Program Management

Hawk Hub: A Case Study

From conceptualization and design, through implementation and maintenance.

Context

In late August 2020, our school district announced the academic year would begin and operate remotely for an unspecified duration. With only a few weeks before the first day of school, my colleagues and I began preparing for an entirely new challenge: a 100% virtual school year.

Immediately, we identified a clear need for consistent communication with the approximately 1,000 families in our learning community: the success of remote adaptations to grading procedures, live instruction, and student services were dependent on transparent and reliable connections between educators and families.

My team united under the shared purpose of designing a system that could meet this critical communication need in a sustainable, reliable way, within a very urgent timeframe.

Task Flow

Stakeholder and Data Driven Design

My team and I gathered stakeholder input through surveys, listening sessions, and design collaboration, to ensure that Hawk Hub was catered to accomodate both the emerging needs of families and the taskload capacities of educators.

Each staff member was given a manageable caseload of about 8 families to connect with twice a month, as their Hawk Hub Advocate. These biweekly communications were guided and supported by a living staff-facing resource I designed, constructed, and regularly updated to meet the evolving demands of a turbulent school year.

Hawk Hub Staff Tool (All Grades)REDACTED.pdf

An Inclusive, Community-Focused Launch

My team and I facilitated a multi-phase launch of Hawk Hub to our staff and families:

Phase 1: Composition and distribution of a community-wide email introduction of concept (the What) and purpose (the Why).

Phase 2: Distribution of staff-facing guides and materials detailing system and procedures (the How), followed by a live, virtual staff training which concluded in a Q&A session. Staff were also provided a digital "parking lot" space for asynchronous feedback, questions, and trouble-shooting.

Phase 3: Hawk Hub Advocates (trained staff) made initial contact with their assigned families to introduce themselves, assess existing needs, provide appropriate and targeted support, and establish a warm, intentional connection.

HHlaunch.pdf

Sustaining Hawk Hub

Change was the defining constant of the 2020-21 school year: to keep Hawk Hub thriving and relevant, I worked with learning community leaders to anticipate new challenges and adapt to new circumstances. Through responsive revision of tools, scripts, and resources, Hawk Hub continued fostering productive and meaningful communication between educators and families, and kept our community united in collaboration, transparency, and care across a digital divide.

Small screenshot of a provider feedback survey called a Temperature Check

Provider Supports

  • Biweekly "Temperature Checks" for staff feedback

  • Script revisions and updates

A small screenshot of a user needs assessment referred to as a Family Needs Support Survey

User Supports

  • QRDs for accessing digital tools

  • Biweekly distribution of Needs Support Survey

Profound, Humanizing Outcomes

A large graphic, bordered on the right by a photo of sun shining down through a tree canopy, and some text and quotes on the left. The first section of text reads: "Over 900 families heard, seen, and served. Hundreds of WiFi hubs delivered. Dozens of IT requests translated. Thousands of meal pick-ups coordinated." Quote 1 reads: "These check-ins have meant so much to our family during all this confusion and isolation. Thank you." Quote 2 reads: "We appreciate all you are doing to help everyone feel a little less alone." Quote 3 read: "This made all the difference to a first-time middle schooler and her tech-phobic parents."