Standard VI

External Development Leadership

Design structures and processes that result in community engagement, support, and ownership. Schools no longer reflect but in fact BUILD community.

The Value of Feedback & Input

School stakeholders are valued at EGES. Engagement and discussion is welcomed at school improvement meetings, Pancakes with the Principal Sessions, and Coffee & Conversation sessions. These formal sessions allow for parents to view data, ask questions, and give feedback that in turn is used to guide the work of school to better meet the needs of the greater school community.

Coffee and Conversation Sessions

Although our Pancakes with the Principal sessions were put on hold, Dr. Graf adapted our valuable Coffee and Conversation sessions to meet the ever challenging times of 2020 and 2021. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Graf engaged our parents virtually though Google Meet. Conversations and dialogue between critical stakeholders for the school was just a click away! These sessions are held once a month. Topics vary based on the needs of the school and parent input.

Problem Solving Through the Use of Improvement Science with Parents and Community Stakeholders

Engaging parents and community members to identify challenges in learning at EGES result in a comprehensive perspective of need and potential solutions. Parents and community members gave input on attendance data shared at a Pancakes with the Principal Session in August of 2019. The result was a driver diagram that has used to further discussion, identify potential resources, and guide future work of school administration.

Parent Input in a Variety of Ways

Dr. Graf promotes parents as primary partners in education and in our school, thus the need for consistent parent input--what are we doing right, what can we do better? These are the questions that we pose to our parents as stakeholders in our school and their children's education. EGES staff send out Parent Surveys via Google, hard copies for those that need it, and the data is shared with teachers and parents. The data drives our parent engagement topcis, meeting times, and allows for deeper dialogue ensuring that our parent voices and needs are every present in the work of our school.

EGES Family Resource Guide.docx

Out of Needs Come Solutions

From parent input and a desire to support parents the East Garner Elementary School Family Resource Guide was created by the Support Services Department. This guide allows for parents to find answers to questions and have potential resources for further support. The Resource Guide is one of many examples that demonstrate how Administration and school staff listen and support the needs of the families and students at EGES.

Develop and Sustain Partnerships

Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education

Our longest and most prominent partnership was established in 2016-2017 with the Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education. This partnership has produced a plethora of resources to support the students, families, and staff at EGES. Nutrition lessons and healthy lifestyle choices are taught in conjunction with Poe. Representatives from Poe and Principal Graf have co-wrote grants for the school gardens, instructional supplies, and SEL materials totaling over $9000.00 in the past two years.

Meredith College

Student interns are on campus! This group of up-and-coming graduates work with small groups of students focusing on English language development. We are honored to partner with Meredith College to have interns on campus and in classrooms supporting our learning goals for students.

Additionally, Dr.Graf has supported new graduates of the education program by participating in a Principal Panel speaking on topics such as being prepared for your first classroom, the teaching profession in general, strong classroom management, and best instructional practices.

Garner PAALS

Garner Police Athletic Activities League

Our partnership is in Year 4! Several Garner PD Officers mentor a small group of students. They meet weekly, review lessons, discuss goals, and offer support and guidance to students as they prepare to enter middle school.

Local Organizations & Groups

TAMAM- Purchased school supplies for ALL EGES student in the 2018-19 school year!

C3 Chruch- Treated teachers to a fully stock staff lounge when they returned back from summer break.

HOPE Church- Support 28 backpack buddies weekly.

Spring Field Baptist Church- Sponsored multiple families for holiday gifts and provided Thanksgiving meals to multiple school families.

Holland's Methodist Church of Garner Women's Group sponsored families with gift cards to Food Lion for the holidays.

Novo Nordisk of Clayton spent 9/11 creating a school garden and stone pathway complete with 17 stained garden boxes.

Wilde Farms Nursery of Garner has donated over 2,000 plants for the school grounds and community beautification days.

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