The New MHS Stability within the administration Graduation rate has risen 34.6% Community awareness Full Inclusion Faculty and staff that believe in our mission “MHS is committed to every student earning a diploma” A+ advisement program AYP champs back to back (2010 & 2011) NI-0

Where to Begin? The C.A.F.E. DIALOGUE teams took the research data collected by their GraduateFirst Team under the State Personnel Development Grant. This data drives the initial C.A.F.E. as well as helping to determine goals

Circle of Adults Focusing on Education Issues that we can impact if we come together around our interests Many groups of adults can contribute to supporting current strategies and finding new ones These adults need to engage with each other, communicate effectively and move to action C.A.F.E. and Dialogue: What a Match!

Dialogue Guides: Bridging Differences in Knowledge and Perspective Move from ‘GETTING’ Information to ‘USING’ information Build ‘PERSONAL MEANING’ from information Communicate ‘DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES’ respectfully Appreciate DIFFERENCES in the way issues impact various groups

DebateDiscussionDialogue Accepts assumptions as truth Surfaces various assumptions Examines assumptions Point – Counterpoint Majority rules; agree to disagree Seeks common ground; supports consensus PersuasiveInformativeReflective

HOW DOES A DIALOGUE WORK? Agree on the basic information-research Generate Reaction Questions that will permit stakeholders to express their perspective Generate Application Questions that will build new understanding or take action on an issue

Vetted Material to Begin Research from the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network – based on the work of Anne Henderson and Karen Mapp - reported little partnership between home and school of students who dropped out

Principal, Counselor Teacher, Community Members Members of The Faith Community Post-secondary Business Community Members 2-3 Parents of Students Being Impacted on The Issue Identifying positional members of your C.A.F.E. Team

Let’s Do It…..Demonstration of a C.A.F.E. With the Dialogue on Dropout Prevention = Activity

REFERENCES U.S. Census Bureau. State & County Quick Facts: Georgia. (2010). Available at State of Georgia Office of Planning and Budget. Georgia 2030 Population Projections. March 12, 2010, rgia population projections - march 2010.pdf. rgia population projections - march 2010.pdf Caspe, Margaret; Lopez, Elena;, Chu, Ashley; & Weiss, Heather; (2011) Teaching the Teachers: Preparing Educators to Engage Families for Student Achievement. Harvard and PTA Research Issue Briefs, Family Engagement Policy and Practice, Harvard Family Research Project, Harvard University Graduate School of Education

MORE REFERENCES National PTA. (1998). National standards for parent/family involvement programs. Chicago, IL: National PTA Hinton, Anna, PhD, (2011). Emerging Leaders in Family Engagement: Re-thinking Family Engagement: Moving Beyond the Program Model Toward Systemic Engagement that Promotes Student Learning, May 2011 FINE Newsletter: Henderson, A., & Mapp, K. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. Mapp, K. (2004). Family engagement. In F. P. Schargel & J. Smink (Eds), Helping students graduate: A strategic approach to dropout prevention. Larchmont, NY: Maslow, Abraham; Frager, Robert, PH.D.; Fadiman, James (1987), Motivation and Personality. (3 rd Ed.) New York: Harper Collins US Agriculture Department, Economic Research Service