TOP_AnnualReport_1-28_2014

TOP | ANNUAL REPORT 2014 + OUTLOOK 2015 | 1

TOP TRANSATLANTICOUTREACH PROGRAMTOP TRANSATLANTIC

OUTREACH PROGRAM

The Transatlantic Outreach Program is a Public/Private Partnership

ANNUAL REPORT 2014 + OUTLOOK 2015

E D U CAT I O N . D I A LO G U E . E X P E R I E N C E .

TOP | ANNUAL REPORT 2014 + OUTLOOK 2015 | 2 TOP | ANNUAL REPORT 2014 + OUTLOOK 2015 | 3

TOP TRANSATLANTICOUTREACH PROGRAM

The Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP) - a non-profit, public/private partnership - seeks to communicate a contemporary and compre-hensive image of present-day Germany to the North American social studies educator com-munity, to include key decision-makers, profes-

sors, authors, teachers and students, via the program’s core offerings: teaching materials, teacher-training workshops, study tours to Germany, and alumni outreach.

Press Release

Introduction

Mission Statement

In an exemplary move of public-private partnership...the “Transatlantic Outreach Program” (TOP) reaches out to studies teach-ers active in America, providing up-to-date information on Germany and offering a selected number of teachers the opportunity to gain a first-hand impression of Germany through visits to the country.

“This is a great example of how the German business community can work together with government and NGOs in order to promote better understanding and dialogue between North America and Germany.”

Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger

Through the following information, photos and statements, we are excited to share with you all that TOP does during the year to educate about modern Germany, to promote intercultural dialogue, and to support social studies educators throughout the United States and Canada.

The year began with the authorship of a Vision, Strategy and Structure frame-work for the program until 2017. We are pleased to announce that the achieve-ments for 2014 as documented in this report are a successful first step towards fulfilling this vision for the future. Specific highlights include the publication of a new Toolkit for professional development workshop leaders

as well as the publication of new PR video. TOP supported over 300 profession-al development workshops in 2014, a 24% increase over the previous year. TOP

sent 101 educators to Germany in the summer of 2014. These study tour groups were succeeded by a VIP study tour in October during which high-level decision-

makers were exposed to the details of Germany’s vocational education training system. The number of TOP Fellow Alumni has now surpassed the 1,100 mark. And coinciding with the departure of Klaus Brodersen in July, Jenny Windell joined Wood Powell and Sarah Yabroff as the newest local staff member of the TOP Team. Before joining TOP, Jenny was the Special Assistant to the Senior Vice President and General Counsel at the George Washington University.

We wish to extend a special thanks to Klaus Brodersen. Klaus now serves as the Di-rector of Language Programs for the Southwestern Region of Europe at the Goethe-Institut in Brussels. We thank Klaus for his five all-too-quick years of leadership and passion for TOP and we wish him and his family much success in Brussels.

Finally, we would like to add our thanks for the financial support, guidance, and con-tributions of the TOP partners. More specifically, we thank Ms. Edith Pürschel and Mr. Gary Hattem and their respective Deutsche Bank teams in Frankfurt/Main, Berlin and New York City. We thank Mr. Christian Hänel and his Robert Bosch Stiftung colleagues in Stuttgart. We thank Mr. David Etzwiler and his Siemens colleagues in Washington D.C. and Erlangen. We thank Dr. Bertram von Moltke, Mr. Timo Goosmann and Mr. Heinz Wirth at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. Finally, we welcome Ambassador Peter Wittig and Mr. Jan Patrick Eckendorf to the German Embassy Washington and thank Mr. Carsten Rüpke for his continued support. We thank all of the TOP part-ners for their leadership and critical feedback and for taking the time to open their respective places of business to host our summer and VIP study tour groups.

The TOP Team 23 January 2015



The Case for Social StudiesThe social studies classroom invites the opportunity to introduce modern Germany topics at all grade levels. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the ratio of high school social studies to Ger-man language educators is approximately 33:1 in high school grades (9-12) alone, not to mention elementary and middle school classrooms.

