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2 Use the Framework to Reach School Goals Stories from the Field

This chapter describes how the framework of six types of involvement is imple- mented in practice to improve schools’ partnership climate and to increase

student success. The examples in this chapter are from schools that have worked over the years with the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) at Johns Hopkins University to strengthen their programs of family and community engage- ment. Their ideas and experiences illustrate the importance of planning, evaluating, and continually improving activities to involve more families in productive ways.

The framework of six types of involvement guides school-based Action Teams for Partnerships (ATPs) to select and implement practices of family and community engagement to ensure a welcoming school climate and to support student learning and development. Goal-linked activities guide family and community partners to support students in reading, math, science, writing, and skills in other subjects; attendance; behavior; transitions to new schools; career awareness and postsecond- ary planning; multicultural understanding; and other important outcomes.

The framework of six types of involvement is not an end in itself. Rather, it guides schools’ ATPs to think purposefully about selecting activities that enable all families to become engaged in their child’s education at home, at school, or in the community. The activities across all types should strengthen parents’ knowledge of

Epstein, Joyce L., et al. School, Family, and Community Partnerships : Your Handbook for Action, Corwin Press, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/franklin-ebooks/detail.action?docID=6261801. Created from franklin-ebooks on 2025-01-11 19:45:57.

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64 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

child and adolescent development, improve communications between families and educators, identify volunteers for the school, increase parents’ discussions and inter- actions with their children about their schoolwork, encourage parents’ participation in school decisions, and build helpful connections with community partners.

Six Types of Involvement to Improve School Climate and Student Success

Twelve examples of activities from preschools and elementary, middle, and high schools illustrate how to use the framework of six types of involvement to create a welcoming, family-friendly school and help students reach important results.

Type 1–Parenting activities illustrate how schools are working to increase families’ understanding of child and adolescent development. The sample activi- ties aim to

• strengthen the school climate by helping preschool parents feel welcome on the first day of school with opportunities to ask questions, obtain information about the school, volunteer and become involved in other ways, and ease young children’s transition to the school; and

• provide a forum for parents of students in the middle grades to meet and talk with each other and with a school counselor about the challenges of early adolescent development.

Type 1–Parenting also includes activities that help schools know their families. Educators need to understand parents’ hopes and dreams for their children, as well as family and student needs and interests. Each school is different from the next, but knowledge about students’ families helps all teachers communicate more effectively with parents as their children move through the grades.

Type 2–Communicating activities include strategies to improve two-way con- nections about school programs and students’ progress. The sample activities aim to

• enable students and parents to meet their new teacher before the start of the school year, gather information about the school, see their new classroom, hear about the curriculum for the year, and have time for parents and stu- dents to ask questions; and

• engage parents on a goal for all students in the school to read 29,000 books during the year, learn about the school’s Accelerated Reading program, enjoy a book fair, and visit stations where students conduct reading and liter- acy activities, such as reading, writing, and playing word games with their parents or family partners.

Two-way communications increase understanding and cooperation between school and home and show students that their teachers and parents are in contact with each other to help them succeed in school. Because information from the school must be useful and clear to all families, schools should translate messages and pro- vide interpreters for families who speak languages other than English at home. Schools may conduct low-tech and high-tech communications to match families’ favorite or most efficient connections.

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Use the Framework to Reach School Goals 65

Type 3–Volunteering activities mobilize parents and others who can share their time and talents to support the school, teachers, and student activities at the school or in other locations. The sample practices aim to

• invite all parents to schedule 20 hours of volunteer time each year at school, at home, or in other locations. Parents may select the time to volunteer and specify their talents and interests that will match the school’s programs for academic tutoring and enrichment, student health and wellness, career awareness, and other topics; and

• increase students’ career awareness by involving more fathers and father figures along with moms and other family partners as presenters in students’ classrooms about their work, education or training, and experiences.

Parents and other family and community volunteers may assist individual teach- ers by helping students practice specific skills, or volunteers may help the school in the media center/library, family room, computer lab, playground, cafeteria, after- school program, or in other ways. Volunteers also include audience members who support the school and students by attending student performances, sports activi- ties, assemblies, celebrations, and other events.

Type 4–Learning at Home activities provide families with information about the academic work that their children do in class, how to help their children with home- work, and other curriculum-related activities and decisions. The sample activities aim to

• engage parents with students in selecting high school courses to ensure that necessary credits are earned for on-time high school graduation; and

• encourage teachers to assign homework activities once each quarter in selected subjects that enable students to have fun with a parent or family partner in conducting a creative activity, demonstration, or discussion about something they are learning in school.

Learning at Home activities also may guide parents to help children practice and master specific skills at home; discuss their work in a particular subject; complete homework; choose courses, summer programs, or other learning opportunities; and plan for postsecondary education.

Type 5–Decision Making activities enable families to participate in decisions about school policies, programs, and practices that affect their own and other chil- dren. Type 5 activities include the work of parent representatives who serve on the School Improvement Team, ATP, other committees, PTA, PTO, or other parent orga- nizations. The sample activities aim to

• increase parents’ input to the annual One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships with a survey to determine their interest in specific topics and involvement activi- ties; and

• expand the “room parent” role to include assisting to students in class and serving as a liaison between school and home to help each teacher communi- cate with all students’ parents.

All families need information about school policies and opportunities to offer ideas and reactions to improve their schools. When parent representatives do their

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jobs well, they gather ideas from and return information to all of the families they represent. Type 5 activities not only include parent leaders on school committees, but also improve parent leaders’ actions to inform and engage all parents, enable parents to advocate for programs and services for their own children, and communicate the results of discussions and decisions that improve school programs and increase student success.

Type 6–Collaborating with the Community activities encourage the coopera- tion of schools and families with community groups, organizations, agencies, and individuals. Connections are made in both directions: Community resources may assist and enrich the school, students, and families. As important, schools, students, and families may assist and enrich the community. The sample activities aim to

• introduce alumni and community members to a newly renovated school, with tours, Q&A, use of social media, and networking with students; and

• partner with the local museum for a science night for students and parents, and introduce families to the museum for return visits.

All communities have human, economic, material, and social resources that may help improve schools, strengthen families, and assist students to succeed in school and in life. Some schools create “community portraits” to identify all programs and services available for teachers, families, and students. Others connect with business, industry, and agencies on special projects (e.g., conducting afterschool programs, constructing a new playground). Still others work with organizations to increase stu- dents’ problem-solving abilities, opportunities for internships, service, and philan- thropy in the community.

