Transcript School Effectiveness Framework

Engaging Parents and
Community Members Effectively
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
Background Information
• Parent, Family and Community Engagement
refers to the interdependent relationship in
partnerships established to support student
achievement and social development in
alignment with the Ministry of Education’s
Parent Involvement Policy
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
Purpose
The key purpose for parent, family
and community engagement is to
support students as they progress
through school, in collaboration
with school staff and the School
Plan for Continuous Improvement
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
Partners
Research clearly shows that good schools
become better schools when there is a strong
connection with parents. The positive results
of a genuine partnership between parents and
schools includes improved student
achievement, reduced absenteeism, better
behaviour, and restored confidence among
parents in their children’s schooling.
Ontario Ministry of Education website
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
Twenty-six Tips
From the Ministry of Education….
1. The Parent Survey
2. The Action Plan
3. The School Information Package
4. The Meet and Greet Program
5. The Bring a Friend Program
6. The Welcoming Council
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
7. The Newcomers Event
8. The Childcare Program
9. The Translation Service
10. The Parent Carpool
11. The Off-site/Off-hours Program
12. The Showcase Evening
13. The School Fair
14. The Volunteer Training Program
15. The Parent Education Program
16. The Welcome Back to School Event
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
17. The Multicultural Program
18. The Bulletin Board
19. The School Newsletter and Website
20. The School Council Display
21. The Direct Mailing Program
22. The Parent Contact List
23. The Reminder Program
24. The Visible Council Member
25. The Community Ambassador
26. The Recognition Program
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
Lessons Learned from YRDSB School Councils
– Don’t measure parent engagement by the number of
people attending school council meetings
– Look for assets rather than deficits (what strengths
are present in the community?)
- Study your community and school demographics
(who are you serving?)
– Survey parents with quick questions at school
events, 2-3 times a year
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
– Use large gatherings to your advantage (eg. School plays,
Kindergarten Information nights, Meet the
Teacher, University Information nights) , asking 3 simple
questions eg. “What questions do you have about how to
support your child/teenager?” “What’s the best way to
get the answers to you – information evenings, website,
newsletters, other…”, “What do you wish you knew more
about?”
- Involve parents and family members in special events
- Consider including food/meals
- Share tips for creating successful students
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
- Consult with Community Resource Facilitators
- Talk to identified groups of parents (eg new to the
school/area, from private schools, cultural/religious…) to find
out about specific interests and needs
- Vary the styles of delivery (use a multi-media approach to
distributing information)
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
- Engage in questions before answers
- Involve parents in the planning and presentations
- Follow up with survey results – report on the results and on
subsequent action or non-action and the reasons for this
- Consult with community members regarding community
issues and resources
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
Effective Communication
 Create an orientation package for new parents (Kindergarten,
new Canadians, ‘move-ins’) about the school, the community,
school events, school council and parent engagement
opportunities
 Partner with administration at parent information sessions
(provide a welcome from school council, host an information
table, a refreshment stand)
 Offer messages to be posted on the display board
outside
 Encourage parents to ‘bring a neighbour or friend’ to
upcoming events
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
 Recognize student achievement at school council meetings,
school events (this brings the students’ parents out!)
 Partner with secondary school councils (host their meetings at
your school, attend their meetings to begin the transition
process for grade 8 and future grade 8 students’ parents)
 Provide transportation (carpool)
 Organize interpreters for meetings and events
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
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Translate newsletters
Create an information CD/DVD for parents of new students
Maintain a notice board near the front entrance
Attend sports team events, arts events and be a visible
‘message’ or provide a message to be included in programs
Other ways?
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
Communicating with the Community
• Create a presentation to be displayed in the hall on a monitor
after hours (for ‘permit users’)
• Provide school information packages to local community
centres, real estate offices, development sales offices, medical
centres
• Provide press releases to the local media
• Host community events
• Other ways?
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Work with the School Plan
The School Plan for Continuous Improvement
provides a good starting point for school
council work.
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School Council Websites
• School council websites may be linked from the school’s
website
• Content must be approved by the school administrator
• Accuracy and timeliness are important to readers
• Contents might include meeting minutes, Constitution,
membership, links to sites of interest, tips for parents,
community features
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
School Council Newsletters
 Best sent with formal school communications (eg. School
newsletters, report cards) to ensure that they reach parents
 Post extra copies on the School Council noticeboard
 Provide extra copies at school events, local community
centres…
 Provide content which is relevant to the identified interests
and questions posed by parents
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School Plans for Continuous
Improvement
• Based upon the Board’s Plan for Continuous Improvement
• Clarifies the school’s work supporting student achievement
• Provide three target areas for focused attention:
1. supporting the strengths, needs and interests of each student to
improve achievement and success in all subjects and programs;
2. engaging parents, families and communities in collaborative and
reciprocal relationships for the purpose of intentionally improving
student achievement and success; and
3. promoting healthy and respectful schools and workplaces
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School Councils and School Plans
• School Plans for Continuous Improvement (SPCI) provide a great
framework for school council work
• Consider making this the topic of an early school council meeting
• Look for ways in which the school council can work to support a goal
expressed in the SPCI (eg literacy scores, graduation rates)
• Consider creating an Action Team which works to improve student
achievement by increasing the degree to which parents are
involved in their children’s learning at school and at home
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Action Teams
• Composition (2-3 teachers, 2-3 family
members, 1 administrator, others)
– Purpose (review school goals, select, plan,
implement and evaluate family/community
involvement activities linked to school goals)
– Decide upon logistics (serves as a sub-committee
of School Council, monthly meetings, regular
reports)
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
Epstein’s Model: Six Types of
Involvement
Six Types of Involvement
• Parenting
• Communicating
• Volunteering
• Learning at home
• Decision making
• Collaborating with community
This framework can serve to focus Action Team efforts; how can
these six types be used to support improved student
attendance? Student graduation rates? Literacy scores?
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Action Teams
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Select a goal from the SPCI
Describe desired results
How will you measure the results?
Identify specific family and community involvement
activities to support the goal
• Organize and schedule family and community
involvement activities to support this goal,
using 6 types of involvement
• Publicize the plan
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009
National Network of Partnership Schools
•Established by Joyce Epstein at Johns Hopkins
University in Maryland
•$100 US fee (paid once; waived once yearly
reports are filed)
•Newsletter (Type 2)
•Promising Practices book annually
•Posters (Six Keys)
•Technical assistance
•Workshops, conferences
•www.partnershipschools.org
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Thank You
For your interest in supporting students through
improved parent engagement.
If you have comments, ideas to share send them
to [email protected]
YRDSB Fall School Council Forum 2009