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3 Take an Action Team Approach

This chapter presents information and tools to help any school’s Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) organize its work and succeed as a team. In a partnership

school, teachers, parents, administrators, other family members, and community part- ners talk and work together to support student learning and development. Teamwork is essential for implementing an excellent program of school, family, and community part- nerships (Ames & Sheldon, 2017; Bryk, Sebring, Allensworth, Luppescu, & Easton, 2010; Bryk, Gomez, Grunow, & LeMahieu, 2015; Epstein, 2011; Henderson, Mapp, Johnson, & Davies, 2007; Sheldon & Turner-Vorbeck, in press; Weiss, Lopez, & Rosenberg, 2010).

ATP members need to understand how principals, teachers, counselors, parents, community groups, and students can work as a team, share leadership, and conduct activities that involve all families in their children’s education. School leaders, dis- trict facilitators, state coordinators, and others should know the steps that schools’ ATPs must take to write good plans for family and community involvement, conduct effective team meetings, organize committees, and implement activities that contrib- ute to student learning and success in school. The ATP, then, takes a leadership role in creating a partnership school that engages all families and benefits all students.

In this chapter, the introductory article addresses 12 common questions about the pur- poses, members, committees, and responsibilities of an ATP. It also explains how an ATP differs from and enhances the work of a School Improvement Team (SIT), PTA, or PTO.

The chapter provides summaries, checklists, and guidelines to assist school ATPs with their work. District facilitators and other leaders who help school teams may use these tools as handouts in workshops or in team meetings to explain what an ATP does, to check progress, and to improve the quality of teamwork over time.

Ten Steps to Success in School, Family, and Community Partnerships Review ten basic steps for creating a successful program of school, family, and com- munity partnerships in any elementary, middle, or high school (see p. 105 and

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 19:46:30.

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Handbook CD). Success starts with an ATP. The team must set goals for partnerships, write and implement annual plans, conduct thoughtful evaluations, celebrate prog- ress, and continue to work on partnerships from year to year. District leaders should facilitate the 10 steps in all schools to create a district culture of partnerships.

Checklist: Are You Ready? Use this checklist to help a school’s ATP keep track of its progress in initiating a program of school, family, and community partnerships.

Who Are the Members of the Action Team for Partnerships? Create a directory of team members with e-mail addresses, phone numbers, or other preferred contact information. Note the skills and talents that each member brings to the team. Also, list the ATP chair or co-chairs and main subcommittees and their leaders for the school year. Provide electronic or paper copies of this list each year to all team members to facilitate communication and to the district leader for partner- ships who assists the school. Post the list on the school website so that all teachers, parents, and community partners know who is on the ATP.

First ATP Meeting of the School Year Start the year with a well-planned agenda for the first meeting of the full ATP. The list of suggestions guides the ATP chair or co-chairs to start the year with discussions of how leadership will be shared, how committees are organized, how team members will communicate, when the team will meet, what the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships includes, and what the full team and committees will do to implement the activities that are scheduled each month and reflect on the results of each activity.

Communication Ground Rules Discuss how the members of the ATP will communicate with one another. Identify rules for interactions at meetings and at other times that will foster teamwork and team spirit.

What Do Successful Action Teams for Partnership Do? Discuss the qualities that help an ATP succeed in leading the school’s partnership pro- gram. Good teams help members communicate with each other and with other groups, conduct well-organized team meetings, solve problems, implement planned activities and evaluate the results, and improve plans for partnerships from year to year.

Annual Review of Team Processes Assess the quality of teamwork at midyear or at the end of each year by rating 18 team processes. ATP members should discuss how they can be even more effec- tive in the future. See Chapter 9 for more tools to evaluate the quality of the school’s partnership program and specific activities.

online resources

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

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Take an Action Team Approach 87

Organize an Effective Action Team for Partnerships

Questions and Answers Joyce l. epstein

Who is responsible for developing and sustaining school, family, and community partnerships? The answer, of course, is that everyone with an interest in student success has a role to play in conducting productive partnership activities. We have learned from many schools that one principal, one teacher, or one parent working alone cannot create a comprehensive and lasting program of partnerships. Rather, an Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) is needed to plan, implement, evaluate, and continually improve family and community involvement activities to create a wel- coming school climate and to help all students succeed. Also, district leaders can and should inform and prepare school ATPs, facilitate their plans and activities, and help them improve their programs from year to year. State and other leaders can help by advocating, guiding, and recognizing teamwork on partnerships. (See Chapter 7 on district and state leadership.)

This article addresses 12 key questions to help schools organize teamwork for partnerships and to enable district leaders for partnerships to guide school- based teams.

• What is an Action Team for Partnerships? • Who are the members of the Action Team for Partnerships? • What does an Action Team for Partnerships do? • How should an Action Team for Partnerships organize its work? • How do members of the Action Team for Partnerships share leadership? • How do members become an effective team? • How often should an Action Team for Partnerships meet? • What planning and evaluation tools will help an Action Team for Partnerships? • What will the Action Team for Partnerships be named? • How does an Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) differ from the School

Improvement Team (SIT)? • Can the SIT be the ATP? • How does an Action Team for Partnerships differ from the PTA, PTO, Home-

School Association, or other parent organization?

What Is an Action Team for Partnerships?

The ATP is a committee charged with planning, implementing, evaluating, and con- tinually improving the school’s program of partnerships to engage all partners and increase student success. The ATP may be a standing committee and, like other com- mittees, may report to the SIT.

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The ATP starts its formation and its work with a One-Day Team Training Workshop (see details about the workshop in Chapters 4 and 5 and on the Handbook CD). As a result of this essential training, the ATP writes and implements annual plans for family and community involvement that will help produce desired results for students, families, and the school as a whole.

The ATP includes teachers, administrators, and parents. Students must be on the ATP at the high school level, may be on the team at the elementary and middle levels, and will be involved in other ways at all school levels. Other family mem- bers, alumni of the school, and business or community partners also may be on the ATP. Members work together to review school goals; select, design, imple- ment, and evaluate partnership activities; and improve practices of family and community involvement.

A well-functioning ATP also supports the work of individual teachers and teacher teams who conduct other family and community engagement activities in their own classrooms and grade levels. The work of an ATP helps create and sustain a climate of good partnerships at a school, and it engages parents, other family members, and community partners in productive ways so that more students reach important edu- cational goals for learning and success.

Who Are the Members of the Action Team for Partnerships?

A well-functioning ATP has 6 to 12 or more members. Members may include at least two teachers, at least two parents, an administrator, and others who have important connections with families and students (e.g., counselor, school nurse, social worker, Title I parent liaison, a PTA or PTO officer or representative, instructional aide, secre- tary, custodian, grandparent who is raising a student, school psychologist, and others). The ATP also may include representatives from the community (e.g., business part- ners, interfaith leaders, representatives from literary, cultural, or civic organizations, and others). High school ATPs must include one or two students. The diverse mem- bers contribute many points of view, connections, talents, and resources for planning, implementing, and evaluating school, family, and community partnership activities.