Education and Certification Qualifications of Departmentalized Public High School-Level Teachers of Core Subjects:Evidence from the 2003–04 Schools and Staffing Survey (National Center for Education Statistics, August 2008, http://nces.ed.gov/)

The 2014 Study Tour Participant Profile

Female: 60%

Male: 40%

German is offered as a foreign language at their school: 28%

Germany is not offered as a foreign language at their school: 72%

City: 37%

Suburb: 32%

Rural: 21%

Small Town: 10%

High School Teachers: 50%

Middle School Teachers: 18%

Elementary School Teachers: 8%

VIP Guests: 9%

University Social Studies Professors: 9%

Curriculum Specialists: 4%

School Administrators/Principals: 2%

Top Highlights 2014

l Study Tour Participants: 101

l VIP Tour Participants: 12

l Standard Workshops

Supported: 270 (Goal: 275)

l Trainer (TNTS) Workshops

Supported: 37 (Goal: 21)

l Total Workshop Attendees:

3,684 (Goal: 3,300)

l Published: TOP Vision

Statement 2014-2017

l Published: TOP Toolkit for

Professional Development

l Published: Fall ‘Modern

Germany Update’ newsletter

l Published: TOP ‘PR Video’

(short and long versions)

l TOP in the classroom:

Initial results from Lesson

Plan Evaluations

l TOP continues to reach more

educators within a stable

budget



Classroom Materials: Authorship & Production

Ideas for 2015

l 7.3% of Operating Budget

l Budget emphasis on pedagogical authorship and digital content creation

l TOP lacks an offering for Social Studies Theme 8: Science, Technology & Society

l TOP lacks an offering for the new ‘C3’ Social Studies Framework for Career & Civic Life

l Theme 8 and C3 have cross-curricular potential with STEM subjects

l TOP can be a ‘bridge’ to common needs from both VIPs and social studies educators

l TOP VIPs express a need for the ‘career & technical education’ message to be voiced in middle- and high-school classrooms l TOP can leverage a database of over 14,000 unique school addresses & access to VIPs

l Potential to use social studies / modern Germany as ‘narrative hook’ to establish context to – and debate about - subjects such as vocational education training / career & technical education and environmental issues l TOP can promote knowledge, skills and abilities of high school pupils to strengthen academic and workplace competence

l Broadens appeal of TOP social studies offerings

l Broadens appeal of Germany in STEM classrooms

In-Depth Highlight 2014

l TOP instructional manuals reach an average classroom size of 25 pupils

l Feedback from classroom educators has been positive (refer to commentary on next page)

l Higher than anticipated demand for new (2013) instruc-tional manuals

l Germany In Focus (for high school classrooms) 5K QTY stock-out within 6 months

l Higher reliance on digital distribution channels / online product offerings

l Published the TOP Toolkit for Professional Development: instructs new – and experi-enced – workshop leaders on how to lead grassroots work-shops with TOP materials

l Instructional manuals, Let’s Explore Modern Germany & Germany In Focus, edited and updated

Budget Snapshot As % of Operating Budget

l 2014: Orange + Redl 2015: Orange

Budget Trends (2007-2015)As % of Operating Budget

l Trend_materials

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Sample Teacher Reaction to Specific Lessons

Germany in Focus Lesson 2.1: Immigration and Demographic Diversity

- The lesson did a very good job at look-

ing at different requirements for citizen-

ship, immigration waves, and impact of

new immigrants into another country.

Students were actively engaged through the entire lesson. They were able to find similarities and differences between citi-zenship in the U.S. and Germany, immi-gration patterns, and were able express their opinions on whether or not Ger-many had become an immigrant nation for Turkish-Germans. I feel the handouts

had plenty of information and were for-

matted properly so students would not

be intimidated by them or get bored by

them easily. The teacher background in-

formation did a really good job of giving

me the necessary foundation to imple-

ment the lesson. - Joseph Bara, A.P. Human Geography, Fayetteville, GA

Germany in Focus Lesson 1.1: Geography of Germany

- This lesson enhanced my existing cur-riculum as we were beginning to discuss the Berlin Wall and I thought that some background knowledge of German geog-raphy would help students to place the wall in context. We also were fortunate

enough to have a German exchange stu-

dent who shared with his classmates.

