Discussion 3

Chapter4ConductWorkshops.pdf

Home >Education homework help > Discussion 3

113

4 Conduct Workshops

T his chapter provides an outline and agenda for two workshops: a One-Day Team-Training Workshop for new, school-based Action Teams for Partnerships

(ATPs) and an End-of-Year Celebration Workshop for active teams to share best practices, discuss challenges, and prepare the next One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships for the upcoming school year. The workshops may be conducted by a district facilitator for partnerships who prepares all schools’ ATPs to plan and imple- ment their partnership programs, by a school leader who guides just one school’s ATP, or by another leader who provides schools with professional development on partnerships.

The workshops introduce the research base for developing an effective and equi- table partnership program, provide attendees with a common vocabulary to discuss their present practices and needed improvements, and help educators, parents, and other team members learn to work together to plan, implement, evaluate, and con- tinually improve their programs of family and community involvement.

One-Day Team-Training Workshop

A One-Day Team-Training Workshop is the first step in forming an effective ATP (see Chapter 3 on the importance of teamwork.) The initial, focused, professional devel- opment workshop helps members of new ATPs understand the six types of involve- ment, how to meet challenges to involve all families, how to ensure a welcoming school climate, and how to link partnership activities to learning and behavioral goals for student success. With this information, ATPs can plan and implement their partnership programs.

The workshop helps all team members understand that school, family, and com- munity partnerships should contribute to the attainment of goals in the School Improvement Plan. By completing a draft One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships at the

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 2025-01-23 00:33:30.

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

114 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

workshop, ATPs will be able to discuss the plan with others at their school, identify the links with the School Improvement Plan, and garner support for family and com- munity involvement to improve the school climate and support student learning and development at all grade levels.

District leaders for partnerships and ATP chairs also may provide “awareness” workshops or presentations for other administrators, teachers, parents, and commu- nity members who need to know more about the importance of school, family, and community partnerships; how to work more effectively with all families; and how to assist and support school-based ATPs. A new tool on the Handbook CD is an aware- ness session (Partnerships Then and Now), which includes a PowerPoint presentation in English and Spanish and explanatory notes.

This chapter starts with a sample agenda for a One-Day Team-Training Workshop on school, family, and community partnerships. The Handbook CD provide a suggested PowerPoint presentation for the full day’s workshop and the activities that ATPs will complete throughout the day. This chapter includes presentation notes to help leaders, facilitators, or team chairpersons discuss each workshop topic. Workshop leaders may revise or supplement these notes to fit their goals for good partnerships. The suggested “script” provides information that has helped hundreds of school teams get a good start in strengthening their partnership programs. All workshop handouts and activi- ties for attendees are included in Chapter 5 and on the Handbook CD.

The morning of the workshop begins with a short warm-up activity and is fol- lowed by information presentations and related activities on (a) the six types of involvement, (b) challenges that must be met to reach all families, (c) expected results for students when partnership activities are linked to school goals, and (d) structure of an ATP.

The afternoon of the workshop helps ATPs learn the components of a compre- hensive action plan for family and community engagement. Using the information gained in the morning and in the discussion of a good action plan, each ATP writes a draft One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships for their own school. The draft plan is the “exit ticket” for leaving the workshop. District facilitators keep copies of their schools’ draft plans and, in follow-up meetings, assist each ATP to complete a final version of the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships with input from other educators and parents at their school.

The one-day workshop is recommended for all teams starting research-based approaches for goal-linked programs of family and community engagement. It helps educators, parents, and community partners who are the members of the ATP learn to work together and complete a purposeful plan for partnerships to discuss with others at their school and to create a final plan for a full school year. When teachers, administrators, and parents take time to focus clearly on this content, they are agree- ing that it is important to spend one day learning the research base that guides the organization and conduct of an effective partnership program. They will leave the workshop with new knowledge about school, family, and community partnerships and a draft plan for goal-linked family and community engagement activities for student success in school.

Flexible Scheduling The suggested agenda, format, and timing of the One-Day Team-Training Workshop have been used successfully with hundreds of school teams. Still, there is flexibility

online resources

cd material referenced on this page can also be downloaded from resources.corwin.com/ PartnershipsHandbook

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 115

in this professional development activity. If a district or school cannot give one full day to this essential training, the agenda may be split into two half-days or two evening workshops, preferably on consecutive days. Under these conditions, the morning agenda is the first half of the workshop, and the afternoon agenda is the second half.

In unusual situations, two days may be scheduled for the initial team-training workshop. The extended time gives participants more time and opportunities to share ideas and information, take stock of their present practices and needs, and write the One-Year Action Plans for Partnerships. Also, sections of the workshop may be used separately and adapted for presentations to other audiences.

A One-Day Team-Training Workshop or parts of it will be needed by new mem- bers who join a school’s ATP each year to replace members who leave the school or who are added to increase the number of educators, parents, or community partners on the ATP.

Professional Development Is Ongoing

The workshop is the beginning, not the end, of professional development on part- nerships for schools’ ATPs. Educators know that one-shot workshops are not sufficient for ensuring school improvement. The initial team training establishes the ATP as a school committee with a viable plan for partnerships, guidelines for team meetings (see Chapter 3), and inventories and tools to evaluate and reflect on and continually improve the quality of activities that are implemented (see Chapter 9).

District facilitators must provide ongoing professional development and techni- cal assistance to enable all school ATPs to keep improving the quality of their part- nership programs and practices every year (see Chapter 7). External professional development, advanced training workshops, ongoing guidance, networking oppor- tunities, and other resources also are available from the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) at Johns Hopkins University, other researchers, and professional organizations. Developing an excellent program of family and commu- nity involvement is a continuous process, not a one-time event.

End-of-Year Celebration Workshop

School districts conduct an End-of-Year Celebration Workshop for all ATPs in the district to recognize and share progress in improving school, family, and commu- nity partnerships. This workshop, part of a schedule of ongoing professional development and technical assistance for ATPs, includes presentations on best practices of family and community involvement, panel discussions on challenges and solutions for increasing participation, and school exhibits of effective activities by type of involvement and by goal for improving the school climate or for improving students’ academic and behavioral outcomes. At the workshop, ATPs may outline, draft, or edit the next One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships for the upcoming school year.

Whether scheduled as a breakfast, afternoon, evening, or all-day event, an End- of-Year Celebration Workshop is an important function to bring school ATPs together,

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

116 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

recognize excellent work, share ideas and practices, identify challenges and needed solutions, motivate participation, encourage improvements, and sustain partnership programs. The meeting should include discussions of the district’s expectations for family and community involvement and a deadline for schools to complete the next One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships.

In this chapter, an agenda for an End-of-Year Celebration Workshop is outlined, along with ideas for sessions and panels to help school ATPs share ideas, report progress, and plan ahead. The agenda, flexible in design, guides district facilitators who assist many schools throughout the year to organize a culminating activity that spotlights all schools’ work and progress. The agenda for district leaders may be adapted to meet the needs of single schools, very large groups of schools, and other local conditions.

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 117

One-Day Team-Training Workshop Sample Agenda

A One-Day Team-Training Workshop for new Action Teams for Partnerships (ATPs) provides a research-based background and related activities on school, family, and community partnerships in the morning and time to write a school-specific One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships in the afternoon.

Each presentation in the morning is followed by a group activity for participants to show that they can apply the new concept in their own school. The information and exercises extend participants’ understanding of school, family, and community part- nerships. The topics proceed from a simple presentation of the six types of involve- ment to more complex discussions of challenges that must be met to engage all families, how to reach specific results for student learning and development, and how to organize a well-functioning team. These four topics prepare participants to produce a workshop product in the afternoon—a draft One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships.

A draft One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships is the “exit ticket” for completing the workshop. The ATPs take their drafts back to their schools for input from others (e.g., School Improvement Team, faculty, parent organization). Then, the ATPs com- plete a final version of the plan.

