With the start of the new year, we would like to share with you some changes at Eastside Pathways. We are delighted to introduce Jed Walsh, our new AmeriCorps VISTA. He will be starting a one-year commitment on Feb. 17 and will be working to build capacity for the Eastside Pathways partnership to enable systematic collaboration among organizations.
Jed will be joining the Eastside Pathways backbone staff at our new office at Overlake Medical Pavilion building. Thank you Overlake Medical Center for your extreme generosity in donating space for the backbone staff to use as an office! We are so excited to have an office and would love partners to come visit us.
In addition to Overlake, we are thrilled to welcome BKPlay Academy as a new partner. BKPlay Academy’s mission is to improve the quality of education for gifted students, from preschool through fifth grade. They are committed to creating value for gifted students and their families in the Seattle area.
We would like to introduce Lisa Hart, a former Bellevue School District teacher who will be the facilitator for our new Transitions collaborative. The collaborative will fall under the College and Career Readiness Initiative (the group formerly known as “4th Plus”), which will be focused on improving opportunities for youth from 4th grade to age 26. The Initiative will also have another collaborative called Career Pathways which will work to ensure that all students have the awareness and preparation to access high-wage, high-demand career opportunities.
We would like to recognize Jennifer Karls, who is the president of Bellevue PTSA Council and vice president of the Bellevue Special Needs PTA. She will be leading the work for the newly combined Mental and Physical Health and Safety/Social-Emotional Learning collaborative. (We know it’s a mouthful; name change is pending.)
We would like to thank Jennifer Skogen, facilitator for the Attendance collaborative, who is leaving in March on maternity leave. Congratulations to Jennifer and her husband, Kevin, as they await the arrival of baby #2.
We would also like to announce that Charlotte Anthony, communications and administrative associate for Eastside Pathways, has accepted a new position in Texas and will be starting Feb. 2. She will be dearly missed.
Lastly, we want to recognize and thank Daniel Vasen for serving as an Eastside Pathways board member since January 2013. He has been an invaluable member of our team and we are so grateful for his contributions.