The handouts on the resource disc are

wonderful - we explored the handouts

as a class using the Smartboard and a

whole class discussion format. Students

were very engaged and seemed to enjoy

completing the map activities. They re-

ally liked being able to ask our exchange

student questions as we worked. The

summary in the teacher background was

a great place to start for one who has

not really ever looked at the geography

of Germany before. – Elizabeth LeBrun, World History and U.S. History, Poultney, VT

Germany in Focus Lesson 6.1: Transitioning from a Command to a Market Economy

– We study Europe right after Russia, so I

use Germany as a segue to Europe. This lesson was a good way to show the re-sults of the end of the Cold War and to contrast economic systems. I also tied it to challenges related to possible Korean reunification. The DBQ paper effectively showed concepts and engaged students. I loaded it onto my Android Tablets so students could analyze the graphics in color. I let them work in pairs on [their]

tablets to work on the DBQ document

questions and they stayed pretty focused. – Janet Hall, 7th Grade Geography, Bethany, OK

Let’s Explore Modern Germany Lesson 2.2: Let’s Eat!

- Living in the Southern California Des-ert, it is hot, and we focus on indoor ac-tivities related to PE and Health. I have taught out of a USDA program about eating right, but it never took a global perspective of diets. This enhanced that program, and I will be using it again and again. I felt that the students were able

to stay engaged because the PowerPoint

became interactive by using the Tally

chart and the rest of the project was

hands on activities. The PowerPoint was

great, and it was a wonderful idea to use

the tally chart, so students were really

looking at the photos on the presenta-

tion. The “extensions” activities were

great for getting conversations going

about all things related to eating. I was

impressed with some of the responses

to the focus questions. They put thought

in their answers and used what they

learned. – Brian Phillips, 6th Grade Self-Contained, Holtville, CA

Germany in Focus Lesson 3.3: Schwarzfahrer - A Case Study of Human Rights

- In all of my classes, I focus on human

rights (whether throughout world his-

tory or within a specific event). This was an amazing provided lesson that cor-responded with my existing curriculum, but also presented discrimination and prejudice in a different perspective than normally taught. The focus question helped move the class discussion. The questions provided within the lesson got students to apply the lesson to their own lives. – Scott Thunstrom, 9th-12th Grade World History and Holocaust and Human Rights, Idaho Falls, ID

Germany in Focus Lesson 1.3: Germany – A Member of the Euro-pean Union

– This lesson assisted with a teachable

moment in Civics involving the vote for

Scottish Independence. On the day of

the vote, 9/18, we looked at the major

implications of the referendum, includ-

ing joining the European Union. We ex-amined the qualifications and process for Scotland to join Germany and other countries in the EU [using the] hand-out on the Copenhagen Criteria and the Treaty of Lisbon. The students loved the discussion questions and looking at the bigger picture of the future of the Euro-pean Union. While the focus questions

were more intended to inform students

of how the E.U. works, we were able to

take the information to the next step by

using current examples in the news. – Christian Spence, 11th and 12th Civics, Greensboro, NC



Public Relations & Alumni Outreach, Tracking & EngagementIn-Depth Highlight 2014

l TOP Fellow Alumni network increased to 1,180

l Celebrated the 10th Annual ‘TOP Fellow the Year Award’ re-ception at the annual National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) conference in Boston; over 200 TOP Fellow Alumni attended

l The 2014 ‘TOP Fellow of the Year’ was awarded to Constance Manter from East Boothbay, Maine

l Finished Short & Long versions of the TOP PR Video

l First Regional Alumni Reception

l TOP Fellow Alumni & VIP Alumni attended Goethe-Insti-tut ‘Fall of the Wall’ events

l Added online reach to a total of 5 social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Flickr

l 68% increase in Facebook ‘Likes’ vs. 2013

l Improved frequency, reach, and quality of posts, resulting in greater engagement with followers

l #TOPteachGermany

l #TOPstudytour

Budget Trends (2007-2015)As % of Operating Budget

Budget SnapshotAs % of Operating Budget

l 2014: Orangel 2015: Orange+Green

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Ideas for 2015

l 5.4% of Operating Budgetl Cooperate with the American Council on Germany (ACG) and other Goethe-Institutes (Chicago, LA, and Atlanta) to create a traveling lecture series for TOP Fellow Alumni and ACG fellowsl Maintain dialogue with – and support events for – TOP Fellow VIP Alumni, perhaps in cooperation with the German American Chamber of Commercel Increase the number of regional alumni receptions & events to include a traveling lecture series featuring Point Alpha Stiftung director, Mr. Volker Bauschl Maintain growth and quality of social media engagementl Initiate photo/blog competitionsl Initiate mini-grant competitionsl Previous study tour alumni will no longer be permitted to re-apply for TOP study tours



