Save the Date for the Roast and Update on the All Hands Raised Partnership
December 19, 2012
Dear Friends –
Last time I wrote to you was on the heels of the Raising Our Hands, Raising the Bar event and I shared some of the insight provided by Strive Managing Director Jeff Edmondson, Governor Kitzhaber, Mayor Adams and others. Since that time we have received significant feedback through an online survey. In the spirit of continuous improvement the feedback will be helpful to us as we plan future engagement with the community – thank you to all those who responded. The comments that were submitted help paint a picture of our shared progress and also our areas for growth:
“The road we travel might be challenging but we must remember we have been taught to accept some degree of frustration–it’s normal in our efforts to build relationships and to make a difference in the world. Please stay focused for our children.”
“I was encouraged by the impact of the programs and how businesses were a part of the solution.”
“It was useful to hear about statewide strategies as well as local initiatives, and see that there are promising returns on the investments already made. So much power in one room shows that this is a priority, and that institutions and community drivers are unified for change.”
Recently, I’ve been privileged to travel to two other Oregon communities to support their work as they adapt a collective impact approach in rural settings through support from The Oregon Community Foundation. Working with community leaders and educators from Crook & Deschutes Counties, as well as Douglas County, has offered me a glimpse into the unique challenges faced by different communities as they work to build a true sense of shared community accountability for student success. These workshops with our fellow Oregonians were a blunt reminder that it is tough to get started! It has also reminded me how far we have come in Multnomah County and how grateful I am for our community’s continued focus–thank you!
As you know, four Collaboratives are hard at work to advance our shared goals and this fall the Collaboratives have made great progress using the continuous improvement discipline to move from narrowing their scope and goals to defining specific strategies necessary to deliver outcomes, efficiencies, and long-term impact in our community. An update on the progress of each Collaborative has been posted on our website:
Eliminating Disparities in Child and Youth Success
Finally, I want to invite you to attend the annual Roast, an event that provides the opportunity to take a night off from the serious nature of our work and simply laugh. The 18th Annual Portland Roast Festival is set for Thursday, February 21, 2013 on the floor of the Rose Garden Arena. Please mark your calendars and join us. The event has sold out the past three years, so buy your tickets early to raise your hand to support student success in our community.
Wishing you and yours all the best for a happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Dan Ryan
