1. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver PARTNERING WITH PARENTS TO BUILD LITERACY June 18-20, 2014 HISD Summer Leadership Institute HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

2. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Partnering with Parents to Build Literacy Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Cristina Cruz-Wiley Corey CornettValerie Schillaci

3. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver  Write questions on post-it notes  Be engaged  Keep conversations constructive  Silent electronics  Watch your air time  Enjoy Norms

4. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver  Read your statement as a group.  Discuss: If your statement holds true, what does it mean for HISD’s future?  Share your statement and conclusions with the larger group. Warm Up

5. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Participants will:  Increase awareness of current family literacy initiatives and community resources  Develop a data-driven, annual work plan to address literacy needs specifically focusing on building parent capacity and leveraging community resources  Become knowledgeable of literacy activities that parents can use at home Expected Outcomes

6. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Skills you and your family members need to acquire throughout your life to understand what you read, communicate with others, and engage fully and confidently in life activities and opportunities Family Literacy Adult Literacy Financial Literacy Student Literacy: The ability to read and write Workplace Literacy Life Literacy LITERACY: Skills you and your family members need to acquire throughout your life to understand what you read, communicate with others, and engage fully and confidently in life activities and opportunities.

7. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver During the 2012-2013 school year, only 38% of HISD third-graders hit the recommended level of the state’s reading standards.

8. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver STAAR Reading % Satisfactory - Recommended (Phase-in 1) All HISD Students

9. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Parents are our greatest allies in confronting the literacy crisis  Family literacy interventions have a relatively large impact on child literacy acquisition. Monique Sénéchal, National Center for Family Literacy, (2006)  Training parents to teach their child specific reading skills can have a large effect on children’s reading performance. Toyota Family Literacy Research Project, National Center for Families Learning. (2013)  Studies provide evidence that combined catalysts of parent participation in learning in children’s classrooms, increasing parents’ English language skills, enhancing the home literacy environment, and greater parental engagement in schools are connected with positive learning outcomes. NRDC, Institute of Education, University of London. (2010).

10. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver The Year-Long Family Literacy Plan (School Guide Page 6)

11. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver The Year-Long Family Literacy Plan ComponentDescription ResourcesWhat kinds of resources are needed for the program implementation? Literacy EventsTraining for parents regarding how to be the primary teacher for their children and partners in their education Time Frame and Frequency Ensure that the amount of time commitment expected from parents is reasonable. How often will you need to see parents to have an effect? ActivitiesWhich activities can be provided at events to help families learn various ways to help their children with literacy skills at home? EvaluationHow do you know your literacy plan is having an effect on student achievement? (School Guide Page 6)

12. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Family Literacy Plan Data Collection Achievement data Benchmarks Beginning of Year Middle of Year End of Year STAAR Teacher assessments Family Engagement Data Interviews and focus groups Parents, community members, students Your Voice Data Ask: What is your current level of involvement in what your child is learning? How/When can you become more involved? What skills do you recognize your child needs to develop? Foundational Skills Recognition of Foundational Skills that need the most improvement Literacy Blueprints www.houstonisd.or gwww.houstonisd.or g Departments Curriculum Literacy & Numeracy Blueprint (School Guide Page 6 Item 3)

13. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Inventory the resources already available in your school community  Community Walkthrough – A guide on how to organize a school community walkthrough is available at houstonisd.org/face  Contact your local library for partnership opportunities and available programming to incorporate into the plan  Survey parents and mine out volunteers with skills – such as organization and planning, computer skills, Academic and English tutoring, etc. These parents can help you organize, market, and even conduct certain events. Family Literacy Plan Resources (School Guide Page 6 Item 6)

14. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Family Literacy Plan Literacy Events Link to Learning Activities connect directly to what students are learning. Parents and teachers look at student work and test results together. Link to Learning Activities connect directly to what students are learning. Parents and teachers look at student work and test results together. Teachers and parents should discuss how to improve student progress Parents should get an idea of what good teaching looks like so that they can replicate it at home Facilitators must be comfortable engaging adults Childcare should be provided to make sure children are not distracting adults Parents should walk away with skills to help their children at home Teachers should showcase student work Meeting should be offered in all languages relevant to the school community School should provide a warm and inviting environment (School Guide Page 7 Item 9)

15. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Family Literacy Plan Literacy Events http://vimeo.com/88935538

16. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Data Review What does an effective literacy event look like? Set Academic Goals Introduction of a Foundational Skill Demonstration of Home Activities and Practice Family Literacy Plan Literacy Events

17. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver  Choose one or two foundational skills to explain to parents in simple terms  It is important for parents to understand what their children need to learn if they are going to practice with their kids or monitor their progress Family Literacy Plan Literacy Events Introduction of a Foundational Skill

18. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Data Review Show parents the result of an assessment or assignment. Assigning students a number and showing them where their child stands in comparison to the rest of the class is powerful. Family Literacy Plan Literacy Events

19. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Clearly model a simple activity that can easily be done at home that supports learning. Be sure the activity uses household items (deck of cards, magazines, junk mail, action figures). When possible, purchase these items for parents. Have parents practice the activity with each other. Demonstration of Home Activities and Practice Family Literacy Plan Literacy Events

20. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Demonstration of Home Activities and Practice Family Literacy Plan Literacy Events Foundational Skill: Building Sentences Activity: Having Fun Making Sentences Cut cards Select noun and verb Create sentence Create a story Write or draw

21. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver  Show data graph again so parents can have a visual  Give parents guidance on what is attainable and set high expectations  Show them a sample of how a goal is written Family Literacy Plan Literacy Events Set Academic Goals

22. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Family Literacy Plan Evaluation Are your events well-attended (60%+)? Do new events build upon previous events and skills covered? Are you building capacity among your student’s families? How do you know? (Increased discussions around learning materials and requests for at-home activities, heightened interest in school events, improved parental involvement) Are your students’ skills and abilities improving in foundational skills covered? How do you know? (Foundational Skill assessments, grades, state and district-mandated exams) Is the plan sustainable for the entire year and next? √ √ √ √ √ √

23. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Inviting Parents for Maximum Attendance Emails Social Media (3%) More Effective Less Effective (School Guide Page 13)

24. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Communicate a sincere attitude that parents are important to you and their participation makes a difference. Embed in your School Improvement Plan. Plan for a year– adjust as you go. Welcome and encourage parent feedback on events. Involve the community and provide access to neighborhood/community services that families can use to help their children. Suggestions for a Successful Family Literacy Plan √ √ √ √ √

25. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver 1.On which three pages can you find a detailed checklist for your planning of a School Family Literacy Program? 2.My Recipe Book is what number activity under the category “Making Family Books”? 3.What is the expected oral reading rate for a child in Grade 6? School Guide for Family Literacy Scavenger Hunt

26. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Community Resource Showcase (School Guide Page 14-18)

27. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Community Resource Showcase (School Guide Page 14-18)

28. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver HISD Best Practice Showcase Kristi Rangel, Principal krangel@houstonisd.org

29. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver HISD Best Practice Showcase

30. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Lyons Elementary Principal- Cecilia Gonzales cgonzal1@houstonisd.org Assistant Principal- Olivia A Casares ocasares@houstonisd.org HISD Best Practice Showcase

31. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver What is the purpose of our literacy program?  To empower our parents with the tools necessary to read and engage with learning activities in school and at home  Designed to enrich and promote the love of reading G.R.E. A. T. Guest Readers Enriching and Teaching

32. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver  How is it implemented? – Teach parents how to read books and create activities that are aligned to the story – Invite parents to read in the classrooms – Parents assist with classroom lesson activities – Parents distribute books to children so they can add it to their home library G.R.E. A. T. Guest Readers Enriching and Teaching

33. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Team: Dr. Lindsey Pollock, Principal lpollock@houstonisd.org Dr. Kimberley Booker, Instructional Specialist kbooker1@houstonisd.org Pamela White, Teacher pwhite2@houstonisd.org Stephanie Dubroff-Acosta, Parent Engagement Representative sdubroff@houstonisd.org HISD Best Practice Showcase Garden Oaks Elementary

34. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver Garden Oaks Elementary Topics: Extended Library Hours HIPPY Book Exchange at PTO Meetings Volunteers in the School Library Reading Mentors- Parent Volunteers iStation Labs at School for Parents HISD Best Practice Showcase

35. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver  Share at your table what literacy events your campus has organized. Discuss: – Data Collection – Resources – Evaluation  Share out to the larger group events that had a significant effect on your parents and students.  Use your Best Practice page in your Family Literacy Guide to record any ideas for future events. Best Practice Share-out

36. HISD Becoming #GreatAllOver