Summary

The power of the framework of six types of involvement is that it helps ATPs select or design activities that engage families in different ways and different places. Then, all parents may be partners in their children’s education, regardless of time, location, and other common constraints. Although activities for each type of involvement raise challenges to reach all families, the sample activities and ideas in the supplementary charts illustrate how school teams can design creative solutions to many different problems. Further, if district leaders for partnerships guide ATPs on this agenda, then more schools within the district organize goal- linked programs of family and community engagement that include all students’ families.

Good partnership activities, such as those shared below, add fun and joy to a school. By including activities for all six types of involvement, preschools and ele- mentary, middle, and high schools help students feel that they are cared for in family- friendly schools and in school-friendly homes. The selected activities are among over 1,500 practices reported over 20 years in NNPS’s annual books of Promising Partnership Practices. All practices can be adopted or adapted to meet the needs of each school. See more examples at www.partnershipschools.org in the section Success Stories.

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SCHOOL STORIES TYPE 1–PARENTING PreK Parent Breakfast

Bell city School

Bell city, louisiana

Goal for Partnership Climate: Make parents new to the school feel welcome from Day 1.

Level: Preschool/Kindergarten (adaptable to other grade levels)

The first day of preschool poses a difficult separation for many parents and children. To help ease the transition and begin good communications between school and home, Bell City School hosted a PreK Parent Breakfast on the first day of school. Parents and teachers met each other; families received helpful resources; and the children were just down the hall in their classrooms.

The PTO welcomed parents to the cafeteria for coffee and pastries. The principal, counselor, and members of the ATP mingled with the parents, allayed concerns, and answered many questions. Parents received information on the PTO, the ATP, upcoming meetings and events, and how to become a school volunteer. Parents were asked to note their special talents and abilities and time to support the ATP and classroom activities (e.g., baking, art, crafts, technology, career information).

Organizers set up decorations and used plastic table runners to facilitate clean up. The ATP displayed trifold bulletin boards of photos of student activities and family and community engagement events from the previous year. PreK teachers sent individual invitations to parents to encourage them to attend.

The first-day-of-school meeting for parents also benefitted students by easing the emotional first-day separation from their parents, who were there in the cafeteria. “We were made to feel very welcome as newcomers to the school,” said one parent, “and we were glad to hear about the activities planned for the year.”

School administrators liked meeting the students’ families rather than just seeing them drop off their children. A school counselor noted, “The PreK Breakfast was a great opportunity to give our newest families a heartfelt welcome and to have one- on-one time with each of them.”

The PTO sponsored the breakfast and worked with the ATP to conduct the activ- ity. They adapted an idea from another school of distributing printed resources to the parents. In their evaluations, the PTO and ATP noted ways to improve and expand the agenda. The team plans to prepare a welcoming video, have a school walk- through, and increase coverage of family engagement activities from the prior year.

New PreK students and their parents enter the school every year and need to feel part of the school community. A PreK Parent Breakfast shows parents that the school knows they are partners in their children’s education. Breakfast, it seems, starts the day and the school year off right.

Source: Promising Partnership Practices 2015

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SCHOOL STORIES TYPE 1–PARENTING

Discussion by and for Parents of Early Adolescents Francis howell middle School

St. charles, missouri

Goal for Partnership Climate and Student Success: Enable parents to talk together about the challenges of raising healthy and successful adolescents.

Level: Middle School (adaptable to other school levels)

Time flies when parents of middle schoolers get together to talk about the challenges of raising healthy and successful early adolescents. The parent involvement team (PIT)—the school’s partnership team—and other teachers and staff at Francis Howell Middle School learned this, firsthand, last year when they hosted a roundtable— Discussion by and for Parents of Early Adolescents. Led by a professional counselor, the discussion offered parents a safe environment in which to share their experiences and solutions to common parenting concerns. The counselor also provided a few parenting tips and strategies for smoothing family relationships and improving student behavior at home and at school.

More than 30 parents attended the discussion, which was held at 7:00 p.m. on a weeknight in the school library. Over 100 more parents received notes by e-mail on the topics discussed. The counselor—who also was the parent of two students at the middle school—started with a short presentation. He discussed some key concepts from the field of psychology, including the importance of setting boundaries for early adolescents. “You are the parent, not the friend,” he advised. “Staying consis- tent is key. State consequences and stick with them.”

The counselor went on to suggest other ways for parents and children to build mutual respect. For example, he advised parents to explain the decisions they make, rather than say “. . . because I said so.” They also might allow their children to make independent choices, such as what clothing to wear, and support them when these choices are positive.

After the presentation, the counselor presided over a Q&A session, which led to an animated group discussion among parents. The parents were eager to talk with each other about important challenges that arise in the middle grades. “This makes me feel better as a parent—that I am not alone with issues that come up,” one parent acknowledged. “I really like how open everyone can be in sharing their experiences,” agreed another. Others expressed eagerness to attend similar roundtable discussions in the future.

The Discussion by and for Parents of Early Adolescents was promoted using fly- ers and website announcements, and was featured on the school’s Twitter timeline. There were no extra costs involved, beyond planning time and strong commitments.

Based on parents’ responses, the PIT, teachers, and administrators at Francis Howell Middle School plan to host discussions next year on a variety of parenting topics with different guest speakers for each session. They plan to record the presentations and share them using social media with parents who are unable to

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attend the discussions. The continuity of confidence of parents is very important for students’ success in school. Open and honest discussions by and for parents can help more parents guide their children through the middle grades with confidence.

Source: Promising Partnership Practices 2014

More Type 1–Parenting Activities from Books of Promising Partnership Practices

(listed alphabetically by title)

Type 1 Activity and School Goal Summary Challenge Addressed

Clothes Closet Exchange

Several Schools/ Various Titles

enable families to obtain school uniforms and other clothes for school as their children grow.

Set up a room and dates for parents to easily exchange gently-used coats, uniforms, and other items for school. the area can be organized by parent and community volunteers (linking a type 1–Parenting goal through type 3–volunteering).

help parents reduce clothing expenses and enable children to attend school in clothes that fit.