District facilitators collect copies of the draft plans to help schools’ ATPs review their ideas, gather input from others, and complete final plans. All members of the ATP and the district facilitator should receive a copy of the school’s final One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships. A thoughtful written plan that details the goals for family engagement, dates, leaders, and needed actions helps an ATP implement and evalu- ate the planned activities throughout the year.

Following is a sample agenda for a One-Day Team-Training Workshop that a district leader for partnerships may conduct with one school or with a group of sev- eral school ATPs. The presentation notes in this chapter suggest key points to help ATPs (1) use the framework of six types of involvement, (2) understand challenges that must be met to engage all students’ families, (3) reach results for student suc- cess, (4) organize a well-functioning ATP, and (5) write a draft action plan.

Depending on the amount of time for training, the sample agenda may be short- ened or extended. If a single school is conducting its own workshop, the facilitator’s role may be filled by the ATP chairperson, school principal, or designated leader.

Pages in the Handbook for each segment of the workshop are noted in parenthe- ses. The Handbook CD provide a PowerPoint presentation for the full workshop and all handouts and activities for easy printing. Selected handouts and activities are on the Handbook CD in English and Spanish.

Facilitators may add other topics to the workshop agenda to address specific needs, interests, and circumstances in their locations. For example, if elementary, middle, and high school ATPs attend the workshop, facilitators should include a few examples of the six types of involvement, challenges, and results of partnerships for all grade levels. (See Chapter 5 for examples for elementary schools and Chapter 6 for examples for middle and high schools.)

The professional development workshop ensures that, in one day, ATPs gain the basics for fulfilling the charge to plan and implement their schools’ partnership pro- grams. The ATP—an action arm of “doers” at each school—will be able to develop plans, implement activities, and continue to improve efforts to promote a welcoming school climate and student success in school.

online resources

cd material referenced on this page can also be downloaded from resources.corwin.com/ PartnershipsHandbook

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

118

One-Day Team-Training Workshop

Sample Agenda

STRENGTHEN YOUR PROGRAM OF SCHOOL, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Date

Location

8:00–8:30 Registration and Refreshments

8:30–8:45 Greetings and Introductions

8:45–9:00 Warm-Up Activity (p. 174)

9:00–9:45 Facilitator Presentation: Framework of Six Types of Involvement

Group Activity: Starting Points Inventory (pp. 175–178)

9:45–10:30 Facilitator Presentation: Meet the Challenges

Group Activity: Jumping Hurdles (p. 179) or Challenge-Go-Round (on Handbook CD)

10:30–10:45 BREAK

10:45–11:30 Facilitator Presentation: Reach Results for Student Success

Group Activity: Reach a Goal for Student Success Using the Six Types of Involvement (p. 180)

11:30–12:00 Facilitator Presentation: Organize Your Action Team for Partnerships Group Activity: How to Organize Your Action Team for Partnerships (p. 181)

12:00–12:45 LUNCH

12:45–1:30 Facilitator Presentation: Write a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships Group Activity: Good Plan/Bad Plan! Help This Plan! (On Handbook CD)

1:30–3:30 Team Activity and Work Period: Write a Draft of Your School’s One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships (pp. 182–185 or pp. 186–191)

3:30–4:00 Questions, Answers, and Next Steps

Workshop Evaluation (p. 192 or p. 193)

Note for Facilitators: Handbook pages are shown in parentheses. These materials also are on the Handbook CD and at resources.corwin.com/PartnershipsHandbook. Remove these page notations on the agenda for your workshop.

School, Family, and Community Partnerships, Fourth Edition by J. l. epstein et al. copyright © 2019 by corwin. reproduction authorized only for the local school site or nonprofit organization that has purchased this book.

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

119

One-Day Team-Training Workshop SCHOOL, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS: STRENGTHEN YOUR PROGRAM OF PARTNERSHIPS

Overview: In a One-Day Team-Training Workshop, information is presented, several activities and discussions are conducted, and a draft One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships is written for later discussion and completion at participants’ schools. The agenda for the workshop ensures that attendees will

• understand the framework of the six types of involvement; • recognize their starting point in present practices at their schools; • understand that they must meet specific challenges to conduct a high-quality

program of productive partnerships with all families; • know that practices of partnership can be linked to specific school goals for

improving the school climate and for helping students reach academic and behavioral results;

• understand the structure and members of an Action Team for Partnerships (ATP); and • write a draft One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships for the next school year.

This chapter guides facilitators to follow each presentation of new information with an activity for attendees to think and talk about the information and apply the ideas and concepts to their own schools.

Time: A One-Day Team-Training Workshop requires six to eight hours in all, including time for registration, breaks, and lunch.

Materials: Laptop and projector for PowerPoint presentations, screen, microphone(s), tables, chairs, nametags

Meal(s) or snacks

Handouts: Agenda

Paper or electronic copies of PowerPoint slides (printed or downloadble)

Activities and planning forms

Workshop evaluation

Folder for handouts, pens, note paper (as needed)

Each ATP should bring a list of the school’s main academic and behavioral goals for students or the School Improvement Plan to the workshop.

Other Services:

Translators and/or interpreters, as needed.

Door prizes or table centerpieces may be awarded at the end of the day.

Stipends to schools, planning grants, continuing education credits, and other incentives or recognitions may be awarded.

Transportation and child care services for parents on the ATP may be needed.

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

120 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

COMPONENTS OF A ONE-DAY TEAM-TRAINING WORKSHOP

PRESENTATION NOTES FOR FACILITATORS

Greetings and Introductions (15 minutes)

I. WARM-UP ACTIVITY (15 minutes)

GOAL: Begin the day with a short activity that focuses attendees on the concept and benefits of teamwork and partnerships. The following is a quick warm-up activity. Suggested words for facilitators to use or adapt are in BOLD type.

A quick warm-up that emphasizes good partnerships is Discussion Dice. This activity requires one set of dice for each table. If dice are not available, however, each attendee can simply select a number between 1 and 12 and address the question with that number. Others should select different numbers (see p. 174 and Handbook CD). Here’s what to do:

1. Place one set of dice on each table along with copies of the activity page for all participants.

2. Ask all participants to introduce themselves to the others at their table. Give clear directions: This is a quick activity that focuses on good partnerships. Each person at your table will take a turn rolling the dice. Match the sum of the dice with a sentence on the activity page. When it is your turn, take one or two minutes to quickly summarize a partnership experience that completes the sentence.

3. After 10 minutes, explain: All of you come with a wealth of experiences and understanding about different types of involvement. Your examples show that there are positive—even inspiring—partnership activities in our schools and communities. We know that it is possible for educators, fami- lies, and the community to work well together. Today, we will keep these good examples in mind as we learn more about how to organize effective programs that involve all families and the community in ways that support student success in school.

Here is another quick partnership warm-up: Ask people at each table to intro- duce themselves and tell the others about one of their talents that would strengthen the work of an Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) and contribute to their school’s partnership program. For example, one person may have art or computer skills. Someone may like to talk to neighbors or find partner businesses in the community. Another team member may speak more than one language. And so on. Summarize by noting the importance of every person on the ATP for developing and sustaining an excellent partnership program at their own school.

online resources

cd material referenced on these pages can also be downloaded from resources.corwin.com/ PartnershipsHandbook

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 121

II. FRAMEWORK OF SIX TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT

GOAL: Present an overview of the framework of six types of involvement to help all Action Teams for Partnerships gain a common vocabulary and perspective about school, family, and community partnerships.

HANDBOOK: Refer to the following resources to prepare your presentation:

• Review Chapters 1 and 2. • Use the PowerPoint presentation on the Handbook CD and materials in Chapter 5

for your presentation.

GROUP ACTIVITY HANDOUT: Starting Points: An Inventory of Present Practices. Make copies of pages 175–178 for all attendees, or print Starting Points in English and Spanish from the Handbook CD.

INFORMATION TO PRESENT (20 minutes)

What Research Says Start with a quick review of results from research conducted in the United States and other nations (p. 151). Present the information quickly. Ask participants to think of whether these findings pertain to their school(s) and their experiences. Point out that their school(s) will be developing a research-based program to involve families and the community in ways that support student learning and development.