Very small schools may adapt these guidelines to create smaller ATPs. Very large middle and high schools may extend membership to include one parent and educa- tor from each major school division on an ATP. Or, large schools may create multiple ATPs for the defined schools-within-the-school, grade levels, middle school houses, high school career academies, or other large subdivisions (see Chapter 6). Other structural and procedural adaptations may be needed to accommodate the charac- teristics and constraints in diverse schools. The ATP is a stable structure—a committee— that is, ultimately, accountable to the principal. Because the principal is a member of the ATP, the team’s focus on school improvement goals should be clear.

The ATP continues from year to year, with replacements (by position) for team members who leave. Teachers who leave the team must be replaced by teachers, par- ents must be replaced by parents, and so on. New team members must be oriented to the ATP’s One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships, and to their roles and responsibilities as team members. See Who Are the Members of the Action Team (pp. 107–108 and CD) to account for the active members of the ATP each year and to provide a directory of contact information to encourage communication among team members.

online resources

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

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What Does an Action Team for Partnerships Do?

In preschools and in elementary, middle, and high schools, the ATP writes a plan; implements, delegates, and coordinates activities; monitors progress; solves prob- lems; publicizes activities; and reports on the school’s program of partnerships to the SIT or similar body and to other appropriate groups. Members of the ATP do not work alone. They recruit other teachers, students, administrators, parents, commu- nity members, the parent association, the parent liaison, the school nurse, counsel- ors, district leaders, and others to lead and participate in family and community involvement activities.

The ATP also recognizes the family and community involvement activities con- ducted by individual teachers and other groups (e.g., PTA or PTO, afterschool pro- gram, and business partners). The school’s full partnership program includes all family and community involvement activities that are conducted for the school as a whole, in specific grade levels, and by individual teachers each year.

The ATP, then, should be able to describe and discuss the school’s program of family and community involvement and all of its parts. This includes annual activi- ties that can be sustained or improved from year to year, new activities developed and conducted by the ATP, delegated leaders, and individual or groups of teachers at different grade levels.

Specifically, in each school, the ATP will do the following:

• Select a committee structure to organize its work by focusing on specific school improvement goals or on the six types of involvement to promote the academic and behavioral success of students, and to strengthen a welcoming school climate.

• Select or elect the ATP chair or co-chairs and subcommittee chairs or co-chairs. Co-chairs and/or chair-elects are recommended for all leadership positions.

• Write a detailed annual One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships to improve fam- ily and community involvement linked to school improvement plans. The plan for partnerships will include activities for all six types of involvement that involve families and the community in ways that create a welcoming climate and help students reach school goals. Make the detailed plan for part- nerships an official part or appendix of the School Improvement Plan.

• Identify the budget(s) and resources that will support the activities in the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships.

• Meet monthly as a whole team to ensure continuous progress in plans and activities. Evaluate activities that were implemented in the past month. (See pp. 348–359 for a tool to review and reflect on activities that were conducted). Discuss activities planned for the next month and ATP members’ responsibil- ities for implementing these activities.

• Meet in smaller committees, as needed, to implement scheduled activities in the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships.

• Conduct or delegate leadership to team members or to teachers, parents, and others not on the team to implement planned activities. Draw strength from members of the school community with talents that relate specifically to planned engagement activities.

• Establish goals and guidelines for teamwork, including how team members will communicate, discuss ideas, solve problems, and make decisions.

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90 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

• Report progress on a regular schedule to an SIT, faculty, and/or parent orga- nization. Work with the district leader for partnerships on periodic progress reports to the superintendent and school board.

• Publicize partnership plans and practices to parents, students, and teachers, and, as appropriate, the broader community. All teachers, parents, school staff, community members, and students should know how they can help select, design, conduct, enjoy, benefit from, and evaluate partnership activities.

• Recognize and celebrate excellent participation from parents, other family members, students, and others in the community who contribute to the suc- cess of planned partnership activities.

• Evaluate progress to improve the quality of implementations and the strength of results of various involvement activities. Use the Annual Evaluation of Activities (pp. 348–359 and CD) throughout the school year to review and reflect on the implementation and results of each activity that is implemented.

• Gather ideas for new activities for the next One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships from parents, the parent organization, teachers, and other partners, and dis- cuss these ideas as a team.

• Solve problems that impede progress on partnership activities. • Write a new One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships each year to ensure an ongo-

ing program of partnerships in the life and work of the school. • Replace teachers, parents, administrators, or others who leave the ATP with

new members from the same positions so that a full team is always ready to conduct a planned program of partnerships at the school.

These steps must be followed each year to sustain an excellent program of school, family, and community partnerships. By conducting these activities, the ATP helps everyone know that the school has a well-defined and active partner- ship program. From year to year, the number and quality of activities in a school’s One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships should improve along with positive results of the activities.

How Should an Action Team for Partnerships Organize Its Work?

An ATP may organize its work by focusing on specific school improvement goals or on the six types of involvement. This choice of emphasis will determine the structure of the ATP’s committees, how the ATP writes a One-Year Action Plans for Partnerships, and how the program is evaluated.

Organize ATP committees to help reach school improvement goals. One way to orga- nize ATP committees, plans, and evaluations is to focus family and community involvement on helping the school and students reach specific improvement goals. In the “goals approach,” the ATP creates subcommittees with chairs or co-chairs and members who become the school’s experts on how family and community involve- ment can help students reach selected academic and nonacademic goals such as improving reading, math, or science skills; improving attendance or behavior; or other goals and for creating a welcoming school environment for all families and students (see p. 167 in Chapter 5).

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Each subcommittee writes one section (one page) of the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships–Form G (Goals), obtains input from the rest of the team, and takes respon- sibility for implementing or delegating and evaluating the activities in that section of the action plan. For example, one or two members of the ATP may chair or co-chair a committee for involving families and the community to help students improve read- ing skills and attitudes. The reading-goal committee of the ATP will write one page of the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships that outlines and schedules activities that focus on involvement in reading, drawing from the six types of involvement. The plan may outline workshops for parents, communications about state standards and tests on reading, volunteer reading buddies, and so on.

If another school goal is to improve student attendance, the attendance-goal committee of the ATP will oversee that section of the plan and engage family and community members in ways that ensure that healthy students attend school every day and that they arrive on time. The attendance committee may select activities to increase families’ understanding of school policies about attendance, clarify report card statistics on attendance, train volunteers to phone absent students’ families, reward students for improved attendance, and address other ways to improve stu- dent attendance and reduce lateness.

Other members of the ATP may co-chair or serve on subcommittees to involve families and the community to help students improve skills and attitudes in math, science, or writing; to improve health or behavior; or to develop a welcoming school climate and sense of community. These assignments will match the pages of the One- Year Action Plan for Partnerships.

Field tests indicate that ATPs can effectively address four school improvement goals each year to engage parents and others with students on two academic goals, one behavioral goal, and one goal for strengthening a welcoming school climate and sense of community. Experienced teams may add goals and activities over time with additional ATP members. From year to year, the quality and results of activities addressing specific school goals should improve, along with the ATP members’ expertise and teamwork.

Organize ATP committees to strengthen the six types of involvement. Another way to organize ATP subcommittees, plans, and evaluations is to focus on the six types of involvement: parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community. In the “types approach,” the ATP creates six subcommittees, each with a chair or co-chairs and members who become the school’s experts on each type of involvement (see pp. 155 in Chapter 5).

