teams, and individual educators. For the last several years, much of the professional development MaryBeth designed focused on supporting educators with: antiracism, culturally relevant teaching and learning, equitable and inclusive practices, restorative practices, and social and emotional learning. Prior to her work as a professional development specialist, MaryBeth was a middle school teacher and Instructional Coach in the Syracuse City School District.

She is a parent leader and a graduate of PLTI Cohort 8. MaryBeth, her husband, and daughter live in the Homestead Heights neighborhood of Rochester.

MaryBeth earned both her Master's in Teaching as well as her Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership from Syracuse University.

Fathers welcomed to join Operation F.I.R.E.

Fathers Initiating Restorative Engagement (F.I.R.E.) is a pilot program at Edison Career and Technology High School and Franklin High School where fathers serve as positive role models during the school day.

Learn more about this initiative and how fathers can join.

News from StriveTogether

2022 StriveTogether Network Offerings

StriveTogether is a national network of local communities striving to achieve racial equity and economic mobility. They have a number offerings to build capacity in cradle to career areas. Take a look to find what might interest you.

Community Engagement Spectrum

Centering the voices of those most impacted by decision making is crucial for creating equity and transforming systems. This community engagement spectrum can help Cradle to Career Network members holistically assess the roles, contributions and decision-making power of youth, families and the community across all of their work as they move toward shifting power.

New Theory of Action

The StriveTogether Theory of Action™ provides a roadmap for building the civic infrastructure necessary for systems transformation.

The milestones inform necessary collaboration of cross-sector leaders from systems like education, housing, healthcare and more to get better results for youth and families.

Convener Member Spotlight

How Common Ground Health is helping to reach 6,000 parents

Common Ground Health brings together leaders from across our nine-county region to collaborate on strategies for improving health. Health includes the physical, mental and socio-emotional well-being of children. Our community's Wildly Important Goal will inform how they work to improve health outcomes for kids.

COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Families

Meet Ana, the COVID-19 Vaccine Information Bot

Click below for a great poster resource developed as a collaborative effort by the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. This series of posters help to answer questions regarding COVID-19 vaccination. The posters feature a QR code linking the user to 'Ana,' the COVID-19 Vaccine Information Bot. Ana allows users to select common concerns and questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and access resources using the chat feature. Ana is available in English and Spanish.

Finger Lakes Vaccine Hub

Kids ages 5 to 11 can now get vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine. You may have questions about the COVID vaccine. You deserve answers.

Hear from the Backbone Team

"My intention for 2022 is that the ROC the Future Alliance increases our skills, capacity and willingness to lean into system change to improve outcomes for all of Rochester's children and families. For each parent leader, stakeholder, staff and partner..this is the year of systems change!"

-Jackie Campbell, Alliance Director

"As a new team member, I am looking to build relationships with ROC the Future teams and community leaders, support a culture of continuous quality improvement and become familiar - and eventually proficient- with StriveTogether's - Guide to Racial and Ethnic Equity Systems Indicators."

MaryBeth Elko, Continuous Improvement Specialist

"At ROC the Future, we often allude to the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and we embody that insight as a guiding principle in our collective impact work. Success for our children, our scholars, and for their future depends on our community’s commitment to recognize students’ struggles, support their needs, and uplift their joy. In 2022, I look forward to tapping into those sectors and organizations we have not yet reached in order to grow the strength of our Outcome Teams to work towards a better tomorrow for every child in Rochester. Together, we can make that possible."

-Ryan Lavoie, Administrative & Grants Assistant

"As Rochester's collective impact table focused on education, I am hopeful that the new year will bring renewed focus on our efforts to dismantle systems that do not serve our children and families. Let us continue to remember that no one organization can implement change alone. We all must work together for the benefit of our children and families.

Jessica Lewis, Communications Specialist

"I am most looking forward to elevating the impact of parents and youth in collective IMPACT for 2022."

Kilolo Moyo-White, Family and Community Engagement Specialist

Upcoming Events

Community Action Initiative

Date: Saturday, December 18, 2021

Time: 11 am - 1 pm

Location: Virtual

RCSD is inviting all stakeholders to join them on Saturday, December 18, 2021, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a virtual community action initiative.

In November, students, families, staff, and community members joined a critical conversation on how to address violence in Rochester and how to support social-emotional learning, mental health, and well-being. An update on progress made since the initial meeting in November will be given.