School-Based Action Teams for Partnership Parent and Educator Partnership 25 S. Washington, Suite 106 Naperville, IL 60540 www.pepartnership.org 630 428 3979 877 317 2733

Get-to-Know-Your Colleagues Get-to-Know Your Neighbors INTRODUCTIONS Get-to-Know-Your Colleagues Get-to-Know Your Neighbors Quickly introduce yourself: 1. Name. 2. Your role here today. 3. Something about yourself that we cannot tell by looking at you.

Explain the Six Types of Family Involvement By the end of this workshop, you will be able to: Explain the Six Types of Family Involvement Describe the roles and responsibilities of the Action Team for Partnerships Write an effective One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships

Why is it important to involve families and the community in children’s education? Research shows that: Students with involved parents – no matter what their income or background – are more likely to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more. Partnership programs can increase student achievements, improve attendance and behavior, and promote positive social skills. When partnership practices are tightly linked to school goals, families become involved in ways that directly assist students’ learning and success.

Research shows that: Nothing Motivates a Child More… “The research is abundantly clear: nothing motivates a child more than when learning is valued by schools and families/community working together in partnership…These forms of [parent] involvement do not happen by accident or even by invitation. They happen by explicit strategic intervention.” --Michael Fullan (1997a, pp.34-48). Broadening the concept of teacher leadership. In S.Caldwell (Ed.), Professional development in learning-centered schools. Oxford, OH: National Staff Development Council. Home Factors… Account for 49% of the Influence on Student Performance… In October 2001, Stephanie Hirsh, in the National Staff Development Council publication, Results writes, “According to research by Ron Ferguson, home and family factors…account for 49% of the influence on student performance…” Hirsh continues, “This important position of influence is why family involvement is addressed in the NSCD Standards for Staff Development…educators will benefit from staff development that helps them gain the knowledge and skills aligned with the specific outcomes they want for parents and their children.”

Understanding the Framework of Six Types of Involvement

COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY Keys to School, Family, and Community Partnerships FRAMEWORK OF SIX TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT Type 1 PARENTING Type 2 COMMUNICATING Type 3 VOLUNTEERING Type 4 LEARNING AT HOME Type 5 DECISION MAKING Type 6 COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY

Basic Responsibilities of Families Type 1 PARENTING Basic Responsibilities of Families Housing, health, nutrition, clothing, safety Parenting skills for all age levels Home conditions that support children as students at all grade levels Information and activities from families to help schools understand children and families

Basic Responsibilities of Schools Type 2 COMMUNICATING Basic Responsibilities of Schools SCHOOL-TO-HOME  Memos, notices, report cards, conferences, newsletters, phone calls, computerized messages, e-mail, websites HOME-TO-SCHOOL Two-way channels of communication for questions and interactions

Involvement At and For the School Type 3 VOLUNTEERING Involvement At and For the School VOLUNTEERS  In School or Classroom  For School or Classroom AUDIENCES  Attend assemblies, performances, sports events, recognition, and award ceremonies, celebrations, and other events

Keys to School, Family, and Community Partnerships FRAMEWORK OF SIX TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT Type 1 PARENTING Type 2 COMMUNICATING Type 3 VOLUNTEERING Share ONE successful example of these 3 types of involvement that YOU have seen in schools.

Involvement in Academic Activities Type 4 LEARNING AT HOME Involvement in Academic Activities Activities for parent and child on . . . How to help at home with homework Required skills to pass each subject Curriculum-related decisions Other skills and talents

Participation and Leadership Type 5 DECISION MAKING Participation and Leadership  District Improvement Teams  School Improvement Team  Partnerships Teams (PTA, ATP)  Other school or district committees

COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY Type 6 COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY  Community contributes to schools, students, and families Business partners Cultural and recreational groups Health services Service and volunteer groups Senior citizen organizations Faith-based organizations Government and military agencies Other groups and programs  Schools, students, and families contribute to the community

Keys to School, Family, and Community Partnerships NNPS FRAMEWORK OF SIX TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT Type 4 LEARNING AT HOME Type 5 DECISION MAKING Type 6 COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY Share ONE successful example of these 3 types of involvement that YOU have seen in schools.

An Inventory of Present Practices of School, Family, and Community Partnerships STARTING POINTS With you ATP, review the results of your starting points document Which type are you doing well? Do you agree with the results? What comes to mind as you think about the activities conducted for that TYPE of involvement? Which type would you like to improve?

What does the data tell you: Outcome Data Perspective Data Process Data Demographic Data

Challenge-Go-Round 1. Identify a challenge that your school must solve to involve hard to reach families. 2. At the signal, go ’round the room and write a solution to the challenges. 3. Select one solution that may work in your schools.

Meet the Challenges to Reach All Families and Learn “Re-definitions” for Good Partnerships

Type 1 - Parenting Challenge Provide information to all families who want or need it, not just to the few who attend workshops or meetings at the program site. Redefinition “Workshop” is not only a meeting on a topic held at the school building at a particular time, but also the content of a topic to be viewed, heard, or read at convenient times and varied locations.

