Project Declaration: Connecting SPA’s Invested Adults

SPA Grandparents on the First Day of School 2015

My Decision
A “wicked hard” problem on my campus that no one really talks about, or works to solve, the is challenge of enabling more than 100 adults connect.  We focus on the students and all know their names, but many of of us do not know the names of the adults sitting next to us at football games, pep rallies, and graduations.

San Pasqual Academy (SPA) is a collaborative campus with adults from multiple agencies working together to raise and educate our youth.  Adults from five agencies support our students:    

• New Alternatives Incorporated
  
• houseparents and lead staff
  
• staff: AM, PM, and overnight
  
• supervisors and managers
  
• cafeteria staff
  
• maintenance staff
  
• health and wellness center staff
  
• SPA Neighbors (grandparents)
  
• San Diego Health and Human Services
  
• child welfares services team (county social workers)
  
• policy analyst
  
• San Diego County Office of Education Juvenile Court and Community Schools
  
• teachers and counselor
  
• office & custodial staff
  
• principal
  
• Youth Empowerment Services Work Readiness
  
• pre-employment training supervisors
• financial literacy teacher
  
• internship coordinator
  
• administrative staff
  
• Friends of San Pasqual
  
• board of directors
  
• development liaison
  
• volunteers
  

Even though we are all working to support the same 85 students, we are never all in the same place at the same time.  We work various shifts and are spread out in different offices, classrooms, houses, barns, etc.  I hate to admit it, but I do not know the names of some of the people who have worked on campus as long as I have--and I am one of the more connected and involved adults on campus!    I am excited to focus my 20time project on attempting to solve this problem.

Today, I met with Tia Moore, SPA campus director, and pitched my idea of figuring out how to connect the staff using social media.  I did not even need to provide details.  She gave me a solid thumbs-up!  

Many times, it feels like my campus is so busy that we spend more time responding to problems than stepping back to proactively identify and solve them.  I am grateful that my 20time project will all of SPA’s invested adults!

My 20Time Proposal
Wicked Question
How can technology help San Pasqual Academy’s invested adults communicate with one another?

Current Problem
We have more than 200 adults working together to support 85 students.  We work for different agencies, work in different buildings, and work different shifts.  Many of us do not even know each other’s names and are unable to identify which adults are connected to individual students.

Inquiry Questions

• Is there an app or social media platform that I can use to streamline communication?
  
• Does this idea comply with current confidentiality policies?
  
• How will I reach all of the adults?  Does a comprehensive staff (invested adult) database even exist?
  
• Who are my allies?
  
• Should I have a point person from each partner agency?
  
• How will I convince adults such a wide variety of adults that this is necessary?
  
• Will adults be willing to share contact information and profile photos?
  
• How will I update and moderate the sharing platform?  Will need to moderate?
  
• What do I do about adults--or groups of adults--who do not want to participate?
  
• Should I conduct workshops? Where?
  
• How will I address staff who do not have a smartphone or are unwilling to participate?
  

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You may view my initial 20time post here. 
"Considering Attempting to Solve "Wicked Problems" on my Campus