If workshop time is short, summarize these research results in your opening comments:

Many research studies conducted in the United States and other countries show that educators, parents, and students want more and better family and community involvement. The studies indicate that programs of partnership must be developed to reach all families with activities linked to school goals for student success. Of course, partnership programs must be custom- ized to meet the goals and needs of each school. This means that each school’s involvement activities will be different from the next. Research shows that all schools can use a common framework and a team approach to organize plans and practices, share good ideas, solve challenges, evaluate progress, and continually improve their programs from one year to the next.

Overlapping Spheres of Influence Present the theoretical model of overlapping spheres of influence to show that chil- dren learn and grow at home, at school, and in the community. For your workshop, you can use a simplified and popular version of the theoretical model on the PowerPoint presentation for the One-Day Workshop on the Handbook CD.

The external structure of the model shows three spheres of influence that sup- port children’s learning and development. The three contexts—home, school, and community—may be pushed apart or pulled together by the philosophies and activities of educators, parents, and others in the community (see p. 154 and Handbook CD).

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

122 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

Explain: The theory that guides work on partnerships is the theory of overlap- ping spheres of influence. It asserts that students learn and grow at home, at school, and in the community and that students develop best when people in these three contexts work together as partners.

Use the animation on the PowerPoint slide to show the following:

Some people say that the family should just do its job and, separately, teachers at school should do their job. But studies indicate that separate spheres of influence confuse students and limit support for learning. Rather, when the spheres of influence come together so that teachers, par- ents, and others communicate well about a student’s work and progress, students hear similar messages from multiple sources of support about the importance of school and their work as students. Then, more students succeed to their full potential. The theory has been tested and proven in countless studies. We use this theory as the basis for strengthening our partnership programs.

For your own information, see the formal theoretical model for use by research- ers on pp. 152–153 and among the Bonus Slides for the One-Day Workshop on the Handbook CD. The full model shows external and internal structures with details of the connections and communications that may occur among educators, families, and students. The internal structure of the theoretical model diagrams the interactions of teachers, parents, and children that will be activated by partnership practices to increase communications among all partners and boost student success.

Keys to Successful Partnerships: The Six Types of Involvement Explain: Research shows that six types of involvement are important for helping educators, parents, other family members, and the community work as partners in children’s education. The six types or keys to involvement create a comprehensive program of school, family, and community partnerships (see p. 155 and Handbook CD). Activities for the six types of involvement—parenting, communicating, volun- teering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community— are conducted within the overlapping areas of the spheres of influence model. They show how home, school, and the community share responsibilities for a welcoming school climate and for increasing student success.

Types 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 Present each type of involvement, in turn, to introduce the major ways that schools connect with families and communities to help students succeed (see pp. 156–161 and Handbook CD). Include examples of activities for each type of involvement. Tailor the examples of partnership practices to meet the needs and interests of those attending your workshop. That is, if elementary, middle, and high school ATPs are attending the workshop, include examples of activities and challenges that arise at different grade levels. (See examples of activities for each type of involvement for different grade levels on the Handbook CD.)

As you present this information, ask the workshop attendees to think of activities that are presently conducted for each type of involvement in their own schools or in schools they know or supervise. After you have presented Types 1–3, ask one volun- teer to quickly summarize in a sentence or two one example of a successful activity that

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 123

was conducted at her or his school for Type 1, 2, or 3. Others will guess which type or types of involvement were activated in the example. Do the same after presenting exam- ples for Types 4–6. Then, conduct the Starting Points activity that follows with all ATPs.

GROUP ACTIVITY (25 minutes)

Starting Points Give copies of Starting Points: An Inventory of Present Practices to all attendees (pp. 175–178 and Handbook CD). Tell the participants that you know they are already conducting some activities at their schools to involve families and community groups in children’s education at school and at home. The inventory helps identify each school’s starting points on partnerships.

Assign each table or small group of participants a different type of involvement to begin their explorations, so that all six types are addressed throughout the room. Assign Table 1—Type 1, Table 2—Type 2, and so on, repeating assignments as needed. For the assigned section of Starting Points, each ATP should check the activities that their school presently conducts and, if known, the grade levels that participate in the activities.

Explain that the inventory is not a test. No school is expected to conduct all of the activities listed for each type of involvement. And the participants may add other activities for each type of involvement on the blank lines provided.

Explain that only one person from each ATP needs to write on the paper copy, but all participants should have copies of Starting Points to discuss their ideas. Groups that finish their assigned sections may explore other sections of Starting Points as time permits.

After 15 minutes, ask two or three “reporters” to share one idea or reflection that came to mind as their tables completed their assigned sections of Starting Points. The reporters should give their names and affiliations, and indicate which type of involve- ment they were assigned to review. Typical reflections include the following:

• We conduct some activities in some grade levels but not others. • We include some families, but we don’t reach every one. • Some of our activities are well implemented, and others are weak. • We need to work on Type 4 activities that involve parents with children at home.

Let the ATPs know that they may complete the full Starting Points inventory at their schools at a team meeting.

Variation: Facilitators may send ATPs an electronic copy of Starting Points before the workshop for the teams to complete in a team meeting at their schools. If this is done, the group activity at the workshop must change. Ask ATPs to discuss at their tables how the six types of involvement are presently covered and conducted at their schools— what is working well and where improvements are needed. Then, ask two or three volunteers to share their views with the full group.

Summary: Ask for any questions about the framework of the six types of involvement. Summarize some of the main conclusions that were discussed in the reflections on Starting Points. Examples of possible conclusions include the following:

online resources

cd material referenced on these pages can also be downloaded from resources.corwin.com/ PartnershipsHandbook

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

124 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

• Some partnership practices are useful at all grade levels; other activities need to change as students move from grade to grade.

• Students must be part of the partnership. They must know that they play important roles in connecting their teachers and parents—school and home.

• Progress is incremental. Improvements and additions are based on each school’s starting point.

Reinforce: To close this section of the workshop, reinforce: You have shown that you are familiar with all six types of

involvement, and your schools already conduct some very good family and community involvement activities. The framework of six types of involvement helps organize ideas about present practices and about needed improvements.

Note: The attendees talked with and listened to one another about Starting Points. Let them know that they did a good job in beginning to work together on school, family, and community partnerships. The next section of the workshop focuses on meeting key challenges for reach- ing all families with excellent practices of the six types of involvement.

III. MEET THE CHALLENGES

GOAL: Present an overview of some important challenges for each type of involve- ment that must be solved to inform and engage all families and to have an excellent program of partnerships. By solving key challenges, schools will involve more fam- ilies (indeed, all families) in their children’s education, not just those who are easiest to reach or who become involved on their own.

HANDBOOK: Refer to the following resources to prepare your presentation:

• Review Chapter 1, page 20. • Use the PowerPoint presentation on the Handbook CD for your presentation.

GROUP ACTIVITY HANDOUT: Jumping Hurdles. Make copies of page 179 for all attendees, or print Jumping Hurdles from the Handbook CD. There is an alternative group activity on the CD—Challenge-Go-Round. Review the activities to select the one that will work best for you.

INFORMATION TO PRESENT (20 minutes)

Challenges to Types 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 Explain that, as participants discovered during the Starting Points activity, most schools presently conduct some activities for the six types of involvement, but they may not engage all families, at all grade levels, in ways that are family-friendly and that produce important results for student success. In this session, use each slide to point out one or two key challenges for each type of involvement, and give an example

online resources

cd material referenced on this page can also be downloaded from resources.corwin.com/ PartnershipsHandbook

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 125

of an activity that could help solve the challenge and involve all (or most) families at school and at home in their children’s education.

The challenges include important redefinitions that are needed to understand school, family, and community partnerships in the twenty-first century. The redefini- tions help educators and parents look at some common involvement activities in new ways.

Note: In a short workshop or in presentations on basic concepts, the information on the challenges can be incorporated with the overview of the six types of involve- ment. In that case, the group activity Jumping Hurdles should be used in the com- bined session on types and challenges. Starting Points may then be discussed and completed at the school site at a team meeting.