Faculty Visits the Community

Chiawana High School

Pasco, WA

Give teachers insight into the different communities where their students live. in this school, many students live over eight miles from school, which makes it difficult for some parents to participate in events at school.

teachers, administrators, and school staff paid friendly visits to three communities to meet families. at each location, a student ambassador and community partner led a walking tour. Students discussed strengths and problems in the area. Parents discussed hopes for their high school students. educators gave plants created by chiawana students to each family.

help teachers know their families.

enable families to share information about their backgrounds and children’s talents and needs.

Healthy Teen

Park Middle School

Kennewick, WA

after a tragic suicide of a student, school leaders wanted to talk openly with students and parents about students’ mental health, student support, and ways to prevent serious problems.

a series of discussions on aspects of students’ physical and mental health were conducted with students and parents. topics included a pledge to prevent drug and alcohol abuse, strategies for parent-child discussions, and participation in mental health awareness month. activities for physical health and fitness were conducted with students, teachers, families, and the community.

help families understand early adolescent development and support early adolescents’ health and mental health. help students avoid high-risk behaviors.

Taste of Dower— Iron Chef Night

Dower Elementary School

Lakewood, WA

create healthy recipes that all elementary school students can prepare, including those in families with low incomes.

ten stations were set up with ingredients and cooking utensils for families to make and enjoy healthy, tasty foods. the menu included appetizers, salads, main entrees, desserts, and beverages. Students used reading and math skills in the process. Families took home copies of all recipes.

assist parents with information on good nutrition for children’s growth and development and ideas for healthy lunches and meals at home.

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70 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

SCHOOL STORIES TYPE 2–COMMUNICATING

Move-Up Night arden elementary School

columbia, South carolina

Goal for Partnership Climate: Prepare students and families for the transition to the next grade level before the school year ends.

Level: Elementary School (adaptable to other school levels)

As summer winds down, students get butterflies. They wonder, “What lies ahead in the new school year?” Students at Arden Elementary School are ahead of the game, thanks to the school’s Move-Up Night at the end of the prior school year.

About 150 students and their parents came to meet their next teachers at Move-Up Night. This increased comfort and familiarity for the children and prepared teachers and parents to continue communicating. Parents also gathered information to pre- pare their children for the next grade. The activities started with a large group meet- ing. School administrators, teachers, and members of the ATP shared information about the school and its Title I program. Several community partners described resources and services for students and families, including summer programs.

After teachers were introduced, parents and children moved to their assigned new classrooms. Teachers welcomed their future students and parents, and they presented 30-minute slide presentations on the learning goals for their grade level, homework policies, expectations for student behavior, and participation in class. Some provided a list of suggested school supplies that students could bring when school started in the fall. They summarized the information in a pamphlet that parents could take home. Parents and children asked questions, and parents with children in different grades could visit another teacher or take a copy of that teacher’s pamphlet.

There was strong buy-in from teachers for Move-Up Night because they saw the value of meeting with their prospective students and families. The event coincided with the school’s Move-Up Days, when students spend two days with their next teach- ers. Move-Up Days and Move-Up Night require the principal and others to plan—in advance—students’ next placements. If this can be done, many benefits follow.

The key to high parent turnout is good advertising. For Move-Up Night, this included fliers, automated phone calls to each family, and reminders. Announcements at school urged students to remind their parents to attend Move-Up Night with them.

The principal was pleased, knowing that the personal connections of children and parents with the next teacher could be very helpful for student success in school. By sharing the curriculum and learning goals of the next grade, teachers provided parents with important information that often remains a mystery until well into the new school year. The forward-looking agenda also reinforced the school’s commit- ment to strong partnerships of home, school, and community.

Source: Promising Partnership Practices 2016

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Use the Framework to Reach School Goals 71

SCHOOL STORIES TYPE 2–COMMUNICATING Groovy Family Reading Night

W. t. henning elementary School

Sulphur, louisiana

Goal for Student Success: Improve student reading skills and attitudes

Level: Elementary School (adaptable to other school levels)

Not a school to shy away from lofty goals, Henning Elementary School set a target for children to read 29,000 books during the school year. With just over 400 students, this was a formidable challenge that made reading a central focus at the school. In support of the goal, the ATP and reading teachers designed a “groovy” reading night. Attendees were encouraged to wear their grooviest 1970s attire. The reading night introduced the big reading goal to families and community partners as some- thing that was “outta sight”—meaning “great!”—not out of the question.

The annual family night aimed to show how reading was, indeed, groovy. A “fab” flyer of flowers and fun fonts was distributed to each student for the family. Invitations were sent by phone, on the school’s marquee, on the website, and in the newsletter. Local businesses donated food and paper products for dinner. They were thanked in the news- letter and on the marquee. These efforts and conducting the Groovy Family Reading Night combined with the school’s book fair increased attendance compared to past events.

The book fair was one station that students and families visited. Other stations offered a variety of reading and literacy activities throughout the building. One spot featured a local guest author who told stories, read original work, and conducted a book signing. Another station featured writing and craft activities for students to do with a parent (e.g., decorating book covers, creating bookmarks, writing new end- ings to stories). Another enabled students and parents to read together and take Accelerated Reading tests. This helped parents understand the school’s reading pro- gram and how 29,000 books was an attainable goal, as students read book after book. A popular spot featured Book Bingo, where students and parents could play Bingo games to win books to take home. A timer encouraged families to rotate to a new activity in 10-minute intervals so that everyone was able to visit all of the stations.

At all stations, the goal for students to read 29,000 books was spotlighted. This made the ambitious goal clear to parents, who could, then, discuss progress with their children throughout the school year. In keeping with the theme, the ATP and teachers called for “peace, love, and books”— all “groovy.”

Parents gave feedback on exit surveys, including their favorite activities and sug- gested improvements. Parents had positive reactions. Said one staff member, “Because our parents felt welcomed and valued, we believe we have opened an ave- nue of trust we could not have experienced without this practice.”

Future reading nights will change the groovy theme, but all reading nights aim to help students and parents find their reading groove. It should be noted that students reached the goal of reading 29,000 books during the school year. This result was definitely “outta sight” or in today’s parlance “off the charts!” Henning’s focus on reading was very cool.

Source: Promising Partnership Practices 2016

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More Type 2–Communicating Activities from Books of Promising Partnership Practices

(listed alphabetically by title)

Type 2 Activity and School Goal Summary Challenge Addressed

Parent Portal Access

Ochoa Middle School

Pasco. WA

enable parents to know and navigate the school’s web-based parent portal to follow students’ academic progress online.

the atP provided guidelines in english and Spanish for parents to regularly check the parent portal for their child’s grades, assignments, and attendance. a survey of parents in fall and spring found increased use and positive attitudes about the portal.

make print material easy to follow. add magnet for easy posting at home. conduct pre- and post-surveys in english and Spanish for results.

Computer Connection

Highlands Middle School

Kennewick, WA

help families, including those with english language learners, understand the school’s grading system and monitor their child’s grades and progress.

the atP conducted two workshops. one helped parents open e-mail accounts to communicate with teachers and others. the second focused on how parents could use the parent portal to access their child’s grades and other important school information.

Provide print copies of the presentations in english and Spanish. Send copies to parents who could not attend. close the digital divide between parents who are computer savvy and those with limited computer access and skills.

How to Communicate in Over 20 Languages

Westgate Elementary School

Kennewick, WA

train student ambassadors to share information from monthly school calendars with a parent in the family’s home language. increase diversity of parents at school meetings and events and on committees.

monthly school calendars of meetings and events at all grade levels are distributed to students in their library periods. Students take leadership as “ambassadors” from school to home. they post the calendar at home and discuss the information with a parent in their home language.

make all memos, notices, and other communications clear and understandable for all families.

if translation services are not available for all languages spoken by parents, sometimes students can fill in.

Graduation Requirements Parent Meetings

Gregorio Luperon High School for Science and Math

New York, NY

Give parents tools to advocate for and guide their teen’s academic and postsecondary goals. this school serves 100 percent hispanic students, most in families with low incomes, and most students are learning english.

the atP and other staff planned a series of meetings to help parents and students interpret student transcripts together. they turned the information into a plan for taking and passing required courses for graduation from high school.

make student transcripts interpretable to families and students to plan for needed courses.

make two-way channels of communication easy from school to home and home to school.

Parents, Me, and Poetry

Opelousas Junior High School

Opelousas, LA

Provide students an audience for their original poems.

in their english classes, students learned to bring figurative language into their writing. Students in the Poetry and drama club scheduled a public performance. Parents and community members gained insight into the teens’ thoughts and struggles.

communicate with families about the curriculum, students’ work, and progress. celebrate students’ writing.

Simply the Best

South Florence High School

Florence, SC

Showcase all programs at the school and celebrate the diversity of students and families.

in a fair-like setting, displays, presentations, and performances featured all clubs, programs, and learning opportunities at the school. Students took leadership roles for the showcase.

communicate with all parents about school programs and students’ progress.

connect high school with feeder middle school(s) to give students and parents information about their new school.

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SCHOOL STORIES TYPE 3–VOLUNTEERING

Innovative Volunteer Engagement Patterson Park Public charter School

Baltimore, maryland

Goal for Partnership Climate: Enable all parents to volunteer in some way to assist the school and its students.

Level: Elementary and Middle Grades (adaptable to other grade levels)

Innovative Volunteer Engagement at Patterson Park Public Charter School (PPPCS) embraces the diversity of its families’ backgrounds, cultures, and education levels. The school requests each family to serve 20 hours of volunteer time per year. The ATP and other school leaders designed ways for families to meet this request in a broad range of meaningful volunteer opportunities and by recognizing families for their contributions.

A Gifts & Talents survey underlies the volunteer program. In English and Spanish, the survey asks volunteers about the talents they want to share or their unique interests, skills, abilities, and affiliations that will support and enrich the school and its students. The survey also lists many specific volunteer opportunities at PPPCS. Examples include assembling bookshelves; chaperoning field trips; tutor- ing in the classroom; aiding lunch and recess; fundraising; being a reading buddy; translating and interpreting; laundering team uniforms; and other aspects of aca- demic enrichment, health and wellness, and fund-raising. The survey lets families know that, whatever their talents, they are valuable to the school and its students. Families are asked to note their ideal time to volunteer (during the school day, after school, on weekends, or at home) and their preferred contact information.

All of this information is entered into a database and used throughout the year to recruit and place volunteers. Teachers can, for example, sort the list to find only the fam- ilies who are interested in tutoring students in particular subjects during the school day. The numbers of volunteers and their hours of service are tracked throughout the year.

A school reading specialist noted, “The impact [of reading volunteers] on [stu- dents’] literacy development is powerful.” Students like to see their families helping out, and families know that are valued by their children, the school, and other fami- lies. Some parents have found employment at the school via volunteering, and oth- ers have built skills that led to employment elsewhere. The program is supported by school funds and donations from staff, local businesses, and organizations. Members of the ATP and others serve as volunteers to process the survey data, help identify volunteers, and organize the Volunteer Appreciation Banquet Breakfast.

PPPCS officially recognizes volunteers’ contributions in the school’s monthly newsletter. Those who complete the 20-hour commitment are invited to the banquet at the end of the year. There, the principal thanks families with certificates and thank- you gifts presented by their children. Gift cards donated by local businesses and staff are raffled off. This school appreciates its families.

Source: Promising Partnership Practices 2015

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74 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

SCHOOL STORIES TYPE 3–VOLUNTEERING

Careers, Craftsmanship, and Community in the Classroom

mark twain elementary School

Pasco, Washington

Goal for Student Success: Extend students’ career awareness.

Level: Elementary School (adaptable to other school levels)

It is a common question that children are asked: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” At first, students’ answers are limited—doctor, teacher, fireman. But, with good career awareness activities, children’s ideas and options grow. Mark Twain Elementary School is helping students think broadly about a wide array of interests and careers. The school’s principal said that he knew the school was on the right track when he heard that students were genuinely excited to learn about careers linked to their interests, such as playing in a military band and careers in dog training.

More than 60 percent of Mark Twain’s students are Hispanic, and about half are English language learners. Over 80 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced- price lunch. The goal to increase all students’ career awareness was connected to another goal at the school—to involve more fathers in the educational process. To extend the school’s established Watch D.O.G.S. program (Dads of Great Students), the ATP, teachers, principal, and others developed a strong career awareness activity: Careers, Craftsmanship, and Community in the Classroom. Dads and other father figures were invited to share information about their jobs, craft skills, or hobbies, and answer students’ questions. Community partners also were invited to participate.

