Establishing a presence in the community is critical to the success of a career academy. This involves more than just asking local companies for internships - it's about ensuring the sustainability and reputation of the academy. Directors should consider how they currently build relationships and expand their efforts, such as serving on workforce boards, entering students in contests, and being knowledgeable on academy issues to act as an expert for the school district. NAF can assist career academy directors by providing strategies to effectively build their academy's brand and relationships within the local community.

1. BUILDING RELATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY or BUILDING
A PRESENCE or ENSURING STAKEHOLDERS KNOW YOUR
ACADEMY or BEING POLITICAL
Whatever you call it, establishing a presence in the community is critical to the success of
your academy. As the academy director and/or principal, consider how you currently
approach this and how you could expand what you do. This is much deeper than asking
companies for internships in the summer. It’s about the sustainability of your academy; its
about building your “brand.” It’s about making sure that people know what the academy is
and know that you REPRESENT the academy.
A. Begin listing the strategies you use or could use to build relationships in the community:
Strategy Leadership qualities you need
1. Serving on the Workforce Investment Board Willingness to serve on a board; speak out when
appropriate
2. Making sure students enter industry contests Organized; awareness of contests
3. Being the school district’s go to person on Up to date on state and national issues around
career academy and smaller learning career academies and smaller learning
community issues communities
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B. How can NAF assist you with this: