Case Study: School Redesign
In 2018 SchoolWorks partnered with the not-for-profit education support agency SchoolSmartKC to support the redesign of DeLaSalle Education Center, the only alternative charter high school in Missouri dedicated to serving students who have fallen behind in their grade level and face overwhelming academic needs and personal challenges.
The Challenge
- Identify and implement a sustainable model for DeLaSalle’s continued operation.
SchoolWorks Approach
- SchoolWorks assigned a dedicated Project Manager and Alternative Education Specialist to execute this scope of work.
- Part 1: Developing the Prosepectus
- The project team began by facilitating a 3-day strategic evaluation of the component parts of the project by hosting meetings, focus groups, and interviews with stakeholder groups (including funders, school leadership and select faculty, students, parents, alumni, authorizers/sponsors, former and current board members, and various community stakeholders).
- The team then led a dedicated planning committee of key stakeholders through the process of developing a comprehensive prospectus and timeline for the redesign and relaunch of DeLaSalle.
- Part 2: Preparing for Launch
- The SchoolWorks Project Manager and Alternative Education Specialist then oversaw the execution of the DeLaSalle relaunch by organizing and facilitating weekly stakeholder meetings, delivering technical contributions, and providing quarterly progress updates to SchoolSmartKC.
- Once a new Executive Director was secured, the SchoolWorks team provided on-site and off-site gradual release support to enable seamless turnover of the launch.
The Results
- The project spaned a period of approximately 14 months from the formalization of the school design and the development of the implementation plan, through the plan execution, and culminating with the re-opening of the school.
- DeLaSalle Education Center was successfully relaunched in the Fall of 2019 under the leadership of a new Executive Director, identified and hired as part of the redesign effort.
