Parent and Educator Partnership 25 S. Washington, Suite 106 Naperville, IL 60540 www.pepartnership.org 630 428 3979 877

1. 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

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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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.”

6. Understanding theFramework of Six Types of Involvement

7. Type1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 4 Type 5 Type 6 Keys to School, Family, and Community Partnerships FRAMEWORK OF SIX TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT PARENTING COMMUNICATING VOLUNTEERING LEARNING AT HOME DECISION MAKING COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Type1 Type 2 Type 3 Keys to School, Family, and Community Partnerships FRAMEWORK OF SIX TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT PARENTING COMMUNICATING VOLUNTEERING Share ONE successful example of these 3 types of involvement that YOU have seen in schools.

12. 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

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

14. 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

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

16. 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?

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

18. 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.

19. Meet the Challengesto Reach All Familiesand Learn “Re-definitions” for Good Partnerships

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. 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.

26. Reaching Resultsand 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.

27. Reaching Behavior Results for Students Type 1 – ParentingAttendance Summit Type 2 – CommunicatingRecognition Postcards Type 3 – VolunteeringVolunteers to assist with planning Type 4 – Learning At HomeDiscussion guide for families and students Type 5 – Decision MakingPTA/PTO communication to all families regards attendance policy and recognition Type 6 – Collaborating with Businesses award attendance levels the Community

28. 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

29. 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

30. School Improvement Team Action Team for Partnership 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 • 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

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

32. HOW WILL YOUR SCHOOL ORGANIZE ANACTION 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?

33. Lunch

34. Creating Goal Plans

35. 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 • Review your Promising Practices book to find activities Improve STUDENT BEHAVIOR – PAGE 3 • Review your Promising Practices book to find activities Strengthen the CLIMATE of partnerships – PAGE 4 • Review your Promising Practices book to find activities

36. 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?

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

38. One-Year Action Plan for PartnershipsWriting 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

40. Use the Six Types to Reach Results ACTIVITY: GOALS MAP • 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.

41. ACTIVITY: GOALS PLAN

43. 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?

44. 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

45. Thank you for taking the time and making the commitment.