In 2017, Alex Chough, April Bell, and I, along with the rest of the NCCEP team, spent hours (and hours ... and hours) researching options to create an online community for GEAR UP programs across the country. Once we found this platform, we spent hours (and hours ... and hours) in collaboration with the team to build something that had areas to discuss common challenges and share resources. The Quad continues to grow and evolve with the community, including an updated "News" page for everyone and evolving discussion boards for NCCEP members with a login. 

Summer Steele, CSUSB GEAR UP director said about the Quad: "The Quad is an excellent tool to stay connected to GEAR UP at the National, state and local level. It is a fantastic place to collaborate, share resources, and keep up to date with important news. "

Check out the info below to find out how you can also make the most of your experience on the Quad!

So, you do not have a Quad login, but want to stay up-to-date?

The Quad has one public page that is available for anyone to view: NCCEP News. This page has three content areas:

1. Announcements - opportunities to learn, grow, and sustain our GEAR UP movement 
2. Blog - connects and highlights what's happening in the GEAR UP community
3. News - from across the country, articles about what's happening on the ground in GEAR UP

While you can't like or comment without a login, you can read about what's happening in the community and keep up with the latest news. If you want more information form NCCEP or want to learn how to gain access to the full Quad, contact us.

So, you have a login, but aren't sure what to do next?

Logging into the Quad for the first (or second, or third...) time might have felt like stepping into a new restaurant. You're not sure what to do first, you have no idea what's on the menu, and you're a little unsure about what's good. Like a good server, we here at NCCEP are ready to get you setup, walk you through the menu, and make recommendations.

Here's what you should do first:

1. Set up your profile - let people know who you are, where you're from, and what you're all about
2. Find content you're interested in - we recommend checking out the "News" and "Discussions" pages first
3. Follow the content you like - simply click the notification bell and select how often you want notifications about new posts
4. Like / comment / post - take a few minutes to engage with the community

As you click around and explore the Quad, feel free to reach out to anyone from the NCCEP team to ask questions or get recommendations. We hope to build a community that learns and grow together in this space, supporting our ability to serve students, families, and communities.

We look forward to growing with you.