i Summer Study Tours

In-Depth Highlight 2014(Excludes VIP Tour)

l 101 study tour participants in 8 groupsl One group comprised of STEM +Social Studies teachersl First cross-curricular lessons produced from this study tourl 100% of participants would recommend a TOP study tour to fellow educatorsl 92% of participants want to return to Germany for private vacationl 81% gave tour an ‘Amazing’ ratingl 19% gave tour a ‘Great’ ratingl 100% indicated that their personal opinion of Germany had improved as a result of the tour (see pre vs. post tour words)l Unprecedented social media activity during study toursl All TOP Partners were visited in Munich, Erlangen, Stutt- gart, Frankfurt/Main, and Berlinl The Point Alpha Stiftung in Geisa remains a popular fo cal point for half of the tours


l 2014: Orange+Redl 2015: Orange

In-land (Germany) expenses per person per day: 175,00 EUR.

Budget Trends (2007-2015)As % of Operating Budget(Excludes VIP Group)

Ideas for 2015

l 54% of Operating Budgetl Send ca. 100 study tour participants in 6 summer study tour groupsl One group (16 participants) will consist of curriculum authors with cross-curricular

Social Studies+STEM experiencel This group will reinforce new curriculum development goalsl Maintain cost/participant consistencyl Maintain quality of toursl Maintain post-tour evaluation successl Continue to work closely with the Goethe-Institut Visitors Programml Continue to work closely with TOP Partners in Munich, Erlangen, Stuttgart, Frankfurt/Main, Berlinl Continue to work closely with the Point Alpha Stiftung in Geisal Continue to encourage high level of social media activity during tours: Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, Video-Blogging

Previous study tour alumni will no longer be permitted to re-apply for TOP study tours

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Vibrant

CastlesBeer

Global

AdvancedStrudel

Every year, TOP conducts pre- and post-study tour evaluations in which participants are asked to list ‘three words that come to mind’ when they think about Germany. This ‘three words’ theme also became the centerpiece of TOP’s new PR videos.

Below are sample results for 2014:

Pre -Departure WordsCastles

Nationalism

Organized

Heritage

Efficient

Strudel

Beer

Bavarian Countryside

Recovery

Holocaust

Manly

WWII

Brothers Grimm

World Power

Industrious

Strong

Proud

Nazis

Autos

Post-Tour WordsForgiveness

Culture

Confidence

Diverse

Complex

Progressive

Vibrant

Innovative

Unified

Advanced

Technology

Sustainable

Global

Dynamic

Enduring

Rebuilt

Developed

Open

Focused

Linguistically, the differentiation between each set of words is significant. Not only have the pre-departure impressions of Germany morphed from inactive and often nominal stereotypical

representations of the country to modern and fluid concepts, but the post-tour impressions are set in motion to represent active understanding of how Germany functions as a diverse culture and country today.

Sample post-tour evaluation comments:Thank you so much for this opportunity. You helped me answer some important philosophical questions I had pre-trip. I found quotes and thoughts that I will use in my book and in the classroom. You opened my eyes and mind. I appreciate your efforts.

I am so happy to be here. I feel privileged to participate in his program.

I am honored to have had the privilege to travel to Germany, learn more about their politics, culture, and economy.

This was a wonderful experi-ence that I know will continue to impact my life in multiple, unforeseen ways even beyond the classroom. Having the op-portunity to spend time in mul-tiple, diverse locations across the country gave me a much more well-rounded understand-ing of historical and contem-porary Germany. I’m impressed by this initiative undertaken by the government, Goethe-Insti-tut, and other partners. Thank you so, so much!

