Family Involvement & Engagement Conversations with the Principal October 8, 2012

“…partnerships among schools, families and community groups are not a luxury – they are a necessity.”

Agenda Importance of Family Involvement & Engagement – Improved Student Achievement – Learning Community for all Versions of Family-School Partnership – Where do we want to be? Core Beliefs of Family-School Partnership What Families can do to Help Support Student Learning – Math – Reading

Where are you? Where is the school? Family involvement & engagement on a spectrum… Beginner What’s the point? Novice How do we do this? Intermediate How involved are we talking? Expert Parents and community as partners. Period.

Why do family involvement and engagement matter? 1. Partnership &Student Academic Achievement are closely linked. 2. Partnerships help build and sustain public support for the schools. 3. Families & the community can help schools overcome the challenges they face. 4. Teachers and students can benefit from parent & community partnerships. 5. No Child Left Behind Act provides partnership opportunities that can help schools meet the requirements of the law.

What Is a Family-School Partnership Supposed to Look Like?

Developing Relationships Building Trust between Family & School “Parents tell us that feeling welcome and being treated with respect by school staff is the number one key to their connection with a school.” To create a school culture that fosters positive relationships with families and community members. – Trust is key in developing relationships with families.

Linking to Learning How Will Involving Parents Help Student Achievement? Helping families understand what’s happening in the classroom: – Putting student work front and center – Communicating regularly with families about learning – Putting learning at the center of parent-teacher conferences – Using student achievement data to design programs for families – Collaborating with community organizations

What Families can do to Help Support Student Learning Math – Everyday Math Program Math Suggestions: – Seeing Patterns – Talking about & Thinking in Math – Show work

What Families can do to Help Support Student Learning Reading Suggestions: – Getting Your Child Ready to Learn – Supporting Your Beginner Reader – Writing Activities for Young Readers – Engaging in Metacognition Model Think Aloud – Read to Your Child/Read with Your Child Modeling Fluent Reading Opportunity to Practice Good Reading Strategies Bonding with your child