In this case, each committee writes one section (one page) of the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships–Form T (Types), obtains input from the rest of the team, and takes responsibility for implementing, delegating, and evaluating the activities for the spe- cific type of involvement. There may be a page of planned activities to strengthen Type 1–Parenting with workshops on child development, parent-to-parent forums, activities for families to inform the school about their children’s talents, needs, or family goals, and other Type 1 activities. Similarly, a page of planned activities will be written for each of the other types of involvement, led by at least one ATP mem- ber and other team or nonteam members so that the planned activities are success- fully implemented to reach all families.

The two approaches for organizing ATP committees are not mutually exclusive. Plans for partnerships based on school improvement goals must include activities for all six types of involvement. Plans for partnerships based on the six types of

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involvement must specify how each activity will help reach an important school goal. The difference in the two approaches is in how ATP members organize sub- committees, explain their roles and responsibilities, write their One-Year Action Plans for Partnerships, and complete the Annual Evaluation of Activities. (See Chapters 5 and 9 for planning and evaluation tools, respectively, organized by goals for school improvement or by types of involvement.)

How Do Members of the Action Team for Partnerships Share Leadership?

Many people play important leadership roles on an ATP. All members of the team contribute ideas to the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships; lead, co-lead, or assist on subcommittees; delegate leadership and mobilize support for activities; and evalu- ate the results of their efforts (Epstein, 2011).

Each ATP has a chairperson or, better, co-chairs. Co-chairs should be educators and parents who are recognized and accepted as leaders by all team members. ATP subcommittees also have a chair or co-chairs. The co-chair structure gives greater stability to the ATP and to its subcommittees. Co-leaders support each other, share leadership activities, and one can take over in case the other leaves the school. Co-chairs also strengthen the long-term leadership structure of an ATP with more members ready and able to take leadership for work on family and community engagement.

Members of the ATP and other teachers, parents, school staff, and community partners who are not on the ATP may lead various involvement activities in the One- Year Action Plan for Partnerships. If the school has a parent organization (e.g., PTA, PTO), some of its annual activities may be included in or appended to the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships. Those activities will be conducted by PTA or PTO leaders in collaboration with the ATP and others as part of the school’s overall partnership program. There is plenty of work to do in a full partnership program. Many individ- uals, groups, and committees must share leadership so that activities will be well planned and well implemented to engage all families in their children’s education at school and at home.

Even as school principals, guidance counselors, teachers, paraprofessionals, and other staff, parents, community partners, and students work together to ensure a successful partnership program, some members of the ATP have unique roles and responsibilities. In addition, district leaders for partnerships, too, can affect the qual- ity of schools’ teamwork, programs, and progress on partnerships (Epstein, Galindo, & Sheldon, 2011; Epstein & Sheldon, 2016). (See Chapter 7 for a full discussion of the roles district leaders play in guiding and support school ATPs.)

Principals School principals are essential members of the ATP. As the ultimate leader of the school, the principal sets the tone for good partnerships, clarifies and reinforces the school’s commitment to enacting the district policy or school priorities for part- nerships, and helps teachers and other staff focus on continually improving the qual- ity and progress of the school’s partnership program. Principals support and guide ATP connections to the SIT and to other groups that may be interested in family and

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Take an Action Team Approach 93

community engagement. Assistant principals and other administrators also may serve as members of the ATP.

Principals must be able to articulate the new directions for school-based, goal- linked programs of family and community involvement outlined in this Handbook. No longer is a partnership program something that a principal conducts alone. A strong partnership program requires teamwork. The principal is part of a collabora- tive Action Team for Partnerships that also includes teachers, parents, and others to organize and continually improve plans and practices that engage all students’ fam- ilies in useful ways (Epstein & Jansorn, 2004; Sanders, 2014; Sanders & Sheldon, 2009; Van Voorhis & Sheldon, 2004).

Ideally, a principal should not be the chair of an ATP. It is best for teachers, counselors, or parents to become co-chairs of the ATP. Some principals want to be chair or co-chair of the ATP, but other principals see that members will gain leader- ship experience by serving as team and subcommittee leaders. Indeed, there are many ways that a principal exercises leadership on partnerships, even if others serve as chair or co-chair of the team. As an active member of the ATP, a principal may take the following leadership actions:

• Use the bully pulpit of the principal’s office to let teachers, staff, parents, stu- dents, and the community know that this is a Partnership School. Clarify how the SIT, ATP, and all teachers, staff members, and parents will work together to help all students succeed to their full potential.

• Let all students know—frequently—how important their families are to the school and to the students’ progress and success in school.

• At the first faculty meeting each year, talk about the ATP’s mission or “charge,” the importance of teamwork on partnerships, and the support that will be provided.

• Allocate funds for the school’s program of school, family, and community partnerships, and include the funds as a line item for partnership program development in the annual school budget.

• Provide time and space for ATP meetings. Arrange for teachers on the ATP to meet at the same time or make sure the school will be open for meetings before or after school hours.

• Work with the ATP to ensure that its members reflect key dimensions of diversity of the school population (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status).

• Demonstrate support for school, family, and community partnerships by attending as many activities as possible.

• Publicize scheduled involvement activities throughout the school year. Encourage all educators, parents, and others to participate in the activities to develop a strong partnership program, a welcoming school climate, and a sense of community.

• Recognize all individual teachers’ contributions to the school’s program of partnerships in the activities they conduct with their students’ families. Help teachers become more effective in communicating with parents about stu- dents’ homework, schoolwork, grades, and test scores, and in conducting effective parent-teacher-student conferences.

• Evaluate each teacher’s activities to involve families as part of an annual or periodic professional review.

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94 School, Family, and community PartnerShiPS

• Guide the ATP in making periodic reports on partnership plans and accom- plishments to the school council, full faculty, parent organization, local media, and other key community groups.

• Work with community groups and leaders to locate resources that will enrich the curriculum and that provide important services to students and families.

• Recognize and thank ATP leaders and team members, active family volun- teers, business and community partners, and other participants for their time and contributions to involvement activities each year.

• Work with district leaders for partnerships, district administrators, and prin- cipals from other schools to arrange or support professional development on partnerships, share ideas, solve challenges, and improve school, family, and community partnerships.

These and other leadership actions by principals support and strengthen school partnership programs, family engagement, and results for students.

Counselors and Specialists School counselors, psychologists, social workers, and other specialists may be assigned to one school or more than one school. They may be members of the ATP in one or more locations, and may serve as ATP chair or co-chairs. They also may be leaders of ATP committees for specific goals, activities, and types of involvement. Assistant principals and school counselors are particularly helpful team leaders or co-chairs in middle and high schools because their professional agendas link directly to students, families, and communities. These school professionals have training and experience to plan and conduct meetings and to guide teachers, parents, students, and commu- nity members to work well together (Epstein & Van Voorhis, 2010).

In districts where a district-level leader for partnerships lacks sufficient staff to assist school teams, the social and psychological professionals may be prepared and mobilized to work with the district leader to facilitate school ATPs in developing, improving, and sustaining their programs of partnership.

