January 6, 2019
Happy new year, SRI Affiliates!
As you head back to classrooms and schools, we want to share a summary of how the Board is working with Deidre, our Executive Director, to pursue SRI’s mission and values.
Deirdre just finished her first year as ED. She has focused closely on several overarching goals:
- increase national visibility
- increase professional services aligned with SRI’s mission to support affiliate engagement/development
- strengthen financial sustainability.
SRI Visibility
Deirdre has dramatically increased our social media presence on Twitter and Facebook. She secured a $25,000 grant to collaborate with a marketing consultant to enhance our messaging and website. She is preparing to generate case studies that highlight how SRI improves schools and student outcomes.
Services to Support Affiliate Engagement
Under Deirdre’s leadership, we have increased national seminars, institutes and academies. These include Equity First Institutes, Leading Reflective Learning Communities Institutes, and the inaugural SRI Leadership Academy, a year-long, cohort-based initiative that supports leaders to design concrete, achievable goals for school and organizational improvement. Moreover, we have increased the number of webinar offerings to support virtual professional learning opportunities.
Strengthen Financial Sustainability
Deirdre is working hard to build SRI into a sustainable non-profit business, one that allows us to continue to support a growing community of educators while remaining steadfastly committed to our mission. In addition to increasing national offerings, she is actively working to increase revenue through:
- grant funding
- affiliate donations
- an annual affiliate membership fee
Deidre has submitted several grant proposals. She invited us to celebrate SRI’s 10-year anniversary by Giving $10 For SRI (it’s never too late — show your appreciation for the ways SRI has supported your professional learning by donating $10 or more right now!).
When Deirdre and the Board introduced the idea of initiating an annual affiliate membership fee, we received overwhelming support and encouragement to do so from affiliates who attended SRI’s Organizational Development Meeting at Fall Meeting. Currently, we receive an annual reminder to renew our affiliation. In the future, when we receive that reminder we will be encouraged to give a $25 donation to renew affiliation. Like National Public Radio or Public Television, we will certainly be able to give more! Look for additional information in the coming months.
Bringing more revenue into SRI will position us to engage in some much-needed revision to the SRI Resource and Protocol Book, develop new SRI tools and protocols (including in multiple languages) and hopefully develop an SRI protocol app!
SRI BOARD UPDATE
The Board will continue to work closely with Deirdre to position SRI to support schools to become better places for every learner by inspiring educators to improve teaching and learning so that every student receives what they need to develop to their full academic and social potential.
The Board has organized itself around three standing committees for 2020:
- Organizational Development & Governance
- Finance/Advancement
- Fall Meeting
Very shortly, one or more committees will invite affiliates to serve as additional committee members, so consider what role you might like to play!
We recognize and thank the tremendous contributions of Carrie Brennan, Raquel Diaz, Jeff Galaise and Gillian Smith, all of whom completed their board terms as of January 1.
We welcome and thank recently elected board members DJ Alexander, Angela Breidenstein, Beth Graham and Brian Sparks who officially begin their terms this month.
In addition, we thank Pat Norman for her service as Board Chair for the past four years and are excited to share that Niya Randall has been elected as SRI’s next Chair. Congratulations, Niya! Her 3-year term begins this month. Pat will remain on the Board as a non-voting member (per our bylaws) for a minimum of one year to support this leadership transition.
It’s an exciting time for SRI. Check out upcoming national seminars and institutes here. Save the date for next year’s Fall Meeting in Memphis November 5-7. And thanks for all you do both to support SRI and to make schools more equitable and excellent places for students’ learning.
with gratitude,
Pat Norman, former Board Chair
Niya Randall, current Board Chair
