Dear HOME WORKS! family and friends,
In response to the enormous need for school-home connection in low-performing schools, and for parents of struggling students to be engaged in their children’s education, I founded HOME WORKS! The Teacher Home Visit Program. That was 14 years ago, and now it’s (past) time to turn HOME WORKS! over to new leadership. I’m thrilled to announce that Colleen Polak, our current Director of Program Operations, will be the next CEO on July 1.
Colleen brings a passion for the work of engaging parents and teachers, and has a bold vision for our future. She has been overseeing our work in the schools and has played a critical role in building an even stronger relationship between HW! and our schools. I will remain with HW! as the Director of Philanthropic Partnerships until we find a new person to raise the financial support that Colleen needs to fulfill the vision and mission of HOME WORKS!. After that I will be Chief of GSD – Get “Stuff ” Done!
I’m proud of having started HOME WORKS!. We need ALL our children to come to school ready to learn, stay on or above grade level, graduate and go on to college or some other post-secondary institution and graduate from there ready for a job or a career or more education. And it starts at home. It’s about school and home working together. We are so lucky that you share this vision and have partnered with us to make it happen. I’m proud that HW! is in a strong position to go even further.
Because of you, our board, staff, and donors, we have trained and paid hundreds of teachers who have made tens of thousands of home visits in 116 schools since we began. Our work is more important than ever. So many problems in our schools and communities would be solved if moms, dads, grandparents, and teachers were on the same page and could learn from each other.Families can’t do this work alone, and neither can teachers. They need each other to help our students succeed in school and in life.
I know Colleen will continue HW!’s reputation for excellence and innovation in parent teacher relationships. Please join me in congratulating Colleen and in welcoming her as HW!’s next CEO.
Sincerely
Karen Kalish