Teachers At least two or three teachers must be members of the ATP and may serve as ATP chair or co-chairs and as subcommittee leaders. They may be master teachers, lead teachers, department chairs, or classroom teachers from different grade levels. Teachers on the ATP contribute ideas for family and community engagement activi- ties linked to academic goals for students. They also connect and communicate with all teachers in the school about schoolwide and classroom practices of family and community involvement. Some schools increase the number of ATP members to include one teacher from each grade level to ensure that family involvement activi- ties are planned, implemented, and shared across the grades and with all families.

Some schools have a history of leaving teachers out of family engagement activi- ties. Work over the past 20 years in the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) shows that teachers are critical partners in goal-linked partnership programs because they are the main link between students, families, and the school at each grade level. Parents want to hear from teachers about their child’s work and prog- ress, and how to help at home.

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Teachers have important roles to play in advancing programs and practices of family and community engagement.

• Teachers serve on the ATP to fulfill the school and district mission for a wel- coming school and well-planned, evaluated activities of family and commu- nity engagement to increase student success in school.

• Individual classroom teachers or teams of grade level teachers conduct activ- ities to communicate with their own students’ families. This includes assign- ing homework (a natural connector of school and home), conducting parent-teacher-student conferences, and organizing special classroom events linked to specific units of students’ work.

• Individual teachers and the ATP help each other on whole school or grade-specific engagement activities, including improving parent-teacher- student conferences, book fairs, reading nights, science fairs, art exhibits, and other engagement activities in support of academic and behavioral goals for students.

Whether on the ATP or not, all teachers conduct activities with their own stu- dents’ families. They also may collaborate as grade-level teaching teams to engage students and families in units of work and special projects. The ATP may collect information from all teachers and record their family and community involvement activities as part of the school’s overall program of partnerships. The complete list of all teachers’ practices may be included in or appended to the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships. See the form, The Complete Picture, on the Handbook CD.

Teachers on the ATP communicate and work with all teachers and staff to rein- force the importance of connections with students’ families. Teachers may help each other to become more effective in communicating with parents about homework, report card grades, learning standards, state and school tests, and other topics related to student success. Communications on students’ good work and notable progress are as important as connections about students’ academic and behavioral problems.

Paraprofessionals Parent liaisons (also called parent coordinators, parent leaders, family liaisons, and other titles) are paid aides who help educators connect and communicate with parents and other family members. Parent liaisons must be members of the ATP. They may serve, with educators, as co-chairs of the ATP or as leaders of ATP subcommittees. They may be particularly appropriate as leaders of workshops or activities that directly assist families on goal-linked activities for Type 1–Parenting or Type 6–Collaborating with the Community. They also may help train and coordinate parent volunteers (Type 3–Volunteering). Bilingual liaisons may serve as translators and interpreters for parents who speak languages other than English (Type 2–Communicating).

Other paraprofessionals (e.g., instructional aides or assistants in school libraries, computer labs, and other locations) and other school staff (e.g., secretaries, cafeteria and custodial staff, and transportation staff) also may serve as members of the ATP and as participants in activities for school, family, and community partnerships.

Parent leaders should not work in the “old way” as lone leaders in charge of par- ents or as ombudsmen waiting for complaints and problems. Rather, all parent lead- ers and paraprofessionals will do more and better work in the “new way” as members

online resources

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

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of an ATP focused on involving all families and helpful community partners in ways that boost student success in school (Epstein, 2007; Sanders, 2008).

Families Parents and other family members are essential members of the ATP. They may serve as co-chairs of the ATP and of ATP subcommittees along with teachers, administrators, and school staff. Parents on the ATP should come from different neighborhoods or groups served by the school and have children in different grade levels. If the school has a PTA or PTO, a representative from this group should be on the ATP.

Parents and other family members on the ATP contribute ideas and help educa- tors understand topics that are important to families, design ways to involve all fam- ilies, conduct activities on family-friendly schedules, recruit families to lead and implement activities, and encourage all families to participate in activities (Bolivar & Chrispeels, 2011; Sanders, 2010). Some schools increase the size of the ATP by recruit- ing a family representative from each grade level to ensure that engagement activi- ties address parents’ interest and children’s development at all age levels. With diverse representation, all parents in the school will see that they have a voice on the ATP and a contact person with whom to share ideas and questions.

Parents and all members of an ATP experience team training together to learn about new directions for school, family, and community partnerships and to write their first One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships. The One-Day Team-Training Workshop is “professional development” for the principal, teachers, and parent members of the ATP. All team members share responsibilities for leading the activi- ties that are scheduled in the annual plan for partnerships. This approach changes the definitions of professional development and shared leadership to recognize that parents are key to the success of the school’s partnership program.

Community Partners Business and other community partners may serve on an ATP. Some ATPs include a business partner, librarian, police officer, city council official, scientist, medical expert, faith-based leader, alum, or others as team members. Community partners bring expert knowledge, useful connections, and various resources to the ATP and to ATP subcommittees.

Community members should not chair the ATP, but they may take appropri- ate leadership roles, such as co-chairing an ATP subcommittee or leading an involvement activity. For example, a business partner may co-chair a subcommit- tee to engage family and community partners in ways that increase student atten- dance. The involvement activities for that goal may include several agencies and other groups that can help the school, students, and families improve students’ daily attendance and on-time arrival. Or, a community partner might lead Type 6–Collaborating with the Community activities, such as establishing an after- school program with the local parks and recreation department or identifying community groups to help improve students’ skills and attitudes in reading, sci- ence, behavior, health, or school safety.

If community partners are on the ATP, they, too, should attend the One-Day Team-Training Workshop for professional development to build their expertise on partnerships.

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Students Students must serve on the ATP in high schools. Although they may not serve as ATP chairs or co-chairs, they may share leadership with an educator, parent, or commu- nity partner for specific activities in the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships. Teachers, parents, and others on high school ATPs value students’ ideas for and reactions to plans for partnerships. Student members communicate with other high school students in various ways to gather ideas about which school, family, and community partnerships are important and acceptable to students and their families.

Some elementary and middle schools elect to include students on the ATPs to ensure that students’ voices are included in discussions about partnerships for stu- dent success in school (Lynch, 2015).

At all school levels, all students are the main actors in their own education and key partners for family and community involvement. All students deliver messages from school to home and from home to school. Students often explain, interpret, and translate memos and information to parents. They are leaders in discussions with parents about homework, report cards, school events, and problems they may have at school. Therefore, all students at all grade levels should be well informed about the goals of the ATP and about their important roles in involving their families in engagement activities at school and at home. Only with student involvement and support will programs of school, family, and community partnerships succeed.

All members of the ATP and all members of the school community are expected to be able to speak knowledgeably about the school’s partnership program, who is on the ATP, and how to contact a member of the team to provide ideas or input to decision. Everyone at school should know where to read a copy of the annual One- Year Action Plan for Partnerships and have access to a calendar of family and commu- nity engagement activities that are scheduled throughout the school year to plan their time and participation. It should be clear that all partners in education know that their school is a “partnership place” where educators, parents, community members, and students are working together for student success.

How Do Members Become an Effective Team?

