Newport News Public Schools Communities Committed to Learning

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School, Family, and Community Partnerships Federa
l Programs
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SMART, SAFE Schools

• Safe and Nurturing PLACE
• Welcoming school environment for ALL
• Partnership School
• Family-like school and school-like families
• SMART,SAFE school that students, teachers,
  parents, and others WANT to attend and support

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SMART, SAFE Schools

• Place where students develop to their full
  potential and produce positive RESULTS
• Academic
• Intellectual Development
• Curricular and other achievements
• Commitment to role of student
• Physical
• Good nutrition and exercise
• Prevention of alcohol, tobacco and drug use
• Good attendance
• Emotional
• Positive attitudes about school
• Positive self concept, behavior, relationships
• Appreciation of others

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SMART, SAFE Schools and Students
Families
Communities
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School , Family, and Community Partnerships

• Comprehensive school improvement
• Goal-oriented
• Customized, comprehensive, and continually
  improved
• Realities solutions sought, found, shared
• All grade levels
• Mothers, fathers, grandparents, foster parents,
  family community groups, business partners,
  volunteers, mentors, external partners
• Results for ALL students,
  parents, teachers, and
  community

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• Joyce Epstein Model

Framework of Six Types of School, Family, and
Community Involvement
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Epsteins Six Types of Involvement

• Framework expands/redefines/reframes parental
  involvement

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Parenting
Workshop is not only a meeting at the school
building, but also the content of a topic to be
viewed, heard, or read at convenient times and
varied locations
Assist families with parenting and child-rearing
skills, understanding child and adolescent
development, and setting home conditions that
support children as students at each age and
grade level Assist schools in understanding
families
Reprinted with permission Epstein, J. L.,
Sanders, M. G., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C.,
Jansorn, N. R., Van Voorhis, F. L. (2002).
School, Family, and Community Partnerships Your
Handbook for Action (Second Edition). Thousand
Oaks, CA Corwin Press.
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Communicating
Communicating not only from school to home but
also includes two-way, three-way, and many-way
channels that connect schools, families,
students, and the community
Communicate with families about school programs
and student progress through effective
school-to-home and home-to-school communications
Reprinted with permission Epstein, J. L.,
Sanders, M. G., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C.,
Jansorn, N. R., Van Voorhis, F. L. (2002).
School, Family, and Community Partnerships Your
Handbook for Action (Second Edition). Thousand
Oaks, CA Corwin Press.
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Volunteering
Volunteer not only those who come to
school during the day, but also those who
support school goals and childrens learning in
any way, at any place, and at any time
Improve recruitment, training, work, and
schedules to involve families as volunteers and
audiences at school or in other locations to
support students and school programs
Reprinted with permission Epstein, J. L.,
Sanders, M. G., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C.,
Jansorn, N. R., Van Voorhis, F. L. (2002).
School, Family, and Community Partnerships Your
Handbook for Action (Second Edition). Thousand
Oaks, CA Corwin Press.
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Learning at Home
Homework not only means work students do
alone, but also interactive activities students
share with others at home or in the community,
linking schoolwork to real life Help at home
means how families encourage, listen, react,
praise, guide, monitor, and discuss schoolwork
with their children, not how they teach
children school subjects
Involve families with their children in learning
activities at home, including homework and other
curriculum-related activities and decisions
Reprinted with permission Epstein, J. L.,
Sanders, M. G., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C.,
Jansorn, N. R., Van Voorhis, F. L. (2002).
School, Family, and Community Partnerships Your
Handbook for Action (Second Edition). Thousand
Oaks, CA Corwin Press.
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Decision Making
Decision making means a process
of partnershipsharing views, solving problems,
and taking action toward shared goals, not a
power struggle of conflicting ideas Parent
leader means a representative who
shares information with and obtains ideas from
other families and community members, not just a
parent who attends school meetings
Include families as participants in school
decisions, governance, and advocacy through
PTA/PTO, school councils, committees, action
teams, and other parent organizations
Reprinted with permission Epstein, J. L.,
Sanders, M. G., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C.,
Jansorn, N. R., Van Voorhis, F. L. (2002).
School, Family, and Community Partnerships Your
Handbook for Action (Second Edition). Thousand
Oaks, CA Corwin Press.
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Collaborating with Community
Community not only low/high social or economic
qualities, but also strengths/talents available
to support students, families, and
schools Community not only families with
children in the schools, but also all who are
interested in and affected by the quality of
education Community not only neighborhoods
where students homes/schools are located, but
also all neighborhoods or locations influencing
student learning and development
Coordinate resources and services for students,
families, and the school with businesses,
agencies, and other groups, and provide
services to the community
Reprinted with permission Epstein, J. L.,
Sanders, M. G., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C.,
Jansorn, N. R., Van Voorhis, F. L. (2002).
School, Family, and Community Partnerships Your
Handbook for Action (Second Edition). Thousand
Oaks, CA Corwin Press.
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Current Implementation

• School Improvement Plans
• School Policy and Home School Compact

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Action Team for Partnerships Focus on Goals

