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Meeting Date:
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7/28/2022 - 5:30 PM
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Category:
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Awards and Commendations
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Type:
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Info
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Subject:
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1. Excellence in Education Award - Vicki Turner
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Strategic Plan Compatibility Statement:
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Goal 2 Student, Family and Community Engagement
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Attachments
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File Attachment:
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Background:
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The Milwaukee Board of School Directors recognizes an outstanding school, student, staff member, parent, or community member for a display of excellence, achievement, and innovation that may serve as an example to our school district and the entire Milwaukee community. This month, the Milwaukee Board of School Directors is pleased to present the “Excellence in Education Award” to Vicki Turner.
Vicki Turner has 16 years of experience at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, as Director of COMPASS Guide. During this time, Ms. Turner has served as the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) GEAR UP parent coordinator during our seven-year grant timeline. Ms. Turner built relationships with GEAR UP families linking them to community events and resources, both locally and nationally, that increased their awareness and access to post-secondary opportunities and financial aid options.
A cornerstone activity for GEAR UP parents was the Milwaukee Parent Institute (MPI), which is a multi-week series of workshops mobilizing families to be the best advocates for their children by empowering them with knowledge of high school graduation requirements and post-secondary pathways. Since the implementation of the Milwaukee Parent Institute in 2014, over 1,000 GEAR UP parents graduated the program that has since expanded from just the GEAR UP schools and families to the entire MPS school district.
Vicki Turner also gave of her time and expertise supporting the GEAR UP program in a variety of other ways. She chaperoned MPS GEAR UP students on several college tours. Each trip Ms. Turner assisted in planning activities for students, chaperoning and mentoring attendees, and serving as our photographer to document the wonderful experiences of our GEAR UP cohort.
Ms. Turner helped MPS get an external grant to expand a pilot program that provided success coaches for GEAR UP cohort 2017 seniors. She has organized an annual parent breakfast followed by attending the NCAC College fair. This event has been a huge success, providing information on FAFSA, college fit, and how to experience a college fair. She also secured donations for a laptop giveaway for families.
As the MPS GEAR UP grant ended in 2018, Vicki Turner’s support for the students and families continued through her work with M-cubed (M3), the partnership with Milwaukee Area Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Ms. Turner served as the glue that kept the teams and projects moving forward whether they were related to increasing FAFSA completion rates, academic and career planning experiences on UWM and MATC campuses, bringing faculty from all three institutions together for improved instructional alignment, or helping MPS students earn college credits while in high school.
Beyond high school success and college enrollment, Ms. Turner has supported, through the Moon Shot for Equity, improving outcomes for all students within college.
Ms. Vicki Turner truly embodied the GEAR UP mission to impact high school graduation and post-secondary enrolment rates is a community effort that requires engaging students, families, and the institutions that serve them. She has been a friend and a champion to students, families, and staff of Milwaukee Public Schools.
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Fiscal Impact Statement:
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N/A
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Implementation and Assessment Plan
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N/A
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Recommendation:
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N/A
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Approvals:
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Recommended By:
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Signed By:
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Paulette Chambers - Manager, Superintendent's Initiatives - Underfill
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Signed By:
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Keith Posley, Ed.D. - Superintendent
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