Teachers, administrators, parents, community partners, and others on an ATP must learn to function well as a team. They meet each other, learn each other’s strengths and talents, set ground rules for communicating, plan and implement activities, produce results, evaluate activities, share successes, solve problems, replace mem- bers who leave, and improve plans and processes over time to sustain their work as a team. The team, itself, is a message that educators, parents, and community part- ners are working together to help all students succeed to their full potential. Only a well-functioning team, however, will produce the desired results.

Over time, groups may progress through several developmental stages to become an effective team. One framework identified the stages of teamwork as form- ing, storming, norming, and performing (Hirsh & Valentine, 1998, based on Tuckman, 1965). This classic view of likely changes in temperament tells us that teams need to get a good start, minimize conflict, establish rules and procedures, and take effective action. Some ATPs move quickly or skip through these stages to become productive and

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successful. Other ATPs move slowly but steadily, and still other teams get stuck and fail to function. As new team members are added, some ATPs remain strong and productive, whereas others must regroup and reestablish desired team qualities before they can move ahead to work well on partnerships. Here, we apply this framework to discuss how to establish and sustain well-functioning ATPs.

Get a good start. When teams are forming, members have high expectations for success. They also have many questions about the team’s mission and their own roles and responsibilities. Members must learn about each other’s strengths and talents and establish basic ground rules for communicating with one another (see p. 110 and CD). Each year, new members may join the ATP, either to replace those who leave the school or to increase the size and diversity of the ATP. Thus, each year it is necessary to reintroduce the mission and purpose of the team, review goals and plans, and reassign members’ roles and responsibilities.

It is important to select teachers, parents, administrators, and other members of the team who believe that families and the community can increase the success of students and the school. The team should elect effective leaders—preferably co-chairs—, provide copies of the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships to all mem- bers, and share contact information so that all members can communicate easily with each other. It helps if an ATP elects leaders one year ahead of time, so that the chair- elect can “shadow” the present leader throughout the school year. Or, co-chairs may work together over several years.

When teams convene at the start of a school year, the principal, chair of the SIT, and, if appropriate, a district leader for partnerships, should discuss the team’s mis- sion, express support, and outline the resources available for the team’s work. The chair or co-chairs of the ATP may conduct a team-building activity to help members get to know one another.

Minimize conflict. Some teams enter short periods when individuals or subgroups seem to be storming with each other. If the ATP’s charge is unclear or if the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships is not addressing important goals, members may be uncer- tain about why they are on the team. If meetings are irregular or poorly planned, mem- bers may become critical of the team leaders and question the value of participating.

These concerns and confusions can be minimized or eliminated if the ATP writes a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships that focuses on improving the school climate and engaging families and the community on important goals for student learning and development. The activities or strategies to reach the selected goals must be clear, proven or innovative, productive, and enjoyable. It is imperative for the team to meet monthly for well-planned meetings to evaluate activities conducted in the past month, and plan the leadership and steps for conducting planned activities in the next month. Meeting should celebrate progress and reinforce the shared work of good partners.

The One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships should be written each spring for the next school year and reviewed and refreshed when the team reassembles each fall. Team-building activities can be conducted to draw attention to important norms, rules, and skills for good teamwork, such as listening to each other, discussing dis- agreements, and respecting differences in opinions.

Establish rules and procedures. The process of norming occurs when all team members agree how the ATP will conduct its meetings and its work. In addition to the work of co-chairs, some teams assign other roles to ensure more effective team meetings. A recorder or secretary may take notes and distribute summaries of team meetings via e-mail to those who could not attend. A timekeeper may help keep the

online resources

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

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meeting agenda on schedule. Links or liaisons to the SIT and PTA or PTO may help alert and recruit participants for activities for family and community involvement.

The ATP may set procedures and rules for how team members will listen to each other, solicit ideas, express disagreements, discuss solutions to problems, agree to compromises, and make decisions. The norms for teamwork help members build trust and respect for one another and strengthen the spirit of cooperation for work that must be done.

Take action. When members understand the team’s goals, know their own and others’ responsibilities and talents, and agree on the rules for interaction and cooper- ation, an ATP can become a high-performing leadership committee in any preschool or elementary, middle, or high school. High-performing teams cooperate and commu- nicate to write an annual partnership plan, implement planned activities, evaluate the quality and results of activities, and celebrate successes. Each year, good teams review their meeting schedules, procedures, and responsibilities (see the Annual Review of Team Processes, below). Each spring, a well-functioning team will write or edit the next annual plan for partnerships to continually improve the school’s partnership programs, practices, and results.

Every ATP has a responsibility to understand its mission, minimize conflict, cre- ate positive processes, and take action to involve families and the community in ways that produce important results for students. By using the tools and guidelines in this Handbook, any ATP can be successful.

How Often Should an Action Team for Partnerships Meet?

An ATP should conduct just the right number of meetings—not too many and not too few—on a realistic and regular schedule. An ATP should consider the following recommendations about team meetings and reports.

Whole-Team Meetings. The full ATP should meet at least monthly for at least one hour. Each meeting should have a well-planned agenda that reinforces teamwork and that keeps the activities in the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships moving for- ward. Whole-team meetings may be used to orient new team members; build team spirit; write, review, and revise the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships; monitor the progress of all ATP subcommittees; evaluate activities that were implemented in the past month; discuss activities that are scheduled in the next month and the leaders of these activities; plan publicity and other communication strategies; identify and solve problems; conduct assessments at the end of the school year; celebrate prog- ress; plan and write a new One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships for the next school year; and take care of other ATP business.

Subcommittee Meetings. ATP subcommittees are subgroups of the full team who take charge of planning, conducting or delegating, and evaluating the involvement activities for different sections (or pages) of the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships. There should be at least one subcommittee for each page of the plan (Form G–Goals or Form T–Types). The ATP subcommittees may, for example, focus on involvement activities linked to school improvement goals (e.g., to help students improve reading or improve school climate) or on each of the six types of involvement. Subgroups will meet as often as needed to ensure that activities that are planned and scheduled are successfully implemented.

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Some ATPs do all of their work as a whole team. This is not as effective as having subcommittees or small groups take responsibility for various activities as they are scheduled throughout the year. Some ATPs create temporary or ad hoc work groups for each activity that is scheduled in the action plan. These ad hoc committees can be successful if they are formed in a timely way to plan and implement or delegate and oversee each activity in the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships.

ATPs must decide the best way to organize subcommittees in their own loca- tions. At small group meetings, members may discuss responsibilities, list resources needed to implement upcoming activities (e.g., facilities, materials, publicity, or out- reach or assistance from the full ATP, SIT, or others), celebrate successes, plan improvements, and take care of other committee responsibilities.

The co-chairs of the full ATP and the leaders of the ATP subcommittees or activi- ties also must prepare agendas for their meetings, secure a room, remind members of the meeting, invite special guests, conduct the meeting, see that absent members are informed of accomplishments and assignments, and take other leadership roles.

The chair, co-chairs, or designated members of the ATP should report regularly (at least twice a year) to the SIT, the full faculty, the PTA or PTO, and/or to other groups so that all teachers, parents, students, and members of the community know about the school’s plans, activities, and progress on partnerships (see p. 111 and CD). The regular reports and discussions with school groups also are occa- sions to gather information and ideas for changes and improvements to plans and practices of partnerships, and to recruit additional leaders and participants for various partnership activities.

