Last month, you might recall that we launched a new blog series featuring seasoned GEAR UP practitioners (click here to read the kick-off interview with Teena O.). This month, we are excited to share an interview with the one and only Lois Bramwell‍. 

Admittedly, when the idea was shared with the NCCEP team, I was not surprised by the number of times that Lois Bramwell’s name came up. What can I tell you about one of my favorite GEAR UP champions? Lois is fierce. She is committed to her students…

Meteorologists are forecasting snow. Yes, you read that right. Some regions of the US are expecting snow—in Spring! While reading this, you may feel a strong desire to check weather.com. That’s ok. You’re doing something that we all do, you are consulting experts.

Looking to the experts is a skill that we develop almost out of instinct. We instinctively look for help, direction, solutions, and suggestions. It is what families do as they help students with schoolwork, it is what I do when I…

When we first started seeing stay-at-home orders, school closures, and then school closures for the rest of the year, we all went through a roller coaster of emotions.

            What does this mean for us?

            What does this mean for our work?

            And ultimately, what does this mean for our students and families?

There were many things we suddenly had to navigate all at once:

• How do we stay safe?
• How do we stay healthy?
• How do we change how we work?
• How are our students…

Searching ‘conference call etiquette,’ using Google yields 8,640,000 results. There are a lot of opinions about etiquette and conference calls! If you are working from home, video conference calls have taken the place of meetings – whether you like them or hate them, they have truly become part of the routine.

The staff at NCCEP passed around this video, which is a goofy take on conference calls, but certainly hits close to home in the accuracy of the experience. In the Washington DC area, we…

You may have read in today’s Digest or on the NCCEP website that the NCCEP Board of Directors unanimously voted to cancel the 2020 NCCEP/GEAR UP Annual Conference, scheduled for July 19-22, 2020 in Washington, D.C.  

Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a decision that all of us at NCCEP strongly support, but we are still all disappointed. We spent the past year organizing an amazing program that drew upon the expertise, wisdom, and generosity of the GEAR UP community. Above all, we will…