GROUP ACTIVITY (25 minutes)

Jumping Hurdles Give a copy of Jumping Hurdles to all attendees. Ask partners or small groups to identify one very successful family or community involvement activity at their school (or at a school they supervise or know well), a challenge that arose, how the challenge was solved, and how they would improve the activity if it were con- ducted again.

One person should record the team’s ideas. After 10 to 12 minutes of discussion, ask two or three volunteers to share the activity, challenge, solution, and next steps with the full group. Select reporters who have completed all sections of the activity so that they can cover the topic quickly and well. Do not select reporters to speak “off the cuff,” as they tend to go off topic and take more time than allotted for this section of the workshop.

Summary: Ask for questions about solving challenges to ensure excellent and equitable partnerships. Summarize the main point that it is not enough to know the six types of involvement or to conduct activities that involve only a few parents. It is important to identify and solve key challenges in each school to make sure that ATPs

• get information to families who cannot come to meetings at the school building;

• reach families in their own languages and at appropriate reading levels;

• enable volunteers to contribute at the school, in other locations, and as audience members for student presentations and assemblies;

• work with teachers to improve the design of homework and parent- child interactions on assignments;

• ensure that parent representatives on school committees come from all neighborhoods served by the school; and

• identify useful resources and connections in the community.

Reinforce: Schools must work to solve these and other challenges that arise to reach all families in a successful partnership program.

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

126 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

Note to Facilitators

Alternative Activity on Challenges to Excellent Partnerships The Handbook CD includes an alternative activity that may be used instead of Jumping Hurdles to call attention to challenges that need to be solved at each school to involve all families and develop an excellent partnership program.

Challenge-Go-Round (handbook CD only) For this activity, members of each partner-team put their names at the top of the activity page. They write a challenge in the top box that must be solved to involve all families at their school (or in a school they supervise or know well). At a sound- signal, they pass the challenge to a new partner-team at the next table. The new team records one possible solution to the stated challenge. At the next sound-signal, the challenge is passed to another partner-team to add a different possible solution to the stated challenge. The suggestions are returned to the “starter team,” which identifies one suggestion that they think could help them solve the stated challenge.

Ask two or three volunteers to share the challenge and the solution they selected with the whole group and tell why the solution might work.

Challenge-Go-Round can be conducted on paper by partner teams as described, above. Or, it may be conducted as a round-robin-team poster activity: Groups of three to five participants first write a challenge to engage all families on a poster. Then, they travel together from their poster to view two other teams’ posters, where they add possible solutions to the stated challenge. Then, they go back to their own poster to select the best solution from among those other teams have given to the stated challenge.

Jumping Hurdles identifies a challenge to engage parents that arose and was solved at a school. Challenge-Go-Round identifies a challenge that a school needs to solve. Both activities make the point that challenges to involve more families can be solved with well-designed and well-implemented involvement activities, and that ATPs can use their own good ideas to solve challenges that arise.

BREAK (15 minutes)

Let workshop participants know that they worked hard and earned a 15-minute break. Announce when they should return for the next segment of the workshop and

that you will start on time.

IV. REACH RESULTS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

The next section of the workshop addresses a more difficult question: Why should schools conduct and improve programs of family and community involvement? The answer? To help promote important results for students, families, and schools. We will see how to connect involvement activities with specific school improvement goals for student learning.

online resources

cd material referenced on these pages can also be downloaded from resources.corwin.com/ PartnershipsHandbook

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 127

GOAL: Present information on how school, family, and community partnerships help produce a welcoming school climate and desired results for student success. By focusing on results, family and community involvement can contribute to the attainment of school improvement goals.

HANDBOOK: Refer to the following resources to prepare your presentation:

• Review Chapter 1, page 21. • Use the PowerPoint presentation on the Handbook CD for your presentation.

GROUP ACTIVITY HANDOUT: Reach a Goal for Student Success Using the Six Types of Involvement. Make copies of page 180 for all attendees or print Reach a Goal for Student Success from the Handbook CD.

INFORMATION TO PRESENT (20 minutes)

Explain that research has identified two main ways to connect the six types of involvement with desired results for improving school climate and for increasing student success. Facilitators should summarize the following information, according to the time available and the interests of the workshop attendees.

1. Each of the six types of involvement produces different results.

Show the slide, Reaching Different Results with the Six Types of Involvement. The slide shows how each type of involvement affects different kinds of actions and behaviors (p. 162 and Handbook CD). (Also see Table 1.1.3 on p. 21 in Chapter 1.)

For example,

• Type 1–Parenting activities help parents understand their children as students and their roles in helping students get to school every day and on time. For example, some Type 1 activities may help parents understand the school’s attendance policies and the need for students to be in class to learn new les- sons. When parents have information about attendance, they are more likely to ensure that students attend school regularly, and the school’s attendance rate will improve.

• Type 2–Communicating activities that explain and exchange information on students’ progress (such as a parent-teacher-student conference or report cards) are more likely to increase students’ awareness of their work and fam- ilies’ awareness of how to help and guide their children toward learning goals.

• Type 3–Volunteering activities that are well organized in specific subjects may increase the skills of students in those subjects.

• Type 4–Learning at Home activities that guide parents’ interactions with stu- dents on homework may result in more positive interactions about home- work and more students completing their assignments.

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

128 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

• Type 5–Decision Making activities that bring parents’ voices to bear on school decisions may help families increase their feelings of attachment to the school and help students see that their families are important partners.

• Type 6–Collaborating with the Community activities may help families locate needed family services and increase students’ contacts and skills with com- munity partners.

Not every type of involvement and not every involvement activity directly affects student achievement. It is important to know the kinds of results that may be expected from activities for the six types of involvement.

2. All six types of involvement may contribute to a particular, desired result.

Activities for all six types of involvement can be designed to focus on specific, desired results. By targeting all six types to contribute to a specific learning goal, family and community engagement activities can help many students improve aca- demic skills and nonacademic behaviors. Pages 163–166 in the Handbook show how activities for all six types of family and community involvement may be applied to help students improve reading and math skills, attendance, and the school climate of partnerships.

For example, if an elementary school has a goal to help students improve reading skills and attitudes, the ATP can select activities for all six types of involvement that focus on reading. The team, then, must schedule the reading-related engagement activities in the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships.

Similarly, action plans may include activities for all six types to help stu- dents improve skills and attitudes in math, writing, science, or other subjects; improve attendance; improve behavior; or meet other school goals. In this way, students receive multiple sources of support—from their teachers, parents, and other adults—to attain goals that are important for success in school.

Explain: Here are a few examples of how schools are applying the six types of involvement to help students reach important results. Show the slides on the CD in the section on results.

• Reading in the elementary grades • Math in the elementary grades • Attendance in the middle grades • Postsecondary planning in high schools

Note: If the workshop includes ATPs from elementary schools only, show the examples for the younger grades. If the workshop includes ATPs from middle and high schools, include examples of how the six types of involvement focus on goals for students in the older grades (see more examples on pp. 230–237 and Handbook CD).

Explain: I want to emphasize how important it is to link the six types of involvement to specific, desired results. Now, you can check your understanding of this in the next group activity. This will help you this afternoon when you draft a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships for your school.

online resources

cd material referenced on this page can also be downloaded from resources.corwin.com/ PartnershipsHandbook

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 129

GROUP ACTIVITY (25 minutes)

Reach a Goal for Student Success Using the Six Types of Involvement Give a copy of Reach a Goal for Student Success Using the Six Types of Involvement to each attendee. Explain that they will create a “Results Map” that links each type of involvement with a specific student outcome. If participants complete this activity thoughtfully, they will have a head start in writing one of the pages of their school’s One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships in the afternoon.

One person may be the “writer” to record the group’s ideas for the activity. Ask each ATP to

1. Identify one important academic or behavior goal for students at their school(s). This should be a specific and clear goal that is in their School Improvement Plan and that is important for student success. Write this goal for students in the oval at the center of the Results Map.