The chair, co-chairs, or designated members of the ATP should publicize the plans, activities, and progress on partnerships to all families, students, and the com- munity in school or community newsletters, on websites, with banners or posters, on social media platforms, and in various forums to increase understanding, participa- tion, and support for partnerships.

What Tools Help an Action Team for Partnerships Do its Work?

To fulfill its responsibilities and develop and strengthen the school’s partnership program from year to year, an ATP should address the questions in the first column of the following chart. Planning and evaluation tools in this Handbook described in the second column may be used to address the questions.

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER TOOLS TO USE

1. this school’s atP is already conducting some family involvement activities. how can we take stock of the activities that teachers are doing individually, that are being done at particular grade levels, and that are being conducted by various groups schoolwide?

2. this school has a School improvement Plan that identifies key goals. can the atP link family and community involvement to our school’s goals for improvement?

1. use Starting Points: An Inventory of Present Practices to inventory all present practices for the six types of involvement (see pp. 175–178 and cd).

2. Select the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships (Form G– Goals) to write an annual plan for family and community involvement that is directly linked to specific goals in the School improvement Plan (see pp. 182–185 and cd for Form G).

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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER TOOLS TO USE

3. We already have a committee of parents in the school. do we need another one?

4. there are so many parent and community involvement activities to choose from. how can our atP organize a realistic plan for this school year?

5. all teachers in our school conduct activities with their own students’ parents, and some have community partners for their classroom. how do we account for all of the family and community engagement activities going on in our school?

6. this school is implementing its One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships. how will our atP know if we are making progress?

3. if you have a parent committee, you can “grow” it to become the atP. check that the members of the reframed “partnership team” include parents, teachers, administrators, and others. See “Who are the members of the action team for Partnerships” (pp.107–108) and see chapters 4 and 5.

4. complete the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships form with a detailed schedule of activities and specific responsibilities for members of the atP. See pages 182–191 and cd for alternatives (Form G and Form T).

5. use the Complete Picture (cd only). this template will help you document the many activities that individual teachers and grade level teams conduct to engage parents and community partners.

6. complete the Annual Evaluation of Activities. reflect on the quality of each activity as it is implemented throughout the year. at the end of the year, review the reports and identify needed improvements (see pp. 348–359 and cd).

What Will the Action Team for Partnerships Be Named?

A school may call its team the Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) or select an alter- native name. Some teams have named themselves the School, Family, and Community Partnership (SFCP) or have selected unique names, such as Parent- Educator Network (PEN), Teachers Getting Involved with Families (TGIF), Partners in Education (PIE), Partners for Student Success (PASS), Partners for Progress (PFP), Teachers and Parents for Students (TAPS), Partnership Team (PT), and other names that refer to the concept of partnerships.

Some names should not be chosen. Avoid titles that refer only to parents and not to partners (e.g., “The Parent Team” and “Bringing Parents to School” are not “part- nership names”). These are poor choices because they suggest that the ATP is con- ducting a “parent program.” A program of school, family, and community partnerships is not about the parents. It is about increasing student success by mobi- lizing the support of families and other partners. The team needs a name that con- veys the concept of good partnerships, and that shows that educators, families, and the community will work together because they share an interest in the success of all students.

How Does an Action Team for Partnerships Differ from the School Improvement Team?

SITs, councils, and other decision making or advisory groups write, approve, and oversee broad improvement plans. They focus on what teachers, administrators, and other school staff will do to improve the curriculum, instruction, assessments,

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and management of the school. Most SITs do not write detailed plans and schedules for family and community involvement activities (see p. 170 in Chapter 5).

The ATP focuses exclusively on developing, implementing, and continuously improving plans and practices to engage parents and community partners in ways that support student learning and development. The ATP may report progress or questions on a regular schedule (e.g., twice a year) to the SIT if other school commit- tees make periodic reports. The ATP’s reports should help the SIT or other groups see the school is working to have a welcoming, family-friendly climate and that par- ents and others are being engaged on goal-linked partnership activities each year.

Can the School Improvement Team Be the Action Team for Partnerships?

If a SIT is very large, a designated subset of teachers, parents, and the principal, as well as others may be the ATP. In most schools, however, a well-functioning SIT is limited in size and has defined responsibilities for advising the principal about all aspects of the school’s program and progress.

Most SITs need an ATP—an “action arm” or standing committee—to plan and implement family and community involvement activities. The ATP may include one linking member who also is on the SIT. In this way both the ATP and SIT will be aware of each other’s plans and actions to create a welcoming climate and increase student success.

When different people serve on the SIT and ATP, a school will increase the num- ber of teachers and parents who gain leadership skills, and will prevent some active individuals from taking on too many tasks and burning out.

How Does the Action Team for Partnerships Differ from the PTA or PTO?

A school benefits by having an ATP and a PTA, PTO, Home-School Association, or other parent organization. A PTA or PTO helps develop parent leaders and brings parents’ voices to bear on school policies, decisions, and activities. Typically, how- ever, a PTA or PTO does not guide the work of teachers or administrators to connect with all families about their child’s learning and success in school. In contrast, an ATP writes plans and conducts or delegates activities to organize and improve com- munications with all families on learning standards and expectations each year, homework policies for each class or grade level, report card grades, other curriculum matters, tests and assessments, postsecondary planning, parent-teacher-student con- ferences, school open house and related meetings, and other important school and classroom topics. These are matters that all parents request when asked about their communications with teachers and their engagement in their child’s education.

The ATP writes an annual One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships so that family and community involvement includes activities that teachers, parents, administrators, counselors, community partners, and others conduct to help all parents understand their children’s work and learning opportunities each year. This ensures that the school’s program of family and community involvement is officially linked to the School Improvement Plan and goals for student success. The ATP, which includes

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teachers and administrators, works to improve connections with all families about the curriculum, students’ work, and students’ academic and behavioral progress. This extends the agenda of the PTA or PTO in ways that are important to most parents.

The PTA or PTO is a parent-oriented group. The ATP is a student-oriented group that mobilizes the energies, resources, and efforts of all who are interested in student success. The PTA or PTO may be purposely independent of the school. The ATP is a school committee, and its annual written plans for partnerships are an official part of and appended to the School Improvement Plan.

It is clear that these entities—ATP and PTA or PTO—are linked and can work in partnership. Both are part of a school’s overall partnership program. An officer or representative of the PTA or PTO should be a member of the ATP to make the most of opportunities on which the two groups will work in concert. With an ATP, all partners—including the PTA or PTO and other business and community partners— work together to support parents, students, and the school. In many schools, the most effective partnership plans are co-conducted by the ATP and PTA or PTO.

Summary

This Handbook guides schools to have a unified partnership program that the principal, ATP, and all other groups can describe and in which they take pride. A unified part- nership program identifies and recognizes all of the family and community involve- ment activities that will be conducted by educators, PTA or PTO, business partners, community groups, afterschool programs, and others to improve the school, to open opportunities for students, and to serve the needs and interests of families and com- munities. In a unified program, everyone’s work on family and community involve- ment is accounted for and celebrated, and the school’s partnership program will continue to grow and improve.