Mark Twain Elementary knows that the presence of fathers is important to the school and for the success of more students. When dads and other male role models come to the school as partners to describe their jobs and other interests, the children—boys and girls—listen and learn. Dads are a natural resource for opening students’ minds to more and different career options.

The fathers were recruited a month before the day of presentations. A flyer was sent home with all children that invited dads and father figures to come to a meeting to learn how they might participate. Anyone with a conflicting schedule could e-mail or call the event leader.

On the scheduled day, each presenter was given 30 minutes to present his expe- riences and answer students’ questions in one or two classrooms. The classroom dis- cussions included questions about the skills needed to do certain jobs and the education or training that was required.

Some presenters did more, by getting students involved in an activity related to their job or hobby. One teacher reported, “The students were engaged and excited to be able to participate in different fitness activities that the fitness boot camp trainer had them do.”

No doubt the curious and responsive youngsters helped the presenters come away with a positive experience. Thank-you notes were sent to each presenter, and

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Use the Framework to Reach School Goals 75

one responded, “Thank YOU! This was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. And the kids were so polite. Would it be okay if I came back another time?”

The school plans to extend the activity to two days by adding an important element—one day will feature mothers and their diverse careers.

Source: Promising Partnership Practices 2016

More Type 3–Volunteering Activities from Books of Promising Partnership Practices

(listed alphabetically by title)

Type 3 Activity and School Goal Summary Challenge Addressed

Amistad Community Garden

Amistad Elementary School

Kennewick, WA

connect the school and community with volunteers for the school garden.

although many families of the students are farm workers, they may not have gardens of their own. the garden at school provided families an opportunity to plant, grow, and enjoy fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Students used math skills to plan the garden.

Provide opportunities for families to assist the school with their real-world skills and talents.

BES Goes to Work

Ballentine Elementary School

Irmo, SC

increase students’ career awareness by involving employed parents and other family members in showcasing their occupations and work settings.

BeS the Bear (school mascot) went to work with different family members each month. BeS was photographed to show the various jobs at a workplace. the parent/family volunteer wrote a short summary of what BeS saw at work. the photos and summary were displayed on a bulletin board at school to expand students’ career awareness.

recruit volunteers widely to assist the school and students at school, at home, or in the community. ensure flexible schedules so that families know that their time and talents are welcomed and valued.

Dads and Drills

Lincoln Elementary School, Kennewick, WA

encourage more fathers to be involved at school.

dads and drills, held 4 times in the school year, offered stations for students and dads to enjoy physical fitness activities (e.g., wall climbing, relay races) and academic skill building (e.g., grade appropriate reading and math skills). also, community groups shared health, wellness, and fitness resources and information.

recruit widely—including fathers and father figures. organize activities to make use of volunteers’ time and talents.

Grandparents and the Bingo Connection!

Central Middle School

Eunice, LA

connect student writing with increasing participation of grandparents at the school. connect volunteers with fundraising for the school library/media center.

For homework, students completed a questionnaire about activities with a grandparent, and grandparents answered questions about the grandchild/student. these were shared at the Bingo event. Grandparents were invited to volunteer at the school.

extend volunteering opportunities broadly to family members and community partners.

Tinkertopia

Oakwood Elementary School

Lakewood, WA

create artwork from recycled materials to spark students’ creativity and to call attention to their carbon footprints.

Volunteers helped collect recycled materials for this art project. on earth day, students created their work, selecting up to eight recycled items for their projects. Parent volunteers help students use tools, sewing machines, and glue guns. teachers followed up with a lesson about their carbon footprints.

Provide opportunities for family volunteers to use their talents and interests to assist student learning.

link art with science, to turn Stem to Steam (i.e., science, technology, engineering, art, and math)

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76 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

SCHOOL STORIES TYPE 4–LEARNING AT HOME

Preregistration Nights lyford high School

lyford, texas

Goal for Partnership Climate and Student Success: Increase the quality and purposefulness of students’ course choices with parents’ input and discussions.

Level: High School

Students and their parents headed to Lyford High School for individual academic counseling appointments last February. The goal of the meetings was to help stu- dents in grades 9, 10, and 11 register for courses that would ensure they would graduate on time and would be prepared for the college or career of their choice.

Parents also benefited. They gained a better understanding of the school’s course registration process and how to collaborate with teachers and counselors to ensure that their teens were on the right track to succeed. “This is something new and I love it,” remarked one parent. “I am glad I came with my daughter to discuss her classes for the upcoming year and for her to start thinking of her goals after she graduates high school.” A teacher echoed this sentiment. “The Preregistration Nights have been great—seeing parents and students holding conversations about their classes and discussing . . . the future,” she said.

Nearly 350 students and their parents participated. Ten teachers were prepared to address challenging questions about colleges and careers. They met individually with each student and the student’s parent. The teachers used a script to ensure that everyone received key information. Then they went off script to discuss the courses that would help each student reach a personal goal. Each teacher scheduled four half-hour periods per night, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The teachers and counselors were compensated for their time.

Planning for Preregistration Nights occurred over two months. The staff com- piled folders for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. Each folder contained a course preregistration form, an outline of graduation requirements, a class schedule, and the student’s current transcript. In January, the folders were mailed to students and families with information on how to set up an appointment at preregistration.

It was important for students and families to keep these appointments. To address inevitable scheduling problems, the staff rescheduled appointments via phone, text, or e-mail. For families who could not come to school at the scheduled times, the staff conducted home visits.

Preregistration Nights were successful in bringing students, families, and faculty together for positive academic conversations. These discussions meant that all stu- dents could take courses to meet their goals for on-time graduation and future plans. The responsive scheduling for a school appointment or home visit meant that at least one parent of every student knew that the teachers wanted parents as partners to guide and monitor their teens’ steps on the road through high school and into the future.

Source: Promising Partnership Practices, 2014

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Use the Framework to Reach School Goals 77

SCHOOL STORIES TYPE 4–LEARNING AT HOME

Home to School Lessons mary emily Bryan middle School

Weldon Spring, missouri

Goal for Student Success: Increase homework completion with student-parent interactions and choice of assignments.

Level: Middle School (adaptable to other school levels)

Mary Emily Bryan Middle School’s ATP wanted to make school more home-like and home more school-like to ensure that students had multiple sources of support for education. To show that many daily activities easily connect home and school, the ATP adapted an idea for innovative homework in Home to School Lessons.