Absolutely amazing and unique experiences that every educator in the US should be exposed to. A+++



VIP Study TourIn-Depth Highlights 2014

l 12 ‘decision-maker’ participantsl Diverse group representing federal and state labor and education policy mak-ers, community colleges, industry partners, career & vocational high schools, think-tanks, and other NGOsl Group included nominees from TOP partners as well as TOP staffl Program visits included Siemens, Daimler, Bosch, the Robert Bosch Stiftung, Deutsche Bank and John-Deere l Program cities included Munich, Erlan-gen, Stuttgart, Gaggenau, Frankfurt/Main, Heidelberg and Mannheiml Program not possible without support of TOP partnersl Program was beneficial to all VIPs in regards to learning about vocational training (Dual System) in Germanyl TOP has become a ‘go-to’ source for information on subject with daily e-mail/phone inquiriesl TOP advised the U.S. Department of Labor on tour program for Secretary Perez


l 2014: Orange+Redl 2015: Orange

In-land (Germany) expenses per person per day: 395,00 EUR. VIPs receive enhanced accommodations, meals, and transporta-tion.

Ideas for 2015

l 5.5% of operating budgetl VET remains a ‘hot topic’ in Washing-ton DC and on both sides of the Atlanticl TOP and its Partners are providing a valuable service to high-level decision-makers on subjectl TOP will continue to ‘ride’ subject momentuml TOP will send minimum one VIP group (12 participants) to Germanyl TOP will allocate same per-participant budget for VIPs in 2015l TOP will explore avenues as part of its alumni strategy to maintain VIP Fellow Alumni involvement and subject momen-tum

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“The Transatlantic Outreach Program trip to Germany in the fall of 2014 was an amazing experience and gave me an op-portunity to develop a deep understanding of the dual apprenticeship program and to have in-depth conversations with a ter-rific group of professionals from a variety of sectors. We heard first hand from busi-ness and educational leaders working in the dual apprenticeship program and also talked with students in the program about their experience and future plans. This trip will help inform the work that we are un-dertaking in NYC to create stronger career pathways for all our career and technical education students.”

-Tom Pendleton, TOP VIP 2014, Deputy Executive Director, Career & Work Readiness, New York City Department of Education

“The travel experience organized by TOP was an invaluable way to get oriented with the vocational education system in Germany. The itinerary was thoughtfully developed and the group was organized in a way that brought multiple perspec-tives from the table. I’m convinced we have some momentum to follow through on some next steps that were inspired by the trip.”

-Anu Malipatil, TOP VIP 2014, Foundation Officer, Siegel Family Endowment & Overdeck Family Foundation

“My TOP trip to Germany was a wonderful experience. As a long-time student of the German apprenticeship system, I thought I knew much of what there was to know – thought I understood it pretty thoroughly. But there’s no substitute for real exposure of the kind provided on the TOP trip. Vis-its were eye-opening, the people we met were informative, TOP staff were ever helpful – and it was a terrific group. The article I wrote when I returned to the U.S. appeared in The Atlantic – one of the best read articles on the site for more than 24 hours.”

-Tamar Jacoby, TOP VIP 2014, President/CEO, Opportunity America

“This is truly an out of the country experi-ence that school officials need to see in or-der to restore the American working class, along with revitalizing the local econo-mies of America.”

-Romules Durant, TOP VIP 2014, Superintendent/CEO, Toledo Public Schools

“As the Chair of the State Board Policy making arm of Washington community and technical 34 colleges, this was a remarkable educational experience. Not only will be it shared with the colleges as an all-day Study Session at our February State Board Meeting, we will also be invit-ing Dr. Ed Brewster to share the vocation-al education concept of Germany. As you know, Washington State is considered A First in the Nation in educational leader-ship. I plan to add your accomplishments to our list!”

-Beth Willis, TOP VIP 2014, Board Chair Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges

“The scheduling TOP did was phenomenal, the participating companies were exciting, well prepared and provided us with excel-lent material. I have already began shar-ing the material with other manufactures, Community Colleges and want to present it to the local school systems. It has provided me with some insight on how to improve our current apprentice program and even improve on the training of the mentors. I’m not finished with how many more different ways that I can use this experience. Thank you for an amazing opportunity!”

-William Weier, TOP VIP 2014, Director Human Resources, Fives Machining Systems, Inc.

