Global Institute for Building Better Schools

 Implementing the GIBBS Fellowship Program
 for Studies in America

Under the oversight of the ICHEP Board of Trustees—and a GIBBS International Advisory Council—the following Plan-of-Work will be pursued for GIBBS to implement its first and primary component, the GIBBS Fellowship Program for Studies in America:

• Establish a GIBBS International Advisory Council.

• Pursue funding from private donors to underwrite the first three-years of the GIBBS Fellowship Program for Studies in America. The noble goal of this effort is to cultivate the philanthropic spirit and capacities that many individuals from all walks of life possess—and can utilize generously—to help transform the lives, schools, and communities of less fortunate individuals throughout the world.

• Recruit three to five GIBBS fellows per year, for three years, who are outstanding teachers or leaders of some of the impoverished, but promising, primary and secondary schools around the world.

• Conduct a thorough assessment of the professional development needs and interests of the individuals selected to be the first-ever GIBBS Fellows.

• Create a professional DVD presentation for each GIBBS Fellow, which provides: (a) an overview of personal history and achievements; (b) a profile of the unique aspects of their native country, including its system of primary and secondary education; (c) a brief description of the mission, characteristics, goals, and needs of the school they serve and want to strengthen; and (d) a summary listing of specific professional knowledge, information, experience, skills, tools, and personal and professional networks they want and need to acquire as a GIBBS Fellowship.

• Recruit selected American schools, collegiate institutions, community organizations, both active and retired school leaders and teachers, and accomplished volunteers to collaborate with GIBBS in providing its Fellows the individually tailored education and training, knowledge and information, experience, and skills which they need and want to help transform their schools and communities. These collaborating organizations and individuals will enable the GIBBS Fellows to: (a) become personally acquainted with several optimal educational environments—and their innovative pedagogical and curricular models; (b) shadow and study good school teachers and leaders; (c) master the U.S. grant-writing processes and other fundraising strategies used in education; and (d) learn the art and purpose of establishing effective school-community alliances.

• Acquire executives-on-loan from the federal government and the corporate sector to serve as mentors, tutors, and instructors with the GIBBS Fellowship Program for Studies in America.

• Cultivate the philanthropic spirit in Americans by securing a host family for each GIBBS Fellow, ideally providing the Fellow lodging and meals at no cost and a warm

• Develop an individually customized professional development program for each GIBBS Fellow, with commitments from all collaborating organizations and individuals regarding their specific contributions to the education and training program of one or more Fellows.

• Pursue contributions from the corporate and government sectors—and selected philanthropic foundations—to help support GIBBS' long-term infrastructure development; to build and strengthen its human, technical, and other institutional capacities; and ultimately to sustain its unique mission, work, and contributions over the long term.