The construction/renovation is done!
We have a few touch-ups to go before Saturday's open house, but today, the last of the furniture was installed. Included in this last furniture order was all of our task chairs. We'd been carrying on with the old ones since these were back-ordered. Now that we have the new chairs (all shiny silver and white!) our offices look finished and pulled together.
Progress is being made on getting everything ready for the dedication/open house on Saturday.
Of course, there's a great deal to go, so back to work for me! (Hopefully, pictures will be forthcoming next week of the open house...)
5.27.2009
5.18.2009
Welcome to Crunch Time
In a few minutes, I'm headed into my weekly Monday morning meeting and then -- then -- once that is over, crunch time begins.
The open house is now in 10 business day (counting today) and there's quite a long list of things that need to be done/completed for that.
Last week, I got the June issue of our donor newsletter sent to our graphic designer (YAY for making self-imposed deadlines). With that out the door, I could erase my dry erase board full of those plans and re-fill it up with a giant open house to-do list. This list has everything on it from "tent delivery" to "name tags" and all sort of things in between.
Granted, not everything on this list is something I have to accomplish. Our Event Planner VISTA is doing a great job of helping to coordinate things and make displays and just think through what all needs to be done and finalized.
Just in case you were wondering, grant applications and other things are still on-going. In fact, we've got another fairly major grant that's due shortly after the open house is over and I've also got a new e-mail blast marketing system to figure out.
To be clear, I'm not whining. I'd rather be busy than bored any day.
The open house is now in 10 business day (counting today) and there's quite a long list of things that need to be done/completed for that.
Last week, I got the June issue of our donor newsletter sent to our graphic designer (YAY for making self-imposed deadlines). With that out the door, I could erase my dry erase board full of those plans and re-fill it up with a giant open house to-do list. This list has everything on it from "tent delivery" to "name tags" and all sort of things in between.
Granted, not everything on this list is something I have to accomplish. Our Event Planner VISTA is doing a great job of helping to coordinate things and make displays and just think through what all needs to be done and finalized.
Just in case you were wondering, grant applications and other things are still on-going. In fact, we've got another fairly major grant that's due shortly after the open house is over and I've also got a new e-mail blast marketing system to figure out.
To be clear, I'm not whining. I'd rather be busy than bored any day.
5.13.2009
There goes the dumpster
Literally.
The big construction dumpster we've had during this whole project is pulling out of our driveway RIGHT NOW.
Apparently, that means they really are close to done.
Looking around, they really are close to done. More of the super cool stuff (pictures to come) has been hung up and I've spent my day working on a display wall.
Open house, t-minus 12 business days. (There's no point counting weekends because I really hope I don't have to work those to finish this off...)
The big construction dumpster we've had during this whole project is pulling out of our driveway RIGHT NOW.
Apparently, that means they really are close to done.
Looking around, they really are close to done. More of the super cool stuff (pictures to come) has been hung up and I've spent my day working on a display wall.
Open house, t-minus 12 business days. (There's no point counting weekends because I really hope I don't have to work those to finish this off...)
5.08.2009
One last bit of sawing
I thought we were mostly done with the drilling and sawing here, but it turns out, they needed to install decorative lights in the bathrooms and wouldn't you know, my office is directly next to the bathrooms...
So, I'm trying to work once more through drilling/sawing. I'm also trying to remember that this project is almost done. More furniture gets installed on Monday. Middle of next week the Commons gets finished. We are really coming down to the end.
Which is good. Considering the open house.
So, I'm trying to work once more through drilling/sawing. I'm also trying to remember that this project is almost done. More furniture gets installed on Monday. Middle of next week the Commons gets finished. We are really coming down to the end.
Which is good. Considering the open house.
5.04.2009
Open House planning and more
The grand re-opening house/dedication of the Starfish building is now in t-minus 19 business days. This suddenly seems like a frighteningly short time to get this all pulled together.
Invitations are at the printer/going out in the mail any time now, plus we've got a gazillion extra to pass out to friends, acquaintances, etc.
In addition to getting people invited, the construction has to get finished (which I really don't have any control over or hand in, obviously) and then the building has to get completely spruced up. I think later this month, we'll all be on big cleaning jags, washing down walls, dusting, vacuuming, etc. to make this place sparkle for the open house. We've also got displays to put together, posters to assemble and the like in all our new areas.
Of course, in the midst of all this, there's the regular work to get done too...
Meanwhile, consider yourself invited to the open house:
12:30-4 p.m., May 30
Starfish Initiative Office
814 N. Delaware St.
Indianapolis IN 46204
Invitations are at the printer/going out in the mail any time now, plus we've got a gazillion extra to pass out to friends, acquaintances, etc.
In addition to getting people invited, the construction has to get finished (which I really don't have any control over or hand in, obviously) and then the building has to get completely spruced up. I think later this month, we'll all be on big cleaning jags, washing down walls, dusting, vacuuming, etc. to make this place sparkle for the open house. We've also got displays to put together, posters to assemble and the like in all our new areas.
Of course, in the midst of all this, there's the regular work to get done too...
Meanwhile, consider yourself invited to the open house:
12:30-4 p.m., May 30
Starfish Initiative Office
814 N. Delaware St.
Indianapolis IN 46204
5.01.2009
Running Silent
Sorry for the lack of blog posts lately.
Work and life have been very busy.
Check for updates maybe next week.
Work and life have been very busy.
Check for updates maybe next week.
4.23.2009
New Data
I discovered today that earlier this month, America's Promise Alliance released their 2009 Crisis in the Cities report, "Closing the Graduation Gap."
Bottom line, it presents bad news for Indianapolis. The Circle City is now 50th out of the 50 largest metropolitan cities in the country, for a graduation rate of 30.5 percent. Last year the report had Indy at 49th of 50 and it's no fun being one of the cities that went down, not up.
The report covers some traditional ground, looking at the disparities between urban and suburban districts, potential earnings of non-high school diploma holders vs. those with more education and rates of poverty for those without a diploma compared to those with or with more education.
I think the conclusion of the report draws some of the strongest attention to what this crisis really means.
Clearly, the parent lived in the first world and too many students in the school district were living in the second world.
I sent the Crisis in Cities report out to my colleagues here at Starfish. It's sobering data, but as I said to them, when you are at the bottom, you can only go up and that's why we're here.
Bottom line, it presents bad news for Indianapolis. The Circle City is now 50th out of the 50 largest metropolitan cities in the country, for a graduation rate of 30.5 percent. Last year the report had Indy at 49th of 50 and it's no fun being one of the cities that went down, not up.
The report covers some traditional ground, looking at the disparities between urban and suburban districts, potential earnings of non-high school diploma holders vs. those with more education and rates of poverty for those without a diploma compared to those with or with more education.
I think the conclusion of the report draws some of the strongest attention to what this crisis really means.
I remember, in my previous time as a reporter, one school board meeting where a parent asked why the socioeconomic level of students in school buildings mattered. At the time, I remember being shocked as I sat there, about the complete lack of understanding this parent had about the challenges faced by those growing up in poverty and how much more it takes from schools and the community to help those children succeed.At no point in our nation's recent history has the economy found itself in such dire straits. And at no point has the critical role of a quality education been more evident. For individuals facing a worsening economy and weakening labor market, a strong education may offer the best protection for weathering the storm. Likewise, it is also clear that the brunt of the crisis will be borne by those with the least education -- those without a high school diploma.
As this report and other research have shown, two very different worlds exist within American public schooling. In one, earning a diploma is the norm, something expected of every student; in the other, it is not. The stakes attached to graduating have never been higher.
Clearly, the parent lived in the first world and too many students in the school district were living in the second world.
I sent the Crisis in Cities report out to my colleagues here at Starfish. It's sobering data, but as I said to them, when you are at the bottom, you can only go up and that's why we're here.
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