Room: D135-136

Audience: Educators

Call to Action: As bond-funded initiatives face uncertainty, we need innovative solutions. Let’s collaborate with stakeholders, community leaders, and legislators to explore nontraditional funding avenues. Together, we can make a lasting impact on our communities.

Abstract: This presentation will highlight two distinct projects. The first project involves establishing a Student Health Center for Gresham Barlow School District (GBSD), in Oregon. By partnering with Wallace Medical Concern as the medical provider and Oregon School-Based Health Alliance (OSBHA), GBSD gained community and board support to complete a new health center. The second project focuses on creating the Natural Resources Learning Center in Washington State. The Center is a careers-focused partnership between Kalama School District, Cascadia Technical Academy, and RSG Forest Products. Notably, both initiatives are funded through nontraditional means, relying on grants and legislative funding instead of the conventional bond approach. The success of these endeavors owes much to the exceptional leadership demonstrated by educators and administrators, who have effectively leveraged strategic partnerships. The panelists will engage in a conversation about:

1. Better defining project needs through stakeholder engagement;
2. Establishment of partnerships to address broader community needs;
3. Strategic identification of nontraditional funding sources; and
4. Creating communication strategies to create support for the project as a much-needed community asset.

Moderators:

Amy Vohs, AIA, ALEP Principal, SAJ Architecture
Jonah Jensen, AIA, LEED AP, Principal, SAJ Architecture

Panelists:

Gresham-Barlow School District Student Health Center
Carla Gay, Executive Director, Innovation and Partnership, Gresham-Barlow School District
Lisa Cline, MPH, Chief Executive Officer, Wallace – a Community Health Center
Kalama School District Natural Resources Learning Center
Cory Torppa, CTE Director, Kalama School District
Joan Huston, Director, Cascadia Technical Academy

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify project needs through a comprehensive engagement process.
2. Establish community partnerships to better address needs.
3. Find non-traditional funding sources to support projects.
4. Develop effective communication strategies to gain buy-in from the community, stakeholders, and legislators.