Message from the ED: A Month of Transition & Planning

August is when the DC region slows down.  But not totally at AALEAD!  Our staff do get to take a break between summer and school-year programs, but August is also always a busy time with transitions and organization-building activities.

This August, we continued to work on our next 3-year strategic plan for FY15 – FY17.  We will be sharing more on that in the fall once our plan is finalized.

We held our Annual Staff Retreat August 5-7.  We had a very productive retreat with all staff participating in the planning and activities of the retreat.  We had some fun teambuilding, reviewed our previous year, set program goals for next year, and brainstormed around strengthening AALEAD systems for curriculum and achieving our goals.

We wrapped up our retreat with visiting our new DC office!  In September, AALEAD will begin working out of our new office space just 2 blocks from our largest program site.  We are really looking forward to our new, more permanent space!

August is also a time for staff transitions before the school year begins.  Our wonderful MD Programs Manager, Francine Gorres, is moving to New York City after 4 years with AALEAD.  We are sad to see Francine go, but are excited about our new staff member, Ari Pak.  Ari joins us full-time as the MD High School Program Coordinator; she was previously one of our part-time Elementary School program teachers.  Melor Suhaimi has been promoted to the MD Programs Manager position.

We are also launching after-school programs at Annandale High School this September!  Shaima Ahmad, one of our part-time staff for our Elementary School Programs, has joined us full-time as our first ever VA High School Program Coordinator!

Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you enjoy these remaining days of summer!

Surjeet