MPP’s Leadership Team has played a critical role, offering strategic planning guidance and thought partnership to strengthen the culture and direction of the work across Marin to close opportunity gaps and support students from cradle to career. The Leadership Team provides experience, leadership, and diversity of voices, playing an active role in advancing educational equity for all students regardless of race or class or zip code. The Leadership Team is proud to advocate for and engage youth and family as decision makers at the countywide table along with school district and community organization leaders.
Under the stewardship of the Leadership Team, Marin Promise Partnership has accomplished much, including supporting the integration of the preschool into Shoreline Unified School District, supporting the planning and development of regional community schools (successfully co-authoring a grant that yielded $1 million dollars over the next five years with potential for much more), and coordinating support for high school students through the Future Ready, College and Career initiative. And now, the Leadership Team is a champion for our current strategic plan as partners deeply engage in regional communities to learn about their challenges and needs, work together to implement community schools, and continue to lean into antiracist policies and practices at all levels of impact: individual, organizational and structural.
Through guidance from multiple Leadership Team members, the Strategic Plan recommended a change in how meetings are held. For example, youth and family co-created the first Leadership Team meeting to be held at the Canal Neighborhood’s Dia de los Muertos celebration. Working with the Marin Multicultural Center, the City of San Rafael, and Albert J. Boro Recreation Center, Team members helped design the agenda and provide resources and information about this important Latin American holiday. The BBT provided monetary donations, purchased food and drink tickets for LT members and their families, and volunteered throughout the entire event. Several Leadership Team members included their ancestor photos for the altar and included ofrendas, or offerings. Team members played Dia de los Muertos Bingo and were entered in a raffle for prizes. Bingo squares were filled out by participating in activities in both Spanish and English. Balandra Fregoso’s sons, Matias and Joaquin, won first place, Jacob Monterrey Seitchik won second place, while John Carroll and Dennis Rodini shared third place for prizes! This special day was brought to a close with BBT and Leadership Team members joining the parade procession throughout the Canal city blocks.
Leadership Team members on the Strategic Plan Steering Committee determined that deeply engaging with the communities that MPP partners with is a key step to advancing equity and creating strong and long-lasting relationships. Two of the meetings this year are to be held in one of our focus communities and provide networking opportunities for partners, while two others will be more “traditional,” held at the MPP Partnership Center to review and discuss data, barriers, and solutions to education outcome gaps greatly impacting students of color.
The Partnership looks forward to the next phase of our work and seeks to ensure that educational opportunities and success are available for every Marin County student. To do this, partners work collectively and collaboratively, and with the support of our Leadership Team to transform our educational ecosystem.
