Tina Gettings Spalding University January 2016

 The results of the Kentucky TELL Survey for Wilkerson Traditional Elementary revealed that the 63%of the individuals surveyed indicated that they spend less than one hour per week on communicating with parents.  The results also indicated that in the areas of community supports and involvement, 72% of the individuals surveyed agreed that parents and guardians are influential decision makers in the school.  Further results reflected that 81% of the individuals surveyed agreed that the school maintains a clear, two-way communication with the community.

 The CSS results indicate that 54.3% of certified staff surveyed strongly agreed that teachers provide regular communication to parents/guardians about their student’s progress. Additionally, 42.9% agreed that teachers provide regular communication to parents/guardians about their student’s progress.  The CSS results indicated that 37.3% of the parents surveyed strongly agreed that they have opportunities to discuss their student’s progress. Additionally, 59.6% agreed that they have opportunities to discuss their student’s progress.

 In conversation with Wilkerson’s principal she expressed that part of her concern with the culture at Wilkerson Elementary is the teachers’ underlying avoidance of wanting to collaborate with parents.  She shared that she felt the teachers’ lack of comfort with how to work with parents created an unwillingness to engage parents to be a part of the classroom.  She shared that teachers often resist inviting parents to be “room parents”, resist asking parents to volunteer to aid in the classroom, or to even ask parents to chaperone on field trips.  She expressed that she thought that some of the parents had lots to offer the classrooms, but did not feel welcomed to be a part of the classroom.

 Research ways to help the teachers to be more open to inviting the parents to be a part of the classroom.  Research ways to help the teachers to allow the parents to be a part of the classroom.  Research the benefits of having the parents as part of the classroom.  Research the benefits for students when parents are involved and engaged in the classroom.

“The way schools care about children is reflected in the way schools care about the children’s families. If educators view students simply as children, they are likely to see both the family and the community as partners with the school in children’s education and development.” -Joyce Epstein (John Hopkins professor and an expert in school-family relationships) (Kaplan and Owings, 2013)

 Family involvement is a powerful influence on student achievement in school (Family Involvement in Children's Education,1997)  Children with involved families earn higher grades, attend school regularly, receive higher test scores, have more positive attitudes and behaviors, graduate from high school at higher rates, are more likely to attend college (Brown, 2000)  Parental/Family involvement helps parents to have a more positive attitude towards school (The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement)  Parents/Families develop a better understanding of the schooling process (Family Involvement in Children's Education,1997)  Parental/Family involvement helps improve student self- esteem (Family Involvement in Children's Education,1997)

 Parents and families want to be involved in their children's education, but aren’t sure how to get involved.  In order for parents/families to be able to get involved in school, they must be given the opportunity and the support to be involved.  School staff must develop partnerships with parents/families.  School staff must create a school environment that welcomes parents and encourages them to raise questions and voice concerns.  School staff must provide parents with information and training so that they can become involved.  Schools with involved parents engage the parents through regular communication and include them in the learning process.

 Comprehensive School Survey results revealed that school staff believes that parents are involved and that the school does a good job of encouraging parental involvement  Based on the 2015 Kentucky TELL Survey results, most of the staff surveyed believes that there is a lack of mutual trust and respect between the school staff and the school administration  Kentucky TELL Survey also revealed some staff members do not believe that school leadership makes sustained efforts to address teacher concerns about various issues such as leadership issues, use of time, managing student conduct, and community support and involvement.

 Past administrator was very much a “hands off” sort of administrator.  He trusted the staff to do what needed to be done. He didn’t “manage” every aspect of the school: the planning, the instruction, the parent involvement, the day-to-day routines of the classroom, etc.  Past administrator allowed the school staff to make appropriate decisions regarding instructions, and he viewed the teachers as educational professionals.  The teachers and staff respected him and he respected them. He had many devoted employees within the staff.

 New administration came into a declining school that had not met AYP(Adequate Yearly Progress) in the 3years prior to her taking the helm  New administration felt she had to “take control” of the situation and turn the school around  New administration made a lot of changes very quickly upsetting a lot of “apple carts”, developing a lot of mistrust among the staff  New administration tends to be very controlling, viewed by staff as a micromanager  New administration is viewed by staff as over controlling and dishonest  Staff members are often suspicious of the new administrator’s intentions

 State Accountability Test (KCCT) Results for 2009 reveal an overall score of 49.4, which fell in the needs improvement range  State Accountability Test Results for 2010 reveal an overall score of 51.2, which again fell in the needs improvement range  Wilkerson Elementary had not met AYP(Adequate Yearly Progress) since 2008 and did not meet AYP in  school year, Principal for the last 11 years retires mid-year  school year was the first year of school improvement status(New Principal took helm in January 2011)  school year was the second year of school improvement status (School Report Card, KDE (Kentucky Department of Education) retrieved from)

 Involve parents in parent organizations such as PTA (Brown, 2000)  Developing workshops and other school-based programs that help parents to understand what’s happening in the classroom (  Sending home regular newsletters and notes (Cutler, 2014)  Obtaining information from parents about their children and family (Cutler, 2014)  Making positive phone calls home to parents and improved communication (Brown, 2000)  Provide information and training to parents/families(The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement)  Bridging school-family differences/promoting cultural understanding to build trust between home and school(Family Involvement in Children's Education, 1997)  Collaboration with outside community members (Family Involvement in Children's Education, 1997)  Develop parental/family involvement programs in collaboration with the parents; reflecting parent needs and interests (The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement)

 Aguilar, Elena. (February 2014). Parent Partnership:Seven Questions to Ask Parents at the Beginning of the Year. Retrieved from beginning-yearhttp:// beginning-year  Brown, Patricia Clark. (April 2000). Involving Parents in the Education of Their Children. Retrieved from s.html s.html  The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement. (n.d.). Getting Parents Involved in Schools. Retrieved from involved-schools involved-schools  Cutler, David.(March 2014). Eight Tips for Reaching Out to Parents. Retrieved from out-to-parents-david-cutlerhttp://edutopia.org/blog/tips-reaching- out-to-parents-david-cutler  Family Involvement in Children’s Education. (October 1997). Retrieved from

 Jefferson County Public Schools. (2015). Comprehensive School Survey. Retrieved from  L. A. Kaplan and W.A. Owings. (2013). Culture Re-Boot: Reinvigorating School Culture to Improve Student Outcomes.  Kentucky Department Education. (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013). School Report Card. Retrieved from  Repect and Responsibility School Culture Survey. (2012). Center for the 4 th and 5 th Rs. Retrieved from 076f78107a19.pdf 076f78107a19.pdf  Strengthening Individuals, Families and Communities. (March 2014). Parent Involvement: Eight Steps to Success steps-to-success/ steps-to-success/  Vista Grove Preparatory Academy. (n.d.) Retrieved from  Wagner, Christopher R. (2006). The School Leader’s Tool for Assessing and Improving School Culture. Retrieved from ule/School_culture_triage.pdf ule/School_culture_triage.pdf