Watchwords: Make sure the ATPs select an academic or behavioral goal for student success (not a general goal for “parent involvement”). For example, an ATP may write in the oval, “Improve stu- dents’ reading scores at least eight percentage points on the next state test in all grades tested.” This is a better-stated goal than “increase student achievement,” because the former lends itself to planning and measuring results.

Similarly, “Math E-News featuring a different grade level each month to show parents a new math skill that children are learn- ing in class” is a better description than “E-News on math.” The former will be easier to describe in detail in the full plan that will be written in the afternoon.

Advise ATPs to select activities for four to six types of involvement for the stated goal for students. Not every goal can be easily addressed by all types of involvement in the first plan.

Advise ATPs to select feasible activities to involve families and the community in ways that they believe are directly connected to the stated goal.

After about 15–20 minutes of teamwork, ask two or three volunteers to share their Results Maps with the full group. Select volunteers whose ATPs selected differ- ent academic or behavioral goals in the middle oval and who filled in at least four activities for the different types of involvement. Attendees should listen for whether they agree that the practices of partnership are directly linked to the stated goal and whether the results can be measured, observed, or documented.

Summary: Ask for questions on how family and community involvement activ- ities may help students reach specific school improvement goals. Check that the participants understand that

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

130 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

1. Not every involvement activity will lead to the same results (e.g., not every activity will increase student achievement test scores). Some activities may improve attitudes toward a subject, increase student self confidence in a subject, or improve a behavior.

2. If they are well designed and well implemented, activities for all six types of involvement may be targeted to produce important results for student learning and behavior and for improving the school climate of partnerships.

Reinforce: Family and community engagement activities must be tightly linked to the desired goals. For example, involvement activities about attendance are likely to increase attendance, involvement activities about writing are likely to help students improve writing, and so on.

Note: Let ATPs know that by writing a good plan for partnerships, the team will help everyone at their schools understand the importance of conducting goal-linked practices of school, family, and commu- nity partnerships. Then, family and community involvement will be known as a resource linked to the School Improvement Plan to help students reach school improvement goals, not as a separate plan or extra program.

Note to Facilitators

Alternative Activities on Results of Partnerships It is so important for ATPs to understand the concept of goal-linked engagement activ- ities that the Handbook CD includes two alternative activities. A district facilitator or team leader may select one of the following instead of the Results Map to use at the workshop in the section on reaching results for students.

Make the Connection (handbook CD only) This activity asks members of an ATP to show that they understand the point of “goal-linked” family and community engagement activities. The team reports a goal for student success that teachers work on with students. Then, ATP members iden- tify a family and community engagement activity that they believe would contribute to the attainment of that goal. Finally, they discuss and note why they believe the activity listed would help students reach the stated goal.

Get Ready for Action (handbook CD only) This activity asks members of the ATP to list the four goals for student learning, behavior, and school climate that will be the focus of their four-page Goals Plan. Then, focusing on one of these goals, members of the ATP brainstorm activities for the six types of involvement that they (a) already conduct and will continue or (b) want to start as new activities in the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships.

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 131

V. ACTION TEAM STRUCTURE

GOAL: Present information on how an ATP is organized with essential members— parents, teachers, administrator, and others—who are partners in students’ educa- tion. Show how the ATP may organize goal-linked committees to conduct its work on school, family, and community partnerships, and potential connections to the School Improvement Team.

HANDBOOK: Refer to the following pages in this Handbook to prepare your presentation:

• Review Chapter 1, pages 22–23, and Chapter 3. • Use the PowerPoint slides on the Handbook CD for your presentation.

GROUP ACTIVITY HANDOUT: Organize Your Action Team for Partnerships. Make copies of page 181 for all attendees, or print this handout from the Handbook CD.

INFORMATION TO PRESENT (15 minutes)

Basic Structure: The ATP Is an Official School Committee Topic 1: Who are the members of the Action Team for Partnerships? Show the outline of ATP members and explain the required and optional members.

Describe (or customize) your decisions about the term of office and leadership roles. The core team of at least six people—teachers, parents, administrator (and, at the

high school level, students)—are the participants in the One-Day Team-Training Workshop. They may add others to the team who are dedicated to improving the school’s program of family and community involvement.

Explain that other teachers, administrators, parents, students, and members of the community work with the ATP committees on various activities. Some activities will be led by members of the ATP, but some activities will be led by others who have val- ued talents associated with particular involvement activities. For example, individual teachers or other groups at the school (e.g., PTA or PTO, afterschool program, school social worker) may collaborate with the ATP to record family and community engage- ment activities that they conduct in the complete One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships. Also see The Complete Picture form (on the Handbook CD) to gather information on all activities for family and community involvement conducted at the school.

Topic 2: How will the ATP structure its committees, plans, and evaluations? Explain that the ATP is a school committee or work group. The ATP’s One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships and annual evaluations of activities that are implemented are based on the team’s structure.

online resources

cd material referenced on these pages can also be downloaded from resources.corwin.com/ PartnershipsHandbook

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

132 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

There are two main ways to organize an ATP to conduct a school’s program of partnerships.

1. Focus on Goals: The ATP may organize committees for four school goals—two academic, one behavioral, and one goal for good partnerships. If this structure is selected, the ATP will use the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships (Form G–Goals) (pp. 182–185) and the Annual Evaluation of Activities (Form G–Goals) (pp. 348–359).

2. Focus on Types of Involvement: The ATP may organize committees for the six types of involvement. If this structure is selected, the ATP will use the One- Year Action Plan for Partnerships (Form T–Types) (pp. 186–191) and the Annual Evaluation of Activities (Form T–Types) (pp. 353–359).

Note to Facilitators

If a district or organization facilitator for partnerships is assisting many schools, you should decide before the One-Day Team-Training Workshop how the schools’ ATPs will be organized (focus on Goals or Types). Your workshop will be more clear and coher- ent if all ATPs use the same planning form and, as the year goes on, the same form for evaluating of activities. It also will make it easier for school ATPs to share ideas as they proceed with their work on partnerships. At the workshop, show and distribute only the ATP structure and planning forms that you selected for your schools.

If a school is working on its own, the principal or ATP chair or co-chairs should decide before the workshop which committee structure will work best at the school. Show and distribute only the selected structure at the One-Day Team-Training Workshop.

Structure of the Action Team for Partnerships Show the diagram of the selected ATP structure (Goals or Types).

Explain: The top box on the chart recognizes that the School Improvement Team is an important advisory group for the school. The next box shows that the ATP is an official school committee focused specifically on family and community involvement.

• The ATP will link its plans for family and community engagement to the School Improvement Plan and to specific goals for student success.

• If it fits school procedures, the ATP will report, periodically, to the School Improvement Team, following the procedures of all school committees.

• One member of the ATP may also be a member of the School Improvement Team to ensure ongoing communications about ATP activities.

(See Chapter 3 for details on the composition and responsibilities of the ATP.) For the selected ATP structure, complete the following explanations.

ACTION TEAM FOR PARTNERSHIPS—Focus on GOALS

• Has subcommittees for four improvement goals:

{ Two academic or curricular goals for student learning { One nonacademic goal for student success (e.g., attendance, behavior,

safety, health, postsecondary plans) { One goal for creating a welcoming school climate for partnerships

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 133

• Plans, implements, and evaluates activities to achieve each goal using the six types of involvement to balance the types and locations of family and com- munity involvement

• Elects or selects an ATP chair or co-chairs and leaders for the four subcommit- tees who are members of the ATP

• Delegates leadership to others to conduct specific activities, and engages many teachers, parents, administrators, community partners, and students in the planned activities

ACTION TEAM FOR PARTNERSHIPS— Focus on TYPES of Involvement

• Has subcommittees for each of the six types of involvement • Plans, implements, and evaluates activities for each type of involvement linked

to desired results to improve the school climate and increase student success • Elects or selects an ATP chair or co-chairs and leaders for the six subcommit-

tees who are members of the ATP • Delegates leadership to others to conduct specific activities and engages

many teachers, parents, administrators, community partners, and students in the planned activities

Note to Facilitators

1. If there is no School Improvement Team or similar advisory group, or if school committees are not officially connected to the School Improvement Team, remove the top box from the PowerPoint slide on the structure of the ATP. In that case, the discussion of team structure focuses only on the ATP and its committees.