The ATP divided school subjects into eight areas: English language arts, math, social studies, science, fine arts, practical arts, PE, and reading. Teachers in two subjects assigned Home to School Lessons in each quarter of the year.

The ATP provided a list of 30 topics and activities for interactive homework assignments that could be adapted for different subjects. The activities had to be smart, creative, and fun for students and parents to do together—not always using paper and pencil. They had to be no-cost and easy to complete. Students would take the lead in conducting the activities with a family member.

In the first quarter of the school year, teachers of fine arts and practical arts made the assignments. Each teacher selected or adapted one interactive homework assign- ment for students. Among other ideas, these included talking about and collecting favorite recipes, listening to a piece of music together and noting how family mem- bers responded differently to the music, or playing a game of charades. Or, teachers could design other assignments linked to their own curriculum.

In the second quarter, communication arts and science teachers selected or designed interactive assignments. Ideas included interviewing family members about how technology is different now from when they were in middle school, ask- ing parents why they chose a particular career, or doing a science experiment together.

Social studies and math teachers had their turn in the third quarter. Teachers chose from ideas such as discussing how math is used in a family’s daily life, writing a news article together about an event in the family’s history, or making a meal plan using a certain budget.

Physical education and reading teachers designed creative homework in the fourth quarter of the school year. Students could engage a family member in taking a bike ride or walk, going on a nature scavenger hunt, asking parents about their favor- ite books when they were children, and, if possible, reading those books together.

At first, the activities were optional. Fewer than half the students and families participated. This year, activities were improved and required; they contributed toward students’ grades. Over 91 percent of families participated and reported how much they enjoyed the activities.

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78 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

One teacher reported, “When students shared their family recipes, the [other stu- dents] made connections to their [own] family’s history. They want to create a cook- book to make all of the recipes at home.” A parent shared, “I can’t believe [my son] was able to teach me a song on the keyboard. We had a great time listening to some of my favorite songs from when I was his age!”

Although the assignments were fun, students also engaged in higher-level think- ing discussions with their parents and family members, and connected school learn- ing with real life skills. It seems that everyone wins when students take what they learn in school and make it come to life at home.

Source: Promising Partnership Practices 2015

Type 4 Activity and School Goal Summary

Challenge Addressed

Books and Brew:

A Home Visit Program

Hawthorne Elementary School Kennewick, WA

implement a feasible home visiting program.

the atP and teachers identified students who would most benefit from a home visit. they developed guidelines and contacted parents. they brought a book for the student, a learning game, and cups of coffee to share with the parent. they demonstrated how the parent and child could practice and enjoy specific math and reading skills.

use home visits for friendly exchanges to reinforce that families can positively support children’s learning.

Family Game Night

Louis Stokes Head Start

Cleveland, OH

help parents understand that their preschool children (three to five years old) learn through play, by manipulating new materials, and by interacting with others around them.

the atP and volunteers led activity stations where parents and children played games that were fun and that strengthened students’ skills in specific subjects. Parents and children rotated through the stations and received information on how to play the games at home.

involve families in activities that they can use at home to support and extend what children learn in school.

Manipulating Math

Delmae Elementary School

Florence, SC

Provide parents of fourth grade students information they requested about how to help their children practice math at home.

at parents’ requests, teachers created two evening sessions to demonstrate how parents could help students at home on math skills that needed practice. the sessions were recorded and shared on the fourth- grade website for parents unable to attend. Parents were given materials to use with their children at home.

increase parents’ confidence about interacting with their children on math in positive ways.

Science Family Night

DeQuincy Elementary School

DeQuincy, LA

increase students’ achievement in science on state tests.

community members and teachers created stress-free science experiments in stations that parents and children rotated through every 10 to 15 minutes. Families also watched a StarlaB planetarium presentation run by a science teacher. Families were given packets with supplies and directions for 14 experiments to conduct for fun at home.

make challenging school subjects more fun to learn and do. use parent-child interactions to identify the importance of science in the real world.

More Type 4–Learning at Home Activities from Books of Promising Partnership Practices

(listed alphabetically by title)

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Use the Framework to Reach School Goals 79

SCHOOL STORIES TYPE 5–DECISION MAKING

Surveys for Success: Using Parent Input to Inform Action

Vista elementary School

Kennewick, Washington

Goal for Partnership Climate: Increase parent input to One-Year Action Plans of the ATP.

Level: Elementary School (Adaptable to other school levels)

When the ATP at Vista Elementary School began drafting its One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships, members realized they were missing something important—parents’ input. “[We felt] that we did not have a lot of data directly from parents on what . . . they would find most interesting, fun, or helpful,” an ATP member said. The team decided to contact more and different parents to plan the year’s activities and initiatives.

An efficient way to do this was with a survey. The ATP created a short, half-page questionnaire with multiple-choice answers that could be filled out quickly. Surveys for Success: Using Parent Input to Inform Action included questions about how parents were presently involved, what prevented or limited involvement at school, what the ATP and others might do to increase their engagement, and how satisfied they were with communications from the school. The ATP believed that the best return rate would come at a popular school gathering. They selected the school’s annual Winter Music Festival, which had high attendance each year, to distribute the surveys.

Prior to the festival, members of the ATP talked with teachers about the survey and importance of returns, and gave each teacher a stack of surveys and plenty of pencils.

At the festival, 30 teachers and staff asked parents to complete the surveys when they picked their children up in their classrooms after the performance. Most parents were happy to oblige, resulting in several hundred completed surveys.

The ATP collected the surveys from the teachers and forwarded them to the dis- trict’s leader for partnerships, who compiled the data for the school. The data showed that parents were particularly interested in evening events focused on the students’ curricula and classwork, particularly math and reading nights. As a result, the ATP planned STEM nights for the fourth and fifth grades this year, and will conduct a K–2 reading night next year.

“Surveying the parents directly was a great way to make sure that our ATP is really meeting the needs of our families,” the school principal said. She and the ATP members noted that enabling parents to have their voices heard should make them more likely to attend events and to feel included in the school community.

Five schools in the district have adopted this practice, which Vista Elementary School plans to continue on an annual basis. Next year, they will share the survey results with the entire school community to further promote an atmosphere of open- ness and to give parents and staff members an opportunity to react to the results.

Source: Promising Partnership Practices 2014

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80 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

SCHOOL STORIES TYPE 5–DECISION MAKING

Room Parent Program indian community School

Franklin, Wisconsin

Goal for Partnership Climate: Provide each teacher with a parent communicator who will connect with all students’ parents about activities, events, and other messages.