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The TOP TeamIn-Depth Highlights 2014

l May 2005 – May 2014: 2 contract staff members (annual contract)l May 2014 – Future: 3 contract staff members (annual contract)l October 2002 – July 2014: 1 director paid by Goethe-Institut NA infrastructure funds with defined 80/20 function split (TOP/DaF)l Goethe-Institut Washington transitioning to become the Regional Headquarters by July 2016l July 1, 2014: Klaus Brod-ersen transferred away from Washington DCl July 2014 – July 2015: Wilfried Eckstein as TOP director l July 2015 – Future: Christoph Veldhues as TOP director l Wood Powell (with TOP since December 2003) manages day-to-day operations & budgetl Sarah Yabroff (with TOP since April 2009) manages alumni and educator outreach projectsl Jenny Windell (with TOP since May 2014) manages social media and database


l 2014: Orangel 2015: Orange+Green

Budget Trends (2007-2015)As % of Total Budget(Total = Operating + Infrastructure)

l Total Personnel Expenses: Green+Bluel Goethe-Institut Infrastructure Contribution Towards Personnel: Green

Ideas for 2015

l Personnel expenses (for 3 contract staff members) will be 19% of 750.000 EUR operating budget (vs. 18% for 2014)l Historically between 13-19% of operating budget, depending on exchange ratel Personnel expenses (for 3 contract staff members) will be 16% of total 900.000 EUR budget (operating + infrastructure)l Historically between 11-16% of total budget, depending on exchange ratel Wilfried Eckstein as TOP director until July 1, 2015l Christoph Veldhues as TOP director after July 1, 2015l Anticipated departure of Sarah Yabroff after February 2015; she will continue to contribute to the TOP Team as an hourly contractor on an interim basisl Jenny Windell will assume many of Ms. Yabroff’s responsibilitiesl May 2015: Start date for third TOP Team member l Contract staff count will remain stable at 3

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2014 Operating Budget & Expenses: Graphical

Total Operating Budget 2014: 745.000 EUR

l Federal Foreign Office of Germany: 150.000 EUR

l Goethe-Institut North America: 150.000 EUR

l Deutsche Bank: 150.000 EUR

l Siemens: 150.000 EUR

l Robert Bosch Stiftung: 145.000 EUR

Expenses: 2014

l Classroom Materials Authorship & Production: 64.012 EUR

l Professional Development Workshop Support: 62.124 EUR

l Public Relations & Alumni Engagement: 32.882 EUR

l Summer Study Tours: 407.920 EUR

l VIP Study Tour: 41.348 EUR

l Personnel: 136.714 EUR

Expenses 2014 & Forecast 2015: Itemized

FY 2014 | Itemized Expenses FY 2015 (Forecast) | Itemized Expenses



SWOT Analysis: Update

TOP is leveraging its strengths…

A comprehensive network (K-12, University, VIP Decision-Makers)A dedicated network of teacher-trainers

Curriculum development competency Study tour program development competency

An evaluated strategy for effectivenessThe relevancy of modern Germany to so many topics

Engaged public & private partnersA dedicated team

To confront weaknesses…

Increased local staff count of three is adding momentum where needed:

More comprehensive Fellow Alumni strategy going forward (2H 2014+)TOP trainers conducting more workshops in Canada (2H 2014+)Significantly improved internal database (2H 2014+)Database: more efficient collection of evaluation & client profile dataSignificantly improved social media engagement across multiple platforms

To seize opportunities…

To offer new curriculum for social studies Theme 8 and C3 FrameworkLeverage German relevancy to vocational education & ‘Green’ tech

Remains on track as of 2014 to achieve Key Performance (KPI) goalsSelecting engaged alumni to expand trainer network (TNTS)

Preparing for a second external evaluation to take place in 2016-2017

And mitigating external challenges…

Despite better-funded ‘competitors’ representing more nations, TOP is highly regarded particularly for the quality of its materials & study tour offerings

The study of Germany remains particularly relevant to educators

Common Core not yet a universal de facto standard; TOP has already aligned its newest materials with some of these standards



Generall Is the TOP Board pleased with the program’s overall prog ress in 2014 within the context of its Vision for 2014-2017?

