Why promote a strongerWhy promote a stronger Families/Schools partnership? Families/Schools partnership?•Benefits for Students

• Higher grades and test scores

• Fewer placements in special education

• More positive attitudes and behavior

• Higher graduation rates

• Greater enrollment in post secondary education

• Better attendance and more homework done

Benefits for Parents

• More confidence in school

• Teachers have higher opinions of parents and higher expectations of their children, too

• Greater confidence in themselves as parents and in their ability to help their children at home

• Greater likelihood that the parents will enroll in continuing education to advance their own schooling

Benefits for Schools and communities

• Improved teacher morale

• Higher ratings of teachers by parents

• More support from families

• Higher student achievement

• Better reputations in the community

Mission StatementMission Statement

It is the mission of this project to assist parents by providing guidance and resources to enhance parent/teacher/student

connections for the common goal of success in the lives of our children and community. 

We wish to enhance parents’ investments with their kids in their homes, in the classroom and in the school in order to improve

positive attitudes towards school, promote higher student achievement and to create a closer partnership between

families and the school.

Typical Barriers to Typical Barriers to Strong Parent InvolvementStrong Parent Involvement

Parents: • “I don’t have the time.”• “I don’t know what to do.”• “I don’t know why it’s important”• “I don’t feel comfortable approaching staff”

Teachers:• “We’d like parents to make the time to help their children do better in school.”• “We’d like the parents to know how to help their children do better in

school.”• “We’d like parents to understand what’s important to help their children do

better in school.”• “We don’t always feel comfortable approaching parents.”

Project PEAK’sProject PEAK’sMethods of CommunicationMethods of Communication

• Thursday Folders• School Website

• Monthly Newsletters• Voice to Voice• Face to Face

• Handouts• Visibility at Events

• Email

Project PEAK Project PEAK 2008-2009 Monthly Focus2008-2009 Monthly Focus

September – CommunicationOctober - Motivating and Encouraging Parents

November – HomeworkDecember/January – Family Time

February – ReadingMarch/April - Safety

May/June - Summer Survival

To reinforce the Parent Community College sessions/workshops the following was developed:

Areas Identified for Areas Identified for Outreach and SupportOutreach and Support

ClassroomParent

Partners

ClassroomParent

Partners

ParentResourceCenter

ParentResourceCenter

RoxboroughPrimary

&RoxboroughIntermediate

RoxboroughPrimary

&RoxboroughIntermediate

Neighbor-hood

Parent Partners

Neighbor-hood

Parent Partners

Kindie Welcome

Wagon

Kindie Welcome

Wagon

Gap Attack for

Students

Gap Attack for

Students

Instructional Support Services Parent Partner

Instructional Support Services Parent Partner

SpecialsParentPartner

SpecialsParentPartner

Project PEAKProject PEAK Organizational ChartOrganizational Chart

PTICFundraising & events

SACSchool Advisory Council

PEAKCo-Chairman

Holly Johnson & Martha Ranson

Roxborough ElementarySchool

Primary & Intermediate

All 19Roxborough

Primary Classroom Parent Partners

All 20Roxborough

Intermediate Classroom Parent Partners

All 10Roxborough

NeighborhoodParent Partners

Roxborough Primary Classroom Parent Partner

COORDINATORSMarlo Horsford &

Carla le Jeune

Roxborough Intermediate Classroom Parent Partner

COORDINATORSLori Lambert &

Karen Kopp

Volunteer CoordinatorSue Cope

Building Resource TeachersMiki Kellerman, Melody Jennings

Kindie Welcome WagonParent Partner

Heather Hill

Gap Attack Temporary Co-Chairs

Martha Ranson, Faith Atkins

Parent Resource CenterChairman

Kim LaMee

CommunicationsChairman

Sue Berkowitz

Teacher Advisor

Recording SecretaryDonna Hoffman

Multi-Media CoordinatorDonna Wiss

Neighborhood Parent PartnerCOORDINATOR

Jennifer Ritz

InstructionalSupport Services Parent PartnerMartha Ranson

Specials Parent PartnerMarlo Horsford

Program Support Chairman(needed)

Parent Advisor

Kindie Welcome WagonKindie Welcome Wagon

• Early intervention has been shown to reduce the number of children needing Special Education.