Level: Elementary and Middle Grades

Indian Community School enrolls Native American children for whom family is an extremely important part of culture. To represent family values in the school build- ing, the Family Resource Center (FRC) implemented the Room Parent Program, designating volunteer parents to serve as liaisons to connect the teachers, parents, and students in each class.

The parent leaders were each assigned to a specific classroom. Their first task was to compose a letter to introduce themselves and the program to other parents of students in the class. They acted as the voice of other classroom parents and got to know the students and staff at school. Throughout the year, room parents had sev- eral opportunities to contribute to students’ learning.

They asked all parents to provide their best contact information and asked about their interests in volunteering and participating in school activities. A short hand- book, Guidelines for Room Parents, explained, “Include all parents in your assigned class. You do not have to do [all of this work] alone.”

During the school year, room parents maintained weekly contact with their assigned teachers by phone, e-mail, or in person. They made substantial contribu- tions to their classrooms. They read to students, helped with math or social studies, assisted classroom-based activities, and coordinated volunteers when needed. The room parents had an important innovative task to help teachers communicate with all other parents of students in the class.

Room parents’ leadership paid off in the classroom. One teacher said, “My room parent was so helpful this year and my students . . . really liked having her in our class- room. They would get so excited knowing that the room parent was coming in to help.”

Indian Community School supported its parent leaders in many ways. FRC staff held an open information meeting at the beginning of the school year to give curious parents information about the Room Parent Program. Only parents who wanted to make a commitment to the program signed an agreement.

The agreement outlined the responsibilities of room parents. They were asked to be available on a weekly basis. They were expected to respect all students and their families equally. They were not to purchase supplies for classroom activities nor supervise students on their own. The initial guidelines helped clarify room parents’ roles. Monthly meetings with FRC staff enabled room parents to share their joys, ask questions, discuss concerns, and build skills.

One of the challenges that the FRC faced was organizing childcare that allowed the room parents to meet in person. The FRC asked parents to identify their childcare

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Use the Framework to Reach School Goals 81

needs so that plans for this service could be arranged. For next year, the program planners aim to recruit volunteers before the start of the school year and will ask retiring room parents to recommend their replacements.

The Room Parent Program offered parents an opportunity to give back to their children’s school by taking on vital and much-appreciated leadership roles. Students in each classroom gained a mentor and friendly adult on whom they could rely for help with classroom projects. Room parents brought home and school together in highly visible and important ways.

Source: Promising Partnership Practices 2012

More Type 5–Decision Making Activities from Books of Promising Partnership Practices

(listed alphabetically by title)

Type 5 Activity and School Goal Summary Challenge Addressed

All Pro Dads

Greenwood Elementary School

Florence, SC

enable dads to be more involved in school decisions and in motivating their children’s behavioral and academic success.

dads and father figures conducted a series of meetings (e.g., take dad to the library night with a local minor league basketball team; Bring dad to School to demonstrate classroom learning; dad-Student Fishing trip). the activities helped dads network with each other and become more engaged in their children’s education.

include dads as active partners in designing and developing activities for school programs of family and community engagement.

Career Night

Enterprise Middle School

West Richland, WA

Provide students with opportunities to learn about many career paths and set ambitious educational goals.

Parents on the atP recruited volunteers to talk about their occupations. over 30 presenters participated. they were grouped by related careers so that students could visit their booths to explore the careers that interested them.

Provide an opportunity for parents to take a leadership role in connections of home, school, and community.

Family Trivia Night

Francis Howell Middle School

St. Charles, MO

Provide a family-focused evening of fun to support the school’s need for new iPads.

a parent volunteer and two parent co-leaders guided a committee to work on various aspects of trivia night. Students took many leadership roles. the profit from sales of food and drink went to support school programs.

Provide opportunities for parent leaders to define school goals and guide activities to reach those goals.

Latin American Fair

Forest Park Elementary School

Little Rock, AR

Parents and the Pta identified the need to add Spanish language classes to the curriculum. the Pta raised funds to pay the salary of the Spanish teacher.

With funding from the Pta, the school hired a Spanish teacher to meet with each class each week. at the end of the year, all teachers conducted a latin american Fair. each class was assigned a country in latin america to showcase. Parents also celebrated the year’s learning.

encourage collaboration of the school’s atP, Pta, all parents, and teachers on decisions to enrich the school program and children’s learning.

Multicultural Fair

W. F. Kaynor Technical High School

Waterbury, CT

celebrate the diversity of student and family backgrounds.

Parents were surveyed on their family backgrounds to document the school’s cultural diversity. teachers’ conducted lessons on diversity throughout the year. For example, students conducted research on the contributions of scientists from the 61 countries that students’ families came from. a multicultural Fair celebrated the school’s diversity in presentations, song, dance, and food.

identify parent and student leaders from all racial, ethnic, linguistic, and socioeconomic groups in the school.

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82 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

SCHOOL STORIES TYPE 6–COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY

Alumni Trade Tour emmett o’Brien technical high School

ansonia, connecticut

Goal for Partnership Climate: Keep alumni of the school active in school pro- grams and support.

Level: High School (adaptable to other school levels)

What do you do when you get something new? Show your friends, of course! Emmett O’Brien Technical High School invited its alumni to tour its recently com- pleted building renovation of shops that prepare students for many trades. Current students and parents helped by contacting graduates they knew. Said one teacher, “I was shocked to see how many alumni from long ago showed up to see the shops.” About 200 community members and alumni attended the Alumni Trade Tour, along with about 80 parents, 100 current students, and many educators.

Alumni were met by student greeters, and then guided by other students to fill out questionnaires with their name, e-mail, year of graduation, what shop they grad- uated from, what they are doing now, whether they are working in their trade, the title of their current job, and permission to enter the information in an alumni data- base to stay in touch with the school. A bottle of water and postcard saying “Thank You” were given to each alum.

Guided tours were conducted by 15 pairs of student guides. They took visitors through the new trade wing with twenty-first century technology and machinery. At the end of the tour, coffee and pastries were served that were prepared by students in the Culinary Department.

Many current students worked to set up the tour, in the kitchen, or at the refresh- ment table; or were helpful in other ways. One student noted, “It was . . . interesting to hear their stories about when they were in school.” Another remarked, “Some of these guys are so successful already.” Still another was impressed, “I couldn’t believe how many past students told me how lucky I am to be at this school.”

