Vanessa Eichman, MSSW Kelli Staples, MEd. A Practical Guide to Engaging the Community

In September of 2011, a report from the U.S. Census Bureau announced that the official poverty rate in the U.S. had risen to 15.1 percent of the population, representing approximately 46 million people, more than 1/3 (over 15 million) are children. (Shields, 2011)

Transformative Leadership Focuses on the relationships among the inequities and material differences in the lived experiences of students and how they play out in educational settings Emphasizes the need to follow understanding with action Attending to issues of equity is a necessary precursor to providing a climate that will promote student learning (Shields & Warke, 2010)

School snapshot 350 students Title 1 School School of Progress; met Expected Growth Teacher Experience: 24% 0-4 years; 41% 4-10 years; 35% 10+ years 70 % Students receive Free and Reduced Lunch School Snap Shot

Staff members to coordinate committee Administrative support Staff Parent Involvement Survey Parent Involvement Team Parent Involvement Plan Maintenance Plan

1. What is your own personal definition of parental involvement? 1. What is your role (as a teacher, assistant, office staff, etc.) in the parent involvement process? 1. Based on the results from this survey, we will be creating a team at Johnson Street to help come up with new ideas, strategies, and plans to increase parent involvement on a school-wide level. If you are interested in serving on this team, please provide your name below.

EXPECTATIONS OF PARENTS Showing support for the school Being present in the building Following up with behavior concerns Working on and/or reviewing homework with their children EXPECTATIONS OF TEACHERS Informing parents of student progress Listening to parents Building relationships with families Advocating for students Learning from parents

StrategyDescriptionStaff Member(s)Time Line Help Wanted bulletin board Pockets with teacher names & room numbers. Projects, jobs, and volunteer tasks needed/available within each classroom. All staff provide information. Ashley Clark and Ashley Morgan to head up the bulletin board. Initially for Open House & then throughout the year. Parent Involvement Team Task List A list of ideas for teachers to use when requesting volunteers. Included in this list will be suggestions for tasks, jobs, and hours. Parent Involvement Team Completed by 6/18/10 and Re-distributed by 8/2/10 Volunteer Day Having a set day once a month (for example: 3rd Wednesday of every month) and ask parents to come volunteer that day. Parent Involvement Team Present it at the opening staff meeting & implement starting in September. Grateful Gentlemen Male community and family members who want to actively show support for our school by greeting students during arrival (main entrances, classroom doors, etc.) Vanessa Eichman & Hunter Yancey Recruitment during August. Start date comes in September (or following months) Frequent Flyers Bulletin board with parents who frequently volunteer. Star added on card for PTA members. Additional incentives (gift certificates, etc) for multiple hours. Courtney Romaine, Cynthia Green, & Parent Involvement Team Provide information at Open House with ongoing updates Volunteer TableOpen House letter includes information about new volunteer program. Information about the help wanted board, frequent flyers, and classroom competition. Phyllis Lissner, Vanessa Eichman, &Parent Involvement Team Open House

HELP WANTED Teacher: ____________________ To be completed at: Home School Day: _______________________ Time(s): ____________________ Task Description ____________________________ Volunteer Name: _______________ Phone ______________________ ________________________ Please see Ms. Eichman with any questions. Thank you for Volunteering !!!

Lunch buddies Story time readers Guest readers (Read Aloud) Center helpers Clerical tasks (coloring, cutting, stapling, etc.) Stuffing weekly folders Morning greeters Help from home (craft preparation, clerical, etc.) Field trip chaperone Assistance with clubs/extra-curricular activities Teacher luncheon preparation Small group instruction Tutoring Craft projects Global Activities/Presentations Making file folder games, projects, cards, etc. Changing bulletin boards Supervising JAG PRIDE store Proctoring for tests/activities Organizing classroom materials LAB assistant (Science, Social Studies, etc.) Recess game coordinator Classroom pet caretaker Parent photographer Guided reading helper Calendar helper Guest speakers (on specific topics/trades) Library helper Computer lab helper Spelling word helper (put list on website)

Attendance 96.22% Office Referrals 174 Volunteer Hours Attendance 96.77% Office Referrals 160 Volunteer Hours Attendance 97.42% Office Referrals 81 Volunteer Hours 2099

Light breakfast Im proud of you because… Character Education Video Small group discussion Large group sharing Door prizes

Maintenance of current programs Continued community outreach High Point Enterprise Big Brothers/Big Sisters Senior Resources of Guilford High Point University Chamber of Commerce YWCA Young Peacemakers Small focus groups for parents English as a Second Language Exceptional Children

Shields, C. (2011). An educational leadership response to the crisis on poverty: An urgent appeal. The Social Justice Leader, 111, 2-5. Shields, C. M. & Warke, A. (2010), The invisible crisis: Connecting schools with homeless families. Journal of School Leadership, 20,