2. Large secondary schools (i.e., those with over 2,000 students) may include one educator and one parent representative from each major school division on the ATP. Or, each division (grade level, career academy, house, or other school-within-a-school) may prefer to have its own, separate ATP. In such cases, each ATP would follow the same guidelines for membership, planning, and evaluating practices. A coordinator or assistant principal may gather all ATP plans and progress reports to define, monitor, and support the school’s unified partnership program and work with the district leader for partner- ships on this coordination (see Chapter 6 on high schools).

GROUP ACTIVITY (15 minutes)

Organize Your Action Team for Partnerships Give a copy of How to Organize Your Action Team for Partnerships (p. 181 and Handbook CD) to each attendee. One person acts as the “writer” to record the ATP’s ideas.

Ask partners or teams to discuss the three questions about ATP members, time to meet, and reports on partnerships to other groups. Advise teams to take a few min- utes to discuss each question. Ask for one or two volunteers to share their group’s ideas for each question. Make sure the following issues are discussed:

online resources

cd material referenced on this page can also be downloaded from resources.corwin.com/ PartnershipsHandbook

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

134 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

• Does the ATP at the workshop need to add members to complete the team? (If so, the ATP will bring the additional members up to date with information from the workshop.) The team should record the names and/or positions of people they want to add to complete the team.

• When will ATP meetings be conducted? Obtain two or three different ideas about possible meeting times.

• Which other groups at school and in the community need to hear from the ATP about plans, activities, and progress on partnerships? Obtain two or three different ideas.

Summary: Ask for questions about how to organize an ATP.

Reinforce: At their schools, with all members identified for the year, the ATP should complete the activity How to Organize Your Action Team for Partnerships and make final decisions about members, time to meet, and how plans and progress will be shared with other groups at school.

Advise the attendees to continue their discussions of team structures, leaders, meetings, committees, or other workshop topics during lunch.

Q&A FOR THE MORNING

Before breaking for lunch, ask for questions on all topics discussed in the morning workshop: using the framework of six types of involvement, meeting challenges to involve all families, reaching results with partnership activities, and organizing an ATP.

Commend the attendees for successfully completing the basic topics for organiz- ing a school-based program of family and community engagement for student suc- cess. They are ready to write a draft One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships after lunch.

LUNCH

Provide information about how lunch will be served or where to go for lunch. Announce when the afternoon session will start. Let attendees know that the

afternoon session will start on time.

VI. WRITE A ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN FOR PARTNERSHIPS

GOAL: The afternoon of a One-Day Team-Training Workshop is devoted to helping schools’ ATPs draft a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships for the next school year. The ATPs will take the draft plans back to their schools for input from others. Then, the ATPs will complete the final versions of their plans and return them to the dis- trict or organization facilitator by a due date.

Before drafting their plans, ATPs are introduced to the components of a good Action Plan for Partnerships.

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 135

HANDBOOK: Refer to the following pages in this Handbook to prepare your presentation and to guide schools’ ATPs to write their One-Year Action Plans for Partnerships:

• Review Chapter 1, pages 22–23, and Chapter 3. • Use the PowerPoint presentation on the Handbook CD for your presentation.

GROUP ACTIVITY HANDOUTS:

Good Plan/Bad Plan. Help This Plan! Make copies of this page from the Handbook CD for all attendees.

Note for Facilitators: See the “answer sheet” on the Handbook CD to help you navi- gate a discussion of a good plan.

One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships (Form G–Goals or Form T–Types) (pp. 182–191 and Handbook CD).

INFORMATION TO PRESENT (15 minutes)

Explain that you will outline the sections and content of a good action plan for part- nerships, and that you will give a pop quiz on the information.

What does a good plan look like? How can you write a good plan? Use the PowerPoint slide of the components of a good plan.

A GOOD One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships includes the following information.

• Goals. Goals 1–3 on pages 1–3 are student centered. Each goal identifies a clear academic or nonacademic outcome and is written on one page of the plan. Goal 4, on page 4 of the plan, focuses on strengthening a climate of good partnerships at the school.

• Desired results. A good plan describes the desired results of family and commu- nity engagement in specific, measurable terms. For example, a desired result for a math goal may be to increase the percentage of students at or above pro- ficiency from 60 percent to 70 percent on the state’s standardized math achievement test. A goal to improve attendance may be to increase the school’s rate of average daily attendance from 85 percent to 90 percent in the next year.

• Assessments. A good plan identifies the instrument(s) or indicator(s) that will be used to measure the desired results. These may include (a) official stu- dents’ records over time (i.e., from Time 1 to Time 2) such as test scores, report card grades, attendance data, and behavior records; (b) targeted measures of teachers’ grades for students’ work products, such as homework completion, portfolios, and individual or group projects; and (c) parent participation lists. Surveys and interviews with parents, students, and/or teachers may explain or support results for specific goals. A good plan will identify more than one indicator and not rely on just one measure to identify results.

• Partnership activities. The plans list the activities to engage parents, other fam- ily members, or the community in ways that contribute to the four goals on the planning pages.

online resources

cd material referenced on this page can also be downloaded from resources.corwin.com/ PartnershipsHandbook

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

136 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

• Types of involvement. Across the four pages of the plan, activities should address all six types of involvement. Some activities activate more than one type of involvement. Some goals lend themselves to some—and not all— types of involvement.

• Dates of activities. Activities should be scheduled throughout the school year, not all in one month. Dates should be as specific as possible. Terms like all year or spring are not specific. A good schedule will enable the ATP and others to plan well so that each activity is successfully implemented. In addition, ATPs should specify the time period for measuring results (e.g., one marking period, one school year, a targeted period of time).

• Grade level(s). A good plan specifies the target audiences or participants for each activity. Some activities are for the whole school and all grade levels. Other activities focus on students, parents, and community partners for one or some grade levels.

• What needs to be done and when. This part of a good plan outlines tasks to pre- pare for, implement, and follow up the planned activities.

• Who is in charge and who is helping, Members of the ATP will share leadership for implementing and assisting with each planned activity. The same person should not be in charge of every activity on every page of the plan.

• Resources needed. A good plan includes information on the financial, material, and in-kind resources and support needed for each planned activity.

Ask for questions about the components of a good plan. Then, give the partici- pants the pop quiz using the group activity Good Plan/Bad Plan. Help this Plan! Note: This activity is on the Handbook CD only. Print the activity from the CD.

GROUP ACTIVITY (20 minutes)

Good Plan/Bad Plan. Help this Plan! Ask each ATP member to work with a partner. Examine the activity This Plan Needs Help! Explain: This hypothetical page of a plan needs help. Consider the compo- nents of a good plan. Circle the places on this page that you think need to be improved, and discuss with your partner how you would improve it.

After the ATPs have worked for 10 minutes, take 5 minutes for volunteers to identify problems that were found. Start at the top of hypothetical plan. Ask if any- one circled a problem with the goal that was listed. Continue to identify changes needed down the page and across columns.

Explain: It is easy to find problems on a draft plan. We need to avoid those prob- lems. Now, it is your turn to write a good draft One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships for your school.

FINAL ACTIVITY: DRAFT PLAN

One-Year Action Plans for Partnerships: Workshop leaders should preselect the form of the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships that the ATPs will use.

• The One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships (Form G–Goals), (pages 182–185 and Handbook CD) guides ATPs to write a four-page plan for family and

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 137

community engagement on four school improvement goals: two academic goals, one nonacademic goal, and one goal of creating a welcoming school climate of partnership. Each activity in the plan will identify the type(s) of involvement that are activated.

• The One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships (Form T–Types), (pages 186–191 and Handbook CD) guides ATPs to write a six-page plan for family and community engagement for the six types of involvement. Each activity in the plan will link to a goal for student success or for a welcoming school climate.