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAM
ACTION TEAM for SCHOOL, FAMILY, and COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIPS
Strategic Plan Goal 2
Strategic Plan Goal 3
Strategic Plan Goal 1
Strategic Plan Goal 4
Strategic Plan Goal 5
Draw from the six types of involvement to meet
these goals
Reprinted with permission Epstein, J. L.,
Sanders, M. G., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C.,
Jansorn, N. R., Van Voorhis, F. L. (2002).
School, Family, and Community Partnerships Your
Handbook for Action (Second Edition). Thousand
Oaks, CA Corwin Press.
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Elementary School Example GoalIMPROVE READING
Type
Activity
Parenting
Workshops for parents on various ways to read
aloud with young children
Parent-teacher-student conferences on reading
goals at the start of the school year and on
reading progress midyear
Communicating
Reading-partner volunteers, guest readers of
favorite stories, and other organized,
ongoing read-with-me activities
Volunteering
Learning at Home
Weekly interactive reading homework activities
for all students to read aloud for a family
partner, show links of reading and writing, go
over vocabulary and spelling words, and other
reading activities
PTA/PTO support for a family room or parent
center to provide information on childrens
reading, and to conduct book swaps, make book
bags for read-at-home programs, create family
books, and sponsor other reading activities
Decision Making
Collaborating w/Community
Donations from business partners of books for
classrooms, for the school
library, or for children
to take home
Reprinted with permission Epstein, J. L.,
Sanders, M. G., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C.,
Jansorn, N. R., Van Voorhis, F. L. (2002).
School, Family, and Community Partnerships Your
Handbook for Action (Second Edition). Thousand
Oaks, CA Corwin Press.
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Middle School Example GoalIMPROVE MATH
Type
Activity
Continuing education classes for family members
only or for family members and students
together (e.g., computer classes or GED/ABE
classes)
Parenting
Student recognition page in the school newsletter
highlighting students who improve and excel in
math
Communicating
Parents as audience members for math bowl or
other math competitions
Volunteering
Learning at Home
Information for parents on students math
requirements to prepare for entry to
postsecondary education
Decision Making
PTA/PTO support for math with the purchase of
manipulatives, calculators, computers, and other
materials
Collaborating w/Community
After-school program with local college students
as math tutors
Reprinted with permission Epstein, J. L.,
Sanders, M. G., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C.,
Jansorn, N. R., Van Voorhis, F. L. (2002).
School, Family, and Community Partnerships Your
Handbook for Action (Second Edition). Thousand
Oaks, CA Corwin Press.
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High School ExampleGoalIMPROVE GRADUATION RATES

Type
Activity
Workshops for parents and students on course
credits and requirements for high school
graduation, college financial aid, college entry
tests, and career planning
Parenting
Communicating
Series of videotapes for families to borrow to
learn about high school requirements and
postsecondary, vocational planning
Volunteering
Field trips for students and parents to local
technical institutes, colleges and universities
Interactive homework that requires students to
discuss and document their academic goals and
career plans with a family partner and to outline
strategies for reaching these goals
Learning at Home
Decision Making
A postsecondary planning committee of parents,
teachers, and students to implement a series of
activities on college and vocational awareness
and career options from 9th to 12th grade
Career club for linking students and families
with alumni to foster knowledge and actions on
postsecondary opportunities information on dual
enrollment
Collaborating w/Community
Reprinted with permission Epstein, J. L.,
Sanders, M. G., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C.,
Jansorn, N. R., Van Voorhis, F. L. (2002).
School, Family, and Community Partnerships Your
Handbook for Action (Second Edition). Thousand
Oaks, CA Corwin Press.
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One Year Action Plan Document
GOAL 1 Improve academic achievement for ALL
students while closing achievement gaps
Type (1-6) Activity (continuing or new) Date of Activity Grade Level(s) What needs to be done for activity when? Persons in charge and helping What results and how measured?
Parenting
Communicating
Volunteering
Learning At Home
Decision-Making
Collaboration w/Community
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What Will School, Family, and Community
Partnerships Really DO for My School? RESULTS OF
RESEARCH For Students

• Higher grades and test scores
• Increased enrollment in more challenging academic
  programs
• More classes passed and credits earned
• Better attendance
• Improved behavior at home and at school
• Better social skills and adaptation to school

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What Will School, Family, and Community
Partnerships Really DO for My School?RESULTS OF
RESEARCH For Parents

• Increased feeling of support from school and
  other parents
• More interactions with other families in school
  and community activities
• More effective responses to student problems
• Increased awareness of student progress and how
  to help student do better
• Increased feeling of ownership of school

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What Will School, Family, and Community
Partnerships Really DO for My School?RESULTS OF
RESEARCHFor Teachers

• Increased respect for families strengths and
  efforts
• Greater readiness to involve ALL families in new
  ways
• Increased satisfaction with family involvement
  and support
• More likely to report ALL parents can help their
  children less likely to stereotype single
  parents, poor parents, or those with less
  education as unable to help

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Next Steps?

• Training by Dr. Epstein
• Administrators
• School Improvement Teams
• Parents
• Membership in National Network of Partnership
  Schools

• Success stories of Promising Partnership
  Practices from schools
• Research studies on effective strategies
• TIPSTeachers Involving Parents in Schoolwork
• Tools to evaluate partnership efforts
• Publications and productsbooks,
  surveys, Power Point CDs to conduct workshops,
  incentives

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Questions