References

Ames, R. T., & Sheldon, S. B. (2017). Annual NNPS report: 2016 school data. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, National Network of Partnership Schools.

Bolivar, J. M., & Chrispeels, J. H. (2011). Enhancing parent leadership through building social and intel- lectual capital. American Educational Research Journal, 48, 4–38

Bryk, A. S., Gomez, L. M., Grunow, A., & LeMahieu, P. G. (2015). Learning to improve: How America’s schools can get better at getting better. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.

Bryk, A. S., Sebring, P. B., Allensworth, E., Luppescu, S., & Easton, J. (2010). Organizing schools for improvement: Lessons from Chicago. Chicago, IL, and London: University of Chicago Press.

Epstein, J. L. (2007). Parent liaisons: What IS their role in partnership programs? Type 2, #22, p. 2. Retrieved March 14, 2008, from www.partnershipschools.org in the section Publications and Products.

Epstein, J. L. (2011). School, family, and community partnerships: Preparing educators and improving schools (2nd ed.). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Epstein, J. L., Galindo, C. L., & Sheldon, S. B. (2011). Levels of leadership: Effects of district and school leaders on the quality of school programs of family and community involvement. Educational Administration Quarterly, 47, 462–495.

Epstein, J. L., & Jansorn, N. R. (2004). Developing successful partnership programs: Principal leadership makes a difference. Principal, 83(3), 10–15.

Epstein, J. L., & Sheldon, S. B. (2016). Necessary but not sufficient: The role of policy for advancing programs of school, family, and community partnerships. Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 2(5), 202–219.

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Epstein, J. L., & Van Voorhis, F. L. (2010). School counselors’ roles in developing partnerships with families and communities for student success. Professional School Counseling, 16, 1–14.

Henderson, A. T., Mapp, K. L., Johnson, V. R., & Davies, D. (2007). Beyond the bake sale. New York: New Press.

Hirsh, S., & Valentine, J. W. (1998). Building effective middle level teams. Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Lynch, A. (2015). Children as partners at primary school. In B. Thomas et al. (Eds.), Promising partnership practices 2015 (p. 84). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, National Network of Partnership Schools.

Sanders, M. (2008). How parent liaisons can help bridge home and school. Journal of Education Research, 101, 287–297.

Sanders, M. (2010). Parents as leaders: School, family, and community partnerships in two districts. In D. Houston, A. Blankstein, & R. Cole (Eds.), Leadership for family and community involvement (pp. 13–32). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Sanders, M. (2014). Principal leadership for school, family, and community partnerships: The role of a systems approach to reform implementation. American Journal of Education, 120, 233–255.

Sanders, M. G., & Sheldon, S. B. (2009). Principals matter: A guide to school, family, and community partner- ships. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Sheldon, S. B., & Turner-Vorbeck, T. (Eds.) (in press). Handbook on family, school, community partnerships in education. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.

Tuckman, B. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63, 384–399. Van Voorhis, F. L., & Sheldon, S. B. (2004). Principals’ roles in the development of U.S. programs of

school, family, and community partnerships. International Journal of Educational Research, 41(1), 55–70.

Weiss, H. M., Lopez, E., & Rosenberg, H. (2010). Beyond random acts: Family, school, and community engagement as an integral part of education reform. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Family Research Project.

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Ten Steps to Success: School-Based Programs of School,

Family, and Community Partnerships

✔ Create an Action Team for Partnerships.

✔ Obtain funds and official support.

✔ Provide training to all members of the Action Team for Partnerships.

✔ Identify starting points—Present strengths and weaknesses.

✔ Write a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships.

✔ Apply the framework of six types of involvement to activities linked to school improvement goals.

✔ Enlist staff, parents, students, and the community to help conduct activities and to participate in activities at school, at home, and in the community.

✔ Evaluate the quality and outreach of partnership activities and results.

✔ Conduct an annual celebration to report progress to all school groups.

✔ Continue working to improve and sustain the school’s goal-linked program of partnerships.

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.

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Checklist: Are You Ready?

GETTING STARTED WITH AN ACTION TEAM FOR PARTNERSHIPS

The chair or co-chairs of the Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) will guide these activities.

CHECK (✔) WHEN YOUR SCHOOL ATP HAS COMPLETED THE FOLLOWING:

�� Select the members of the ATP. Include 6 to 12 members, with teachers, parents, principal, and others selected for their interest in and commitment to positive school, family, and community con- nections. Include student members at the high school level.

�� Schedule a One-Day Team-Training Workshop to complete many of the steps listed below, as guided by the Handbook (see Chapters 4 and 5) and the CD. This workshop may be conducted by the team chair or co-chairs, or by a district leader for partnerships who is facilitating the work of many schools’ ATPs as part of the district’s culture of partnerships.

�� Identify the chair or co-chairs of the ATP.

�� Select a committee structure for the ATP to focus on four school improvement goals or on the six types of involvement. Identify the chair or co-chairs of each committee.

�� Complete an inventory of present practices for each of the six types of involvement. Discuss the inventory with teachers, parents, students, and others, and obtain their ideas about partnership activities that should be maintained, improved, and added. (See Starting Points: An Inventory of Present Practices, at pp. 175–178 and on the Handbook CD.)

�� Select goals from the School Improvement Plan that would be strengthened with activities for family and community involvement.

�� Complete a One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships (Form G or Form T) with specific activities for each of the selected goals to create a welcoming climate and to improve students’ academic and behavioral success in school. Complete the required details, including who is responsible for leading and implementing the planned involvement activities, when the activities will be conducted, and what results are expected.

�� Establish a schedule of monthly meetings for the full ATP, and discuss plans for meetings of ATP committees. Select the place and time of ATP meetings, and decide how the meetings will be organized.

Decide how often and in what ways the ATP will report to the following groups:

�� The School Improvement Team or other decision making body �� All teachers and staff �� All parents �� Parent organization (e.g., PTA, PTO, or other groups) �� The community (e.g., business roundtable, local media, mayor’s office, cultural groups, or foreign

language media) �� District leaders, school board, other district offices

�� Design and schedule a kickoff activity to effectively convey the message to all educators, families, and students that the school is a partnership school. Introduce the Action Team for Partnerships, and help parents learn how they can be involved throughout the school year.

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Who Are the Members of the Action Team for Partnerships?

School Year: _______________

What skills, talents, and experiences do members bring to the Action Team for Partnerships (ATP)? For example, who has art, music, computer, financial, writing, or teaching talents? Who makes many contacts with community groups and organizations? Who is well suited to be a chair or co-chair of the ATP or of an ATP committee?

List the names, addresses, and positions (e.g., teacher, parent, administrator, student) of the 6 to 12 mem- bers of the Action Team for Partnerships. Discuss and note the strengths and talents each one brings to the ATP. On the next page, identify the ATP’s committee structure and leadership positions.

Name: ______________________________ Position: _________________________________________ Address: _________________________________ Phone: _______________________________________________ Strengths/Talents: _____________________________________________________________________________________ E-mail: _________________________________ Favorite Way to Contact: _____________________________

If you have more than six members on the ATP, make additional copies of this form.

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ATP Committee Structure and Leaders School Year _____________

Check (✔) ONE committee structure that the ATP will use to organize its One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships and activities on school, family, and community partnerships. Then, fill in the names of the ATP members and committee leaders. Check and fill in ONLY ONE COLUMN of this form.

