26 Feb What’s Next? Our Work Plan and Timeline to Opening Day

Want to know what’s on the horizon for Tiny Trees? What projects we are working on? Check out our work plan for the next two years as we build the foundation for a successful launch of six Seattle preschools in the fall of 2016.

Timeline and Work Plan for Tiny Trees Preschool
Milestones on the path to opening day.

Quarters 1 & 2 of 2015:

• Begin fundraising campaign with a goal of $250,000 to be raised in 2015.
• Recruit founding board members with a focus on building an effective fundraising board.
• Recruit a taskforce of inter-culturally fluent volunteers for community organizing w/ families.
• Create a partnership agreement with Seattle Parks and Recreation to operate in 2016.
• Create a partnership with a child care provider to have them provide indoor before and after care in neighborhoods with demand for all-day care.
• Begin licensing process with WA State and work on our educational design to meet the City of Seattle’s Preschool Program requirements (RFP announced in April).
• Complete IRS 501c3 application and build organizational systems including bookkeeping, IT & HR.
• Goal of 300 families enrolled online by June, 2015.

Quarters 3 & 4 of 2015

• Recruit & hire an operations director with expertise in early learning, staff training & quality control.
• Meet with neighborhood and “friends of” groups for each potential park preschool. Scout and map sites.
• Complete licensing requirements for potential schools.
• Convene a taskforce with a mandate to adapt the required City curriculum (High Scope) to an outdoor delivery.
• Research the Early Achievers evaluation system and Teaching Strategies Gold (City Requirements) and plan on how to implement it.
• Build administrative systems: liability insurance, intake and registration and online payments.
• Find a university training partner for placement of ECE degree interns at Tiny Trees Preschool sites.
• Announce which schools/parks will be opening. Give enrolled families 30 days to pay a deposit.
• Have a tabled fundraising event and complete the $250,000 year end goal.

Quarters 1 & 2 of 2016

• Begin fundraising campaign with a goal of $250,000 to be raised in 2016.
• Add East and South King County cities to the website so families can enroll for a 2017 potential launch and begin negotiations with city governments on a partnership agreement.
• Outreach to key demographics including low income families for schools opening in September, 2016.
• Begin recruiting and hiring potential preschool teachers for a late July start. Focus on teachers with a strong background in early childhood education who meet the City of Seattle’s quality standards.
• Goal of 100% enrollment for all sites by April, 2016.
• Clear plan for teacher training and supervision, early achievers evaluation & licensing requirements.
• Hire a volunteer coordinator, design volunteer system and recruit volunteers for each school.
• Hire a family engagement coordinator, design home visit and parent/teacher conference system.

Quarters 3 & 4 of 2016

• Hire 14-16 preschool teachers that meet the city’s degree requirements and licensing standards.
• Train teachers in the outdoor delivery of the City’s required curriculum and systems for evaluation.
• Schools open on Tuesday, September 6^th, 2016 at six locations in Seattle.
• Press release on success and expansion to E & S King County. Announce 2017 selected sites.
• Have a tabled fundraising event and complete the $250,000 year end goal.
• Celebrate!

Questions? Comments? Know someone who can help with one of the actions above? Contact me at andrew@tinytrees.org

By Andrew A. Jay