Type 2 - Communicating Challenge Make all communications clear for all families in languages and formats that they can understand. Redefinition “Communications about school programs and student progress” are not only from school to home but also include two-way channels of communication that connect schools, families, students, and the community.

Type 3 - Volunteering Challenge Recruit widely for volunteers so that all families know that their time and talents are welcome. Redefinition “Volunteer” not only means someone who comes to school during the day, but also anyone who supports program goals and children’s learning in any way, at any place, and at any time.

Type 4 - Learning at Home Challenge Develop homework procedures that encourage students to share something with a parent that they are learning in class or in an after-school program. Redefinition “Homework” not only means work that students do alone, but also interactive activities that students share with others at home or in the community, linking schoolwork to real life.

Type 5 - Decision Making Challenge Include parent leaders from all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and other groups in the school. Redefinition “Decision making” is a process of partnership – sharing views, solving problems, and taking action toward shared goals, not just a power struggle between conflicting ideas.

Type 6 - Collaborating with the Community Challenge Inform all families and students about community programs and services. Redefinition “Community” includes not only families with children in the schools, but also all who are interested in and affected by the quality of education.

Reaching Results and Goals for Student Success Each type of involvement has been linked to specific results for students. All six types of involvement can be designed and implemented to contribute to specific school improvement goals.

Reaching Behavior Results for Students Type 1 – Parenting Attendance Summit Type 2 – Communicating Recognition Postcards Type 3 – Volunteering Volunteers to assist with planning Type 4 – Learning At Home Discussion guide for families and students Type 5 – Decision Making PTA/PTO communication to all families regards attendance policy and recognition Type 6 – Collaborating with Businesses award attendance levels the Community

Action Team for Partnerships Members of an ATP work together to: Review school improvement goals Select, plan, implement, and evaluate family and community involvement activities linked to school goals Continually improve partnership practices

Action Team for Partnerships Membership on the ATP are: 2-3 teachers or more 2-3 parents/family members or more Principal (or assistant principal) Other members (nurse, counselor, community partners) 1-2 students on high school

School Improvement Team Action Team for Partnership Oversees the entire school improvement plan Meets monthly to discuss all programs, assess progress, and plan for all goals in the SIP Hears committee reports and assists committees to reach goals Oversees the goals in the SIP for family and community involvement Meets monthly to discuss the schedule of family and community involvement activities in the One-Year Action Plan, assess progress, and improve plans Provides committee reports to the SIT

Linked to School Improvement Action Team for Partnerships Academic Academic Behavior Climate Practices from TYPES 1-6 To meet your goal plans

HOW WILL YOUR SCHOOL ORGANIZE AN ACTION TEAM FOR PARTNERSHIPS (ATP)? Discuss and decide: WHAT members should we still recruit? WHO will be your ATP Co-Chairs? WHEN will the whole Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) meet? WHICH GROUPS at your school should hear from the ATP about its plans and progress on family and community involvement? BE REALISTIC about how frequently reports should be made. What questions do you have about the ATP?

Lunch

Creating Goal Plans

School Improvement Goals Lead to a 4-Page One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships Improve STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT in reading – PAGE 1 Review your Promising Practices book to find activities Improve STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT in math – PAGE 2 Improve STUDENT BEHAVIOR – PAGE 3 Strengthen the CLIMATE of partnerships – PAGE 4

Let the Data do the talking… Starting Points Perception Data Demographic Data Who didn’t get it? Student Outcome Data What didn’t they get? Process Data What have you done? Did work have the desired outcomes?

One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships S.M.A.R.T. Goals Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely

One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships Writing the Plan Goals 2 academic goals, 1 behavioral goal 1 welcoming climate for partnerships Desired results – measurable Assessments / Specific measures Partnership activities Types of involvement Dates of activities (not ongoing) Grade levels involved Preliminary actions that must be taken Resources or funds needed Persons in charge and helping

Use the Six Types to Reach Results ACTIVITY: GOALS MAP Use the Six Types to Reach Results Place a goal for student success in the middle of your Goal Map. Focus on one goal at a time. Select one activity for each type of involvement to involve families and the community in productive ways to help students reach that goal.

ACTIVITY: GOALS PLAN

Let’s Do It! Let’s Write a School’s One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships! Begin with the data: Who is your target? What will you target? Work through each of your school improvement goals. Goals Web Select 2 – 3 activities to put on your goal sheet Write a workable plan: Distribute responsibility Are they S.M.A.R.T. Goals?

Moving Forward Celebrate your accomplishments Request the support you need Determine your next steps We will: Review your action plans and provide feedback Meet monthly with your Co-Chairs Provide quarterly meetings for networking Assist with measuring progress Communicate importance and success of partnerships

Thank you for taking the time and making the commitment.