INFORMATION TO PRESENT (10 minutes)

Guidelines for Writing One-Year Action Plans Show and discuss the template of the selected One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships. Show the PowerPoint slide of the planning form. Remind the ATPs:

You will be drafting this plan for your own school for one full school year.

The sections of the plan are the same as those we discussed in the activity for a good plan.

• What is the goal? What results are desired? What measure(s) will be used to assess results?

• Which family and community involvement activities will be conducted? For which grade levels? For which types of involvement?

• When will each activity be conducted? • What preparation is needed? • Who is responsible for conducting the activity, and who will help? • What resources or funds are needed to implement each activity?

If the ATPs focus on goals, they will write a four-page Goals plan. Pages 1, 2, and 3 will identify activities to engage family and community partners with students to attain academic and behavioral goals. The Results Map from the morning may give the ATPs a head start on one page of the Goals plan. The fourth page of this plan focuses on strengthening a welcoming climate of part- nership. Teams may refer to the Starting Points inventory and to other workshop notes to identify ongoing and new activities that will be conducted to create a partnership school.

• Before the ATPs start their work, ask for a few examples of goals for student success that they are considering for their One-Year Action Plans for Partnerships. Goals may focus on improving reading, math, writing, science, or other skills and test scores; improving behavior; reducing suspensions; increasing safety; improving health; planning postsecondary education; or other results for students that are important in a particular school.

• Remind ATPs to specify measurable goals so that they will be able to docu- ment results. A reading goal may state, for example: Increase scores on the state reading assessment by 8 percent a year at each grade level. Or, increase positive attitudes about reading 10 percent on the end-of-year attitude sur- vey for students in grades 4 and 5.

online resources

cd material referenced on these pages can also be downloaded from resources.corwin.com/ PartnershipsHandbook

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

138 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

• Make sure that ATPs understand that pages 1, 2, and 3 refer to goals for students and that page 4 addresses the general goal of improving the school’s partnership climate.

• Some people call these SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Result-focused, and Time-based. If goals for family and community engage- ment are linked to goals in the School Improvement Plan that teachers work on with students, then they should be clear and attainable. The One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships requires details on when activities will be con- ducted and how results will be measured, as well as other important details for effective implementation and identification of evidence of academic, attitudinal, or behavioral success.

• Remind the ATPs to list and describe at least three activities on each page of the plan and to include activities for all six types of involvement across the four pages of the plan. Not every goal will have activities for all six types.

If the ATPs focus on Types, they will use the six-page Types plan. They will write one page for each of the six types of involvement. Teams may assign activities from the morning’s Results Map and other workshop notes to the appropriate page of the plan for the six types of involvement. The activities planned on each page will engage families in ways that reach important results for students.

• Before the ATPs start their work, ask for a few examples of activities linked to Type 1–Parenting, Type 2–Communicating, and so on to ensure that ATPs understand which activities will populate the six pages of the plan, but also link to a school improvement goal. For example, a Type 2–Communicating activity about school programs and children’s progress may be to have teach- ers work together to design the first parent-teacher-student conference of the year to focus only on reading. Or, a Type 4–Learning at Home Activity may be to have a family math night that provides take-home activities for standards-based, grade-specific math games.

• Remind the ATPs to list and describe at least two activities on each page of the plan and to include activities for key goals for student achievement and behavior on each page.

Note to Facilitators • If the One-Day Team-Training Workshop is conducted in the spring of

the school year, guide the ATPs to write their draft plans for the next full school year.

• If the workshop is conducted in the fall of the school year, guide the ATPs to draft plans for 18 months (or another appropriate time period) for the remain- der of the current school year and the next full school year.

GROUP ACTIVITY (two hours)

Draft a Plan Each ATP will complete a draft One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships for their own school.

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 139

ATPs are encouraged to bring a laptop computer to the workshop for this task. The One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships forms can be provided electronically before the workshop (or at the workshop via a flash drive) so that the ATPs can complete their draft plans on a computer. This also makes it easy for the workshop facilitator to collect copies of ATPs’ draft plans.

During a two-hour work period, the facilitator may consult with each team to answer questions, review draft pages, and make suggestions that will help each ATP complete a good plan.

After one hour, ask two volunteers each to share one activity that their ATP outlined in detail in their draft plans. The volunteers should state the goal, desired results, activity, and details for the entry.

Summary: Check all draft plans as they are completed and before teams leave the workshop. If possible, make copies of the ATPs’ draft plans on paper or electronically.

Announce the due date for all ATPs to complete and submit to you (and to all members of the ATP) a final version of the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships.

Reinforce: Each ATP will

• Discuss the draft plan and gather suggestions for the final version of the plan from the School Improvement Team, faculty, parent organization, and other interested partners at their school.

• Summarize highlights from the final version of the plan for all parents and all teachers in the school newsletter, on the school website, or on some other social media platform.

• Send an electronic copy of the final plan to the district leader for partnerships and to all members of the ATP.

VII. QUESTIONS, ANSWERS, AND NEXT STEPS (30 minutes)

GOAL: Help the workshop attendees see how much they accomplished in one day to increase their knowledge, skills, and plans for school, family, and community partnerships.

Note: Workshop facilitators may conduct this summary session at the mid- point of the teams’ writing period, so that ATPs may leave the workshop as they complete their One-Year Action Plans. Some teams finish writing their draft plans before others.

Summary: List of the topics that were covered during the day:

• Theoretical model of overlapping spheres of influence • Framework of the six types of involvement • Challenges that must be solved to reach all families • How to link school, family, and community partnerships to results for students • How to organize the ATP

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

140 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

• Components of a good plan for partnerships • Completion of a draft One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships linking family and

community engagement to improve academic and behavioral goals for stu- dents, and ensuring a welcoming climate of partnerships

Ask for questions on any of the topics of the day. Ask participants to share some of the next steps they will take when they return

to their schools. Outline how you, as a facilitator, will help the ATPs with their work. Announce a deadline for completing a final version of the One-Year Action Plan

for Partnerships and how to submit the final plans to you. Let ATPs know how to contact you for additional information or assistance. Collect evaluations of the workshop from the participants. (Find evaluation

forms at pp. 192–193 and on the Handbook CD.)

online resources

cd material referenced on this page can also be downloaded from resources.corwin.com/ PartnershipsHandbook

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 141

End-of-Year Celebration Workshop

Sample Agenda

An End-of-Year Celebration Workshop is a good way to recognize the progress that Action Teams for Partnerships (ATPs) make each year and to help ATPs plan ahead to improve their partnership programs in the next school year.

The following pages present a sample agenda for an End-of-Year Celebration Workshop and notes to help plan and conduct these workshops. This workshop enables ATPs to extend their professional learning about partnerships, share their schools’ best practices, discuss problems and solutions, and gather ideas for their next One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships.

At an End-of-Year Celebration Workshop, each school creates a display or exhibit to share information on one successful practice that the ATP implemented during the year to promote school, family, and community partnerships. The school exhibits (e.g., on a display board or electronic presentation) may include posters, charts, pho- tographs, slides, videos, podcasts, handouts, or other communications. ATPs label their activities to show which goal for student success or for improving the school climate was addressed, which type(s) of involvement was (were) activated, and how the activity was conducted. The displays should help ATPs learn from each other about activities that strengthen school-based partnership programs. In addition, the workshop may include selected presentations, panels, awards or recognitions for good work, and time to talk about plans for the next school year. The sample agenda for a full day may be shortened to a few hours, depending on the time available and the number of ATPs and others involved.

Districts and schools conduct End-of-Year Celebrations in many different ways as full-day, half-day, breakfast, lunch, or dinner events. Some state departments of education conduct annual conferences on partnerships, where experienced schools and districts display and discuss their best practices to assist new ATPs with their initial plans. Some districts conduct celebration and planning workshops in early spring to help ATPs gather and discuss ideas before they write their next One-Year Action Plans for Partnerships. These variations may alter the name of this workshop, but not its purpose.

