Summer/Fall 2022
Welcome to Transformation Waco's community newsletter!
A Letter From Our Board
Dear Transformation Waco Community,

Serving as the new Transformation Waco (TW) Board President brings me great joy. I have had the pleasure of serving alongside my fellow board members for the past four years. We will keep supporting our staff and doing everything we can to help them serve the needs of our students and the community.
 
There is much for us to celebrate in the 2022-2023 school year. We had a big turnout of community volunteers welcoming back students on Greet-a-Scholar Day, the first day of school. We thank the organizations and faith leaders for supporting our students. 
 
There is a terrific program at G.W. Carver/Indian Spring Middle School called "Partners on Duty" (POD). It started last year and drew inspiration from the "Dad's on Duty" initiative in a Louisiana high school that received national attention. Recognizing the community's important role in schools, Grassroots Waco partnered with us to start a similar program at the middle school. We had several community volunteers provide additional support during lunch last year, and we're excited to continue POD this school year!
Pictured here is (L to R): Ryan 'Slim' Thompson, Devin Li and Jeremy Davis.
We're pleased to offer free afterschool programs at all five TW schools and happy to announce that we've received a $972,500 state grant to provide high-impact tutoring to 150 students! The Texas COVID Learning Acceleration Supports (TCLAS) grant provides school districts with funding to address the long-term impacts of the pandemic on students. With a focus on math and reading in K-8, our afterschool tutors will use high-quality instructional materials aligned with standards and core classwork.

Research indicates that the most successful afterschool programs include a component of high-quality academic support and enrichment programming. Our volunteers are part of the magic in our enrichment options. We're currently enrolling volunteers for this school year. Some areas of interest for students include photography, cosmetology, soccer and cooking. If you have an interest that you would like to share with our students, please reach out to Larryl Curtis, Director of Extended Learning and Enrichment Programs.

Sincerely,

Dr. Iliana A. Neumann
Transformation Waco Board President
First Day of School
The first day of school was a BLAST! It represents a fresh start for our students, staff and families. See more pictures at transformationwaco.org/photos.
Thank You, Community Volunteers

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
Carver Park Baptist Church
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Good Samaritan Missionary Baptist Church
Stars Book Club
Waco Fire Department
Waco NAACP
Waco Police Department
A Letter From TW Chief Executive Officer
Untitled Design
Dear Transformation Waco Community,

I am sometimes asked, “What makes Transformation Waco different?” We're a Waco-driven solution to school improvement. In addition to committed educators and supportive families, we are powered by 115 community partnerships.

We operate with a community schools model and mindset. We treat schools as neighborhood hubs that bring together academics, youth development, and family and community engagement with an infusion of wraparound health and social services. I am pleased to share our 2021-2022 Annual Report, which is a go-to resource for explaining who we are and the scope of our work. It covers strategic priorities, demographics and enrollment, wraparound services, early childhood work and much more. You can read it by clicking the button below.
Sincerely,

Robin McDurham, EdD
Transformation Waco Chief Executive Officer
TW Launches New Family Engagement Communications Tool
A new TW engagement initiative aims to strengthen teacher-to-family relationships. After a successful pilot launch at G.W. Carver Indian Spring Middle School last year, all TW schools are using ParentSquare, a communication tool that allows for mass communication and one-to-one messaging between families, educators and administrators. 

Families receive messages from the classroom and campus level all in one place and can respond directly in the app. Parents and guardians can also choose how and when they prefer to receive information. We're already seeing families increasing their participation in the platform, which is vital in ensuring they receive timely information about their child's education.
Community Partners Co-Host Principal Meet-and-Greets
Thanks to our community partners at the Waco NAACP, National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa and Waco Housing Authority & Affiliates for co-hosting Meet-the-Principal events for families in August. We enjoyed a lovely meal and excellent conversation as we welcomed Reggie Lewis (G.W. Carver/Indian Spring Middle) and Dr. Cynthia Wise (J.H. Hines Elementary). More photos from the events are available at transformationwaco.org/photos.
TW Recognizes Staff Transforming Lives
During the 2021-2022 school year, TW launched the “Transforming Lives Honorees” program to recognize the transformational impact of our staff on ensuring a positive present and future for students, families and coworkers. Staff and the community nominated these genuine agents. Thirteen honorees were surprised at work by their nominators and coworkers. Two of those presentations are featured below. Click here to view all the presentations.
Each honoree received a $1,000 grant for school-based passion projects. Examples of projects included shirts for middle school students who serve as campus ambassadors and elementary tutors, a trip to Main Event for a middle school family engagement group and a cafeteria account for free snacks for students who perform random acts of kindness. We're delighted to continue the initiative this year and invite nominations for 2022-2023 honorees.
Inspiración Waco and Child-Wellbeing
Inspiración's early childhood program at Alta Vista Elementary School is one way we're ensuring access to educational opportunities to improve child well-being in McLennan County. The Spanish-dominant program prepares at-risk Latino children aged infants to four for kindergarten readiness while also providing classes for the children's parents. Since its inception in the 2018-2019 school
year, Inspiración has shown continuous participant growth. In June 2022, Inspiración graduated its largest class to date with 19 children and their moms.

We're honored to be part of the McLennan County Child Well-being Movement to support local children and families. Click the link below to learn more about the United Way of Waco-McLennan County and local partners' Community Action Plan.
Two TW Campuses Named ADL "No Place for Hate"
Congratulations to Alta Vista Elementary School and Brook Avenue Elementary for receiving the ADL - Anti-Defamation League's "No Place for Hate" Designation for work done in the 2021-2022 school year! Participating schools incorporate ADL's anti-bias and anti-bullying resources within their existing programming to form one powerful message that all students have a place to belong.