PARTNER MENTORING

In summer 2008, the Atlanta Education Fund (AEF) recognized a need for project management and professional development opportunities for student support providers and educational professionals throughout the school district. Working through General Electric (GE) vice chairman and AEF board member John Rice, the AEF and a core team of 4 GE volunteers explored what resources could be offered. AEF staff and the GE volunteers, comprised of members of the GE African American Forum (GE AAF) developed a project management training program, modeled after GE best practices and training materials. The initial group of trainees included members of the AEF College Success Network, who welcomed the opportunity to work with program management professionals in an effort to make their own work more efficient and thereby more successful.

After this initial training, the interest was so great from Atlanta Public Schools (APS) executives at the Center for Leadership and Learning, that a second project management training was held specifically for APS staff.  After the training sessions, participants responded that in order to receive the full benefit of the project management methodology, a mentorship component would be very helpful.  With this feedback, AEF worked with GE and the APS Strategic and Development Division and conducted a 5 mentee/mentor pilot in 2009.  After assessing the pilot program, a formal, structured program was developed for Cohort 2 with the intention of creating material that could be used to replicate this mentorship program with other business partners. 

2011

The program was expanded to include 16 mentees and 16 mentors.  Mentees include district staff working on critical areas like Math & Science, IT, After School Programming, and High School Transformation.  We are also seeking an additional business partner to meet the growing interest from APS leadership and College Success Network members (Essential 2 Life, Project GRAD Atlanta, and NBMBA).  We feel this is a great example of how with a little hard work, and great volunteers from our business partners, we can provide training and development to further student achievement at no cost to the district.  Further, this program provides a value-add of professional development to CLL managers which supports retention during these challenging times.

2012

Planning has begun for 2012 with an emphasis on building upon the capacity building efforts of the program to date and applying knowledge obtain to enhance and improve targeted program effectiveness, efficiency, and success. Mentors and mentees will work on specific projects within APS that will have subjective and objective outcomes measures.