In planning a celebration, district or organization facilitators need to arrange for microphones for presenters; easels, tables, and other audiovisual equipment for exhibits; nametags; folders for information and notes; and other materials.

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

142

End-of-Year Celebration Workshop

Sample Agenda and Notes for Facilitators

8:30–9:00 Registration and Refreshments

9:00–9:30 Greetings and Introductions Overview and goals for the day

9:30–10:30 Share Best Practices—Presentations by ATPs See guidelines for planning this time segment (pp. 144–145).

9:30–10:00 Selected ATPs Present Best Practices I Topic: Involvement activities that address one school improvement goal

(e.g., improving students’ reading attitudes and skills) with different types of involvement

10:00–10:30 Selected ATPs Present Best Practices II Topic: Involvement activities to address a different school improve-

ment goal (e.g., improving student attendance) with different types of involvement

10:30–10:45 BREAK

10:45–11:15 Panel 1: Meet Challenges to Reach All Families

11:15–12:00 Gather Ideas—Visit Exhibits by All ATPs (Gallery Walk) See guidelines on advance planning for this segment (pp. 145–146).

12:00–1:00 LUNCH (provided or on own)

1:00–1:30 Panel 2: Meet Challenges to Reach Results for Student Success

1:30–2:30 Team Time: Discuss Ideas for the Next School Year. Teams meet to discuss and make notes for their next One-Year Action

Plans for Partnerships. School ATPs consider the various best prac- tices, exhibits, and challenges that were presented at the workshop. Using their present One-Year Action Plans for Partnerships and other notes collected over the year (e.g., Annual Evaluation of Activities), and considering the goals in their School Improvement Plans, ATPs

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

143

discuss ideas for improving their program of school, family, and community partnerships and their One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships for the next school year.

2:30–3:00 Wrap Up/Report Out/Announcements

Action Team Updates: One reporter from each ATP will present one or two ideas from the discussion period to indicate the new directions and next steps that the ATP will take in the next school year.

Announcements:

• Awards, appreciations, and door prizes • Deadline for the next One-Year Action Plans for Partnerships • Contact information for assistance from facilitator • Other important information

Notes for Facilitators:

• Prepare a one-page agenda for your End-of-Year Celebration. • For a half-day or part-day celebration: Schedule one presentation

on best practices, one panel on meeting challenges, and the all-school exhibits.

• For an extended day to 4:00 p.m.: Include a two-hour period for the ATPs to draft their next One-Year Action Plans for Partnerships for input from others at their school.

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

144 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

Planning an End-of-Year Celebration Workshop Guidelines for Facilitators

District or organization facilitators must do some advance planning with ATPs to prepare for an End-of-Year Celebration Workshop. This includes planning for (a) presentations by ATP chairpersons of best practices, (b) presentations by pan- elists on solving challenges for successful programs of partnership, and (c) other features that will help school ATPs share best practices and discuss solutions to challenges.

ADVANCE PLANNING FOR PRESENTATIONS OF BEST PRACTICES

In planning an End-of-Year Celebration Workshop, the facilitator will guide ATPs to prepare their displays on one best practice, by type of involvement and goal, with guidelines for paper or electronic formats. In meeting with ATPs, the facilitator will identify the ATPs that have implemented successful family and community involve- ment activities during the school year and are willing to share their stories with other ATPs in the district. The number of presenters depends on the time available and the number of outstanding activities for (a) involving more families, (b) improv- ing the school climate, and (c) reaching results for students. ATPs who are not asked to make presentations at the workshop will share one of their best practices in the exhibit area (Gallery Walk) that all attendees visit.

Presenters should be notified ahead of time, informed of strict time limits for their presentations, and guided in good presentation skills. Presenters may use PowerPoint slides, simple handouts, or other technologies. All print and pictures must be large enough for the audience to see. Presentations also may include choral speakers, poems, songs, dances, and skits to demonstrate particularly effective fam- ily and community involvement activities.

Some facilitators select themes for End-of-Year Celebration Workshops and guide participants to present information related to the theme (e.g., partnerships to improve students’ reading or math skills, or partnerships with families with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds).

The time from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. may be planned in 15-minute segments for pre- sentations on best practices that show how family and community involvement can be focused on specific goals for student success or for improving the school climate, using all or some of the six types of involvement.

For example, two presenters from different school-based ATPs may share the time from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. to describe their schools’ outstanding activities to involve families with children in reading and language arts using Types 2 and 4. Each speaker may have 10 minutes to present his or her ATP’s activity—the goal, how the activity was conducted, participation by parents and community partners—leaving 10 min- utes for questions from the audience for the two speakers. Similarly, the period from

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

Conduct Workshops 145

10:00 to 10:30 a.m. may be divided for presentations by two or three presenters, with time left for questions from the audience. Facilitators must decide how to use the time and guide presenters accordingly.

It is the facilitator’s responsibility at the workshop to keep presenters on time. This can best be accomplished by guiding the presenters about their presentations prior to the workshop. It also helps to signal presenters when they have one minute left to conclude their presentations. A successful workshop stays on time; an unsuccess- ful workshop lets presenters go on and on.

ADVANCE PLANNING FOR PANEL PRESENTATIONS ON MEETING THE CHALLENGES

Facilitators should identify one or two important topics that have posed challenges to the schools’ ATPs throughout the year as they worked to improve partnership practices and engage all families. Usually, schools struggle with similar problems, but some schools solve them sooner than others, and the solutions vary. Facilitators should make clear that the selected topics highlight a few of many challenges that ATPs are trying to solve. For example, the facilitator may select panelists from ATPs at schools that solved one of the following challenges:

• How the ATP gets information and materials to parents who cannot attend meetings or events at the school building

• How principals and ATP chairs or co-chairs work well together • How the ATP, School Improvement Team, and PTA communicate and connect • How principals support their ATPs • How the ATP evaluates the results of specific partnership practices • How parents from diverse neighborhoods contribute to the partnership program • Other topics relevant to schools in particular locations

Panelists may include teachers, parents, students, principals, district leaders, community partners, or others to give varied views of the challenge and solutions. The panelists should be informed of strict time limits for their presentations and guided in effective presentation skills.

Two panels may be scheduled in one hour, with three or four participants on each panel sharing their experiences and observations. There should be time for questions from the audience. If there were two panels on key topics with four partic- ipants each, speakers would have about 5 minutes each for their summaries, leaving 10 minutes for questions from the audience. Facilitators must decide in advance how to use the hour and select panels accordingly.

At one workshop, for example, one panel on Organizing Your ATP included the principal with teacher and parent ATP co-chairs. They discussed four questions to help other schools that were struggling to create an effective team structure:

• Who is on your ATP? • When do you find time to meet? • How do you report to the School Improvement Team, faculty, and families

about the ATP’s work on partnerships? • What budget and fund-raising are needed to support the work of your ATP?

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .

146 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

A second panel on Increasing Parent Participation included ATP chairpersons from four schools. They discussed how each of their ATPs used an array of commu- nication tools and social media platforms to invite and encourage all parents and family partners to attend particular activities (e.g., family nights, student perfor- mances, parent-teacher-student conferences, school meetings) to ensure high partic- ipation at these gatherings at the school building, and how they connected with the parents who could not come.

Thus, in one hour, two panels addressed topics that were of interest to all schools attending the workshop.

Other topics to consider for panel presentations. In addition to the topics described above, the following may be addressed by panels of educators, parents, students, or other partners:

• How students view school, family, and community partnerships and the help they need to succeed in school (For example, four students from different grade levels could make up the panel.)

• How to identify and connect with hard-to-reach families (For example, a working parent, immigrant parent, parent of a child with special needs, and parent who lives far from the school could make up the panel.)

• How to identify and obtain funds for programs of school, family, and commu- nity partnership activities

• Other challenges to partnerships at elementary, middle, and high schools in the district

C op

yr ig

ht ©

2 01

8. C

or w

in P

re ss

. A ll

rig ht

s re

se rv

ed .