� Organize ATP by GOALS

This ATP will organize FOUR committees for four school improvement GOALS. We will use the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships (Form G) and Annual Evaluation of Activities (Form G) to plan and assess progress each year.

LEADERS THIS YEAR

Chair/Co-chairs of the ATP: ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Chair/Co-chairs of Committees

Goal 1 Academic: ________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Goal 2 Academic: ________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Goal 3 Behavioral: _______________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Goal 4: Climate of Partnership ________________________________________ ________________________________________

� Organize ATP by TYPES

This ATP will organize SIX committees for the TYPES of involvement. We will use the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships (Form T) and Annual Evaluation of Activities (Form T) to plan and assess progress each year.

LEADERS THIS YEAR

Chair/Co-chairs of the ATP: ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Chair/Co-chairs of Committees

Type 1–Parenting: ________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Type 2–Communicating: ___________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Type 3–Volunteering: ______________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Type 4–Learning at Home: __________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Type 5–Decision Making: ___________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Type 6–Collaborating with the Community: ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Give a copy of this information to all ATP members and other school and district leaders.

Print the list of ATP members and leaders in the school newsletter or on the website so that all teachers, parents, and community partners can see who is on the ATP.

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First ATP Meeting of the School Year

The Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) meets at least once a month to plan, monitor, evaluate, and improve activities. ATP committees meet as needed to prepare for specific partnership activities.

At its first meeting of the school year, the ATP must lay a strong foundation on which to build an effective partnership program. The agenda for the first meeting of the year may include some of the following topics, discussions, and actions. Add other topics of importance at your location.

• Recognize the value of all team members. { Express appreciation for all members’ willingness to serve on the ATP. { Reinforce the importance of attending this and all ATP meetings and events. { Lead an icebreaker or team-building activity to celebrate members’ strengths, talents, and commitment

to the work of the team.

• Review the ATP committee structure to organize specific activities in the ATP’s One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships.

• Select team leaders and discuss shared leadership responsibilities. { Positions to be filled may include the following: { Chairperson or co-chairs (co-chairs are recommended) of the full ATP and of each committee { Recorder of the minutes for each meeting { Liaison or link to the School Improvement Team to report plans and events of the ATP { Liaison or link to the PTA or PTO to include the activities of the parent organization in the ATP’s

One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships { Promoter or publicist to let teachers, other staff, families, students, and the community know of the

team’s plans, events, and progress { Other roles as needed or desired

• Establish a communication system. { Create a phone, e-mail, texting, or other e-contact list of ATP members, and distribute it to all members

and other school leaders. Choose main methods of communication. { Create a social media page (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or other favored platforms) to

share and/or stream information about your school’s ATP. { Set a regular schedule (dates, time, place) for meetings. { Create a share folder to give all team members easy access to ATP plans, notes, and resources (e.g.,

Dropbox, Google Docs, or other). { Establish or review the team’s ground rules for communicating at meetings (see p. 110 or CD). { Decide how the ATP will gather input from members who are unable to attend a meeting. { Decide how the team will provide minutes of each meeting to absent team members. { Plan how the team will keep the whole school community informed of partnership plans, activities, and

progress.

• Review the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships. { Review the pages of the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships for the school year. { Revise the plan as needed through the year.

• Begin implementing the planned partnership activities. { Help the appropriate ATP committees and leaders with upcoming activities: { Which activities are scheduled during the next month or two? { Which subcommittee(s) and team members or others are in charge of these activities? { What needs to be done to prepare for the upcoming activities? { Who will help implement each activity? { How and when will the team evaluate the effectiveness of each activity?

• Discuss the date, time, place, and agenda for the next ATP meeting.

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Communication Ground Rules

Communication ground rules establish norms for behavior and interactions that team members agree to use to conduct meetings, manage discussions, and share ideas with each other.

How should we make decisions as an ATP?

Example: Give everyone an opportunity to share his or her ideas.

How should team members communicate with each other between meetings?

Example: E-mail the agenda to all members before each meeting.

Put a * next to the two rules you think are most important for discussing ideas and for making decisions at ATP meetings.

Put a # next to the two rules you think are most important for communicating between meetings.

We will discuss the top choices and compile a final list of rules for communication that all team members agree are most important for the ATP to follow.

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What Do Successful Action Teams for Partnerships Do?

Good Teams . . .

1. Help members communicate with each other.

• Develop respect for one another’s strengths and talents. • Establish ground rules for communicating with team members. • Identify clear roles and responsibilities for all team members. • Create a spirit of cooperation, encouragement, and appreciation. • Rise above school politics to communicate with all faculty, staff, and families

about partnership activities.

2. Plan goal-linked partnerships.

• Write an ambitious One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships with clear goals and objectives for family and community involvement.

• Link partnership activities to school improvement plans and goals. • Identify and obtain needed resources for planned activities.

3. Conduct productive meetings.

• Create an appropriate meeting schedule for the full ATP and for ATP committees. • Follow a focused agenda at each meeting. • Start and end meetings on time. • Invite input from all team members.

4. Make decisions collegially and share leadership.

• Establish guidelines for decision making. • Agree to disagree with ideas, not people. • Discuss and solve problems; build consensus. • Share leadership to implement planned activities.

5. Continue to improve partnerships.

• Celebrate successful partnership activities and results. • Evaluate each activity after it is implemented. • Identify areas for improvement. • Write a new One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships every year. • Replace team members who leave. • Adjust roles and responsibilities as needed. • Actively recruit new family and community partners for fresh ideas and diverse perspectives.

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ANNUAL REVIEW OF TEAM PROCESSES

School Year: ____________________________

Discuss: How well is your ATP working as a team? How should teamwork improve?

TEAM PROCESS

RECOMMENDATION C = Continue

N = Need to improve COMMENTS/

SUGGESTIONS

MEMBERSHIP

• ATP members include teachers, parents, administrators, and others.

• ATP leaders fill useful roles (e.g., chair, co-chairs, recorder, subcommittee chairs).

• New members of the ATP are oriented to the team and to their responsibilities.

SCHEDULE

• The full ATP meets on a regular schedule.

• The time/place for meetings works well.

• ATP subcommittees meet as needed.

ORGANIZATION

• Agendas of meetings are well planned and cover important content.

• Minutes of meetings are provided to all members who could not attend.

• At whole-ATP meetings, all members contribute their ideas.

• At ATP subcommittee meetings, all members contribute their ideas.

• Team members work well as together, listen to each other, and disagree respectfully.

PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

• Activities in the One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships are implemented on schedule.

• The ATP’s budget for partnerships is adequate.

• The ATP is making progress in informing and involving more and different families.

• All team members take responsibility for leading or assisting with family and community involvement activities.

• ATP members encourage all teachers, school staff, parents, students, and others to participate in scheduled involvement activities.

• Activities are evaluated for quality and results.

• The ATP communicates with other groups at school to report plans and progress on partnerships (e.g., school council, faculty, parent organization, school board, local media, others).

LOOKING AHEAD. What is one way that the ATP could become even more effective next year in leading the school’s program of school, family, and community partnerships?

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