• Promote and set good academic habits early on.

• Begin positive attitudes toward school and teachers.

• Begin breaking down the possible parent involvement barriers of: “I don’t have the time.”, “I don’t know what to do.”, “ I don’t know what’s important.”

• Provide opportunities for face to face communication with other parents.

• Promote a feeling of acceptance into the school and it’s programs .

• Develop a greater understanding of school programs and policies.

Classroom Parent PartnersClassroom Parent PartnersParents supporting ParentsParents supporting Parents

• Increase parent’s understanding of school policies, programs and curriculum.

• Increase the knowledge of how to find the time, what to do, and what’s important to help their child do better in school.

• Increase the awareness, attendance, and success of PTIC fundraisers and events.

• Encourage a greater feeling of acceptance and comfort while being in the school.

• Support the teacher by forwarding pertinent classroom information, as well as possibly volunteering for the classroom. Solicit parents assistance for the teacher’s classroom events.

Specials Parent PartnerSpecials Parent Partner

• Interfaces with art, music, P.E. and technology teachers to communicate important information to the Classroom

Parent Partner coordinators for dissemination.

Training OutlineTraining Outlinefor Classroom Parent Partnersfor Classroom Parent Partners

• Step 1: Volunteer Orientation• with Sue Cope

• Q and A Time• Confidentiality Forms• Code of Ethics• Hints for Working with Students,

Parents & Teachers • What Volunteers Should Not Do• Expectations of Volunteers• General Information• Roxborough Specific Information

Step 2: Classroom Parent Partners

• What is Project PEAK? Our Mission Statement

• Purpose of PEAK Facts, Goals & TasksOrganizational Chart

• Peak Roster & Job Descriptions

• How to be a Classroom Parent PartnerSpecific Responsibilities / ExpectationsMonthly Contacts – what, how, when?Clear Communication SpecificationsE-mail & Phone Etiquette

• Important InformationReview of Roxborough HandbookParent Resources / Community ConnectionsSchool Website Resources – (demonstration)Important Contacts

• FAQ’s

• Parent Partner Coordinators’ Contact Info. & Schedule of Fall Meetings

Neighborhood Parent PartnersNeighborhood Parent Partners

• Provide face to face communication to homes in the 10 Roxborough neighborhoods.

• Encourage a feeling of comfort to approach the school.

• Provide school information regarding programs, activities, events, and curriculum.

• Provide community information regarding clubs, networks, stores, facilities and resources.

• Collaborate with families, community, and schools

Instructional Support ServicesInstructional Support ServicesParent PartnerParent Partner

• Interfaces with ISS Team and works as a liaison to parents who have children receiving special education.

• Writes a monthly newsletter that focuses on concepts specific to special education.

• Provides a packet of supportive information for parents new to the Individualized Education Plan program.

Parent Resource CenterParent Resource Center

• A resource library to provide parents materials to support academics, parenting and social skills for their children.

• As a child’s first and most influential teachers, parents are supported with a multitude of resources regarding parenting and academics, in the form of: books, websites, articles, brochures, at-home learning activities/games.

• Encouraging a positive and continuing physical presence of family in the school.

• Helps break the barrier of feeling unwelcome in the school.

Gap AttackGap Attack

• The Gap Attack Committee is collaborative effort to close the reading achievement gap for highly able learners as well as the students that struggle. The committee will be assembled and implemented during the 2009-2010 school year.

• This committee of volunteers will assist the students in reaching their full reading potential as well as meeting Adequate Yearly Progress.

• The process will be either, 1. Gap Attack volunteers a will assist the class with daily academic activities while the teacher provides specific reinforcing activities/interventions/or programs for certain students. Or, 2. Gap Attack volunteers will be trained to provide specific activities/interventions/or programs for certain students.

• The Gap Attack IS NOT intended to be a year long intervention. It will be of limited time with a specific goal.