Budget

l TOP will operate with the same 750.000 EUR operating budget for FY2015. All projects for 2015 will receive similar budgetary allocations as 2014 with only slight variation. Does the TOP Board agree with stated budgetary allocations?

l The TOP fiscal year must align with that of the Goethe- Institut. As this aligns with the calendar year (1 Jan – 31 Dec), TOP recommends the annual board meeting continue to take place in January. TOP’s budget for the succeeding year is prepared by September 1 of the current year. Does the TOP Board agree with the January meeting date?

Classroom Materials: Autorship & Production

l Does the TOP Board approve of the following curriculum development strategy?

TOP will begin the development, specifically with regards to pedagogical authorship and online content design, of curriculum de-signed to align with Social Studies Theme 8 (Science, Technology & Society) and C3 Framework standards for Career & Civic Life. Such a project could have cross-curricular application with STEM subjects.

Study Tours To Germany

l Does the TOP Board approve of the following study tour strategy?

TOP will send a total of ca. 100 educators to Germany in the sum-mer of 2015. One group may consist of social studies educators who have authorship experience and familiarity with instructional strate-gies in the STEM fields.

TOP will send one VIP group of high-level decision-makers to Ger-many in the fall of 2015. This group will be comprised of ca. 10 par-ticipants. The theme for this tour will remain pertinent to vocational education topics in Germany.

l Do TOP partners remain open to nominating participants for this VIP group?

l When would TOP partners be willing and able to host groups in Germany?

l Would the Federal Foreign Office (in cooperation with the Federal Chancellery) be willing to discuss the feasibility of one group meeting with the Federal Chancellor? Such meetings took place in 2005 and 2006 and were of course well-received by all TOP partners as well as beneficial for public relations initiatives.

TOP Team / Personnel

l Does the TOP Board approve of the following personnel strategy?

The local staff count will remain at three (3) for the foreseeable fu-ture. These local staff members will continue to receive their annual contract status.

Outlook for 2015 & Questions For The Top Board

Professional Development Workshop Support

l Does the TOP Board approve of the following professional development strategy?

Emphasis will continue to remain on TOP’s network of trainer spe-cialists. These specialists will continue to work to present TOP in un-derrepresented school districts and regions. TOP staff will continue to attend larger national conferences. TOP will continue to work with its Fellow Alumni and new network entrants to host more TOP workshops in line with Key Performance goals for 2015 and beyond.

Public Relations & Alumni Outreach, Tracking, Engagement

l Does the TOP Board approve of the following alumni engagement strategy?

TOP will continue to host its ‘Fellow of the Year’ reception during the annual National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) conference for over 200 alumni. Similarly, TOP will support smaller, regional alumni events in cooperation with other Goethe-Institutes, Ger-man Consulates, the ACG (American Council on Germany) and GACC (German American Chamber of Commerce). As part of these events, TOP may support a guest-lecturer who can speak to social studies relevant topics in Germany. Additionally, TOP will continue to foster an active social media presence across several key platforms as well as promote photo- blog- and mini-grant competitions.

TOP study tour alumni may no longer re-apply to travel to Germany.

The TOP Board of Directors l President of the TOP Board: Ambassador Peter Wittig – German Embassy Washington l Dr. Christoph Bartmann, Goethe-Institut Regional Director for North America, New York, N.Y. l David Etzwiler, CEO, Siemens Foundation, Washington, D.C. l Christian Hänel, Head of Department International Relations America and Asia, Robert Bosch Stiftung, Stuttgart, Germany l Gary Hattem, Director, Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation, New York, N.Y. l Edith Pürschel, Director, Head of Brand & Corporate Citizenship Strategy, Deutsche Bank, Frankfurt am Main, Germany l Klaus P. Stegemann, Chief Financial Officer, Siemens Corporation, New York, N.Y.

The TOP Team l Wilfried Eckstein, TOP Director, Goethe-Institut Washington Director l Christoph Veldhues, TOP Director, Director Language Programs North America, Goethe-Institut Washington (July 2015) l Wood Powell, TOP Managing Director, local D.C. staff / annual contract. With TOP since December 2003. l Sarah Yabroff, TOP Coordinator, local D.C. staff / annual contract. With TOP since April 2009. l Jenny Windell, TOP Administrator, local D.C. staff / annual contract. With TOP since May 2014.

TOP | ANNUAL REPORT 2014 + OUTLOOK 2015 | 28


Documents

TOP_AnnualReport_1-28_2014