The alumni also networked with each other to spread the word about the tour on social media. They posted items and pictures during the school tours. Some alumni credited the use of social media for an immediate response by some who saw their friends’ Instagram posts and came over to the tour that very evening.

After an hour and a half for tours, two alumni basketball games were held––one for males and one for females. Admission to the games, which raised funds for the school, was five dollars for adults and three dollars for students. The gym sold out.

School tours for alumni, parents, and community members will continue to be conducted for the first five years after the full remodeling of the school. Alumni basketball games will continue, too, to support the spirit of success at O’Brien.

Source: Promising Partnership Practices 2016

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Use the Framework to Reach School Goals 83

SCHOOL STORIES TYPE 6–COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY

Night at the Museum otter creek elementary School

little rock, arkansas

Goal for Student Success: Use community resources to strengthen students’ interest in science.

Level: Elementary School (adaptable to other school levels)

Although science is all around us, some students and their parents find the subject intimidating. At Otter Creek Elementary School, one teacher wanted to encourage schoolwide excitement and inquisitiveness about STEM subjects. She partnered with the Museum of Discovery to host Night at the Museum to make science interesting, engaging, and fun. The museum offered free attendance to all Otter Creek families to encourage parents, children, faculty, and staff to experience the science exhibits and hands-on activities together.

At Night at the Museum, students and parents learned about many scientific concepts. In hands-on exhibits and shows, the range of fascinating subjects included the distance a sneeze can travel, energy efficiency of compact fluorescent light bulbs versus regular lightbulbs, tornado simulations, the role of the intestines in the human body, visualization of sound waves, learning about live animals, and more.

Throughout the evening, parents saw that their children were active science learners in fun ways. The children were energized by sharing the whole trip with their parents. One parent voiced everyone’s reactions, “My child really enjoyed this. . . . It was a great way to get the entire family excited about science and to generate interest for our OCE Science Fair.”

Night at the Museum also increased connections and conversations among par- ents, teachers, students, and community members—all in the name of improving student achievement. Said another parent, “I loved the whole experience. Not only did my children have fun, but I also got to visit with other parents and staff that I normally do not get to see because of my work schedule.”

Many parents and students reported that this was their first visit to a science museum. The Otter Creek teachers and Discovery Museum staff hope that the posi- tivity of the experience will inspire parents to consider visiting again when planning future family outings.

To make Night at the Museum a success, staff and students announced it on morning announcements. Flyers were sent home emphasizing the museum’s free entry for all Otter Creek parents and children. Teachers included information in their class newsletters and on the school calendar. Through the school’s messaging system, families received messages the night before and the day of the event, and students went home with labels on their shirts reminding parents to attend.

The school’s Parent Involvement Fund made a donation to open the museum on one evening (when it might otherwise be closed), and the museum contributed to the free family and staff admissions. That meant that the only challenge to participation for most

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84 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

families was the 20-mile drive from Otter Creek to downtown Little Rock. About 125 par- ents and more than 225 students, along with 20 teachers, enjoyed Night at the Museum.

The Museum of Discovery has many resources linked to the Arkansas Education Framework and Common Core State Standards. Other school-museum connections are being explored. The Night at the Museum extended classroom teaching and learning, and enabled families to experience science in new ways that would other- wise have gone unexplored.

Source: Promising Partnership Practices 2015

More Type 6–Collaborating with the Community Activities from Books of Promising Partnership Practices (listed alphabetically by title)

Type 6 Activity and School Goal Summary

Challenge Addressed

Community Career and Resource Fair

Norwich Technical High School

Norwich, CT

Provide a resource for seniors in high school and their parents to learn about careers in local companies.

the atP and teachers invited local organizations to a career fair that included businesses, colleges, and military recruiters. nearly 80 representatives signed up. Students were guided to attend with copies of their resumes. about 700 students and parents benefitted from conversations about local options for education and employment.

inform students and families about programs and services in the community.

Community Service Craft Night

Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School

Bridgeport, CT

enable students to give back to the community.

Second graders created a crafts project to make blankets for children in Bridgeport hospital. children and parents sewed blankets together and talked about challenges associated with their own hospital stays. Students were happy to do something that made someone feel better at a time that is filled with anxieties.

Strengthen students’ self-confidence and their feelings of belonging and value to the community.

Hero Breakfast

South Florence High School

Florence, SC

express gratitude for a family or community member who is a hero to the student.

Students wrote essays describing people in their lives who exemplified one or more admirable traits. they brought their heroes to a breakfast, where they presented their essays to the honorees. over 400 family and community heroes and 400 students attended the heart-warming breakfast.

help high school students understand their ties to the community.

Literacy Night at the Museum

Greenwood Elementary School, Florence, SC

link students’ literacy skills to a visit to a museum.

over 500 children and parents explored the local museum and put their literacy skills to work. they searched for answers to questions on a museum scavenger hunt. dinner was donated by the city council. Students chose a free book to read at home. community reps shared information about free summer programs and services linked to reading.

Provide information about community programs and services, and ensure all school families have equal opportunities for participation.

Math Night at Piggly Wiggly

Burton-Pack Elementary School

Columbia, SC

apply math skills in a local grocery store.

the atP, math teachers, and store manager planned an evening of math at the Piggly Wiggly. activities matched grade-level skills and standards for grades K–2 and 3–5. children and families solved math problems in the frozen food, produce, pet food, and other sections. teachers were there to assist as needed.

use community contacts and resources to enrich the curriculum and children’s learning. Bring real-world math experiences to life.

Vamos a la Universidad (We Are Going to College)

Vinal Technical High School

Middletown, CT

Provide customized programming and support for college planning to the school’s latino students and their families.

the Spanish and career development teacher, the atP, and others designed three events to help students and families plan for college. this included sessions on applying to college, taking the Sat, obtaining scholarships, and financial aid; hearing from Vinal alumni on college experiences; and a visit to the university of connecticut–Storrs.

Provide information about community resources for student learning and development, and about the transition from high school to postsecondary education.

Note: The authors thank the schools that conducted the activities featured in Chapter 2. We also appreciate the district leaders for partnerships in these locations who guided these and other schools in their districts to use research-based approaches to implement comprehensive, goal-linked programs of family and community involvement.

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