Evaluation of School’s Existing Partnership Programs By: Jamie Smith

Existing Partnerships * Big Brother/Big Sister program * Readers with Alcon * Random and sporadic parent volunteers

Big Brother/Big Sister Program Professionally trained Big Brothers Big Sisters staff members work with our partners in the education and juvenile justice communities to find children facing adversity and assess how our programs can have the greatest impact. Positives of Program for children: * skipped half as many days of school * felt more competent about doing school lwork Evaluation: This program is effective for many of our students. They have the extra support of a positive role model who helps with academics and personal life situations. They go beyond the school and classroom and build strong relationships with struggling students. I have seen this success in students’ academics, attendance, and character building.

Readers with Alcon This program allows community involvement from employees of a partnering business, Alcon. Employees are paired with a classroom to come in and orally read. Positives of the program for children: * positive reading role models * good example of reading fluency and comprehension Evaluation: This program is successful in an attempt to incorporate local businesses to partner with our schools. Through this initial reach out, Everman has benefited from MANY positive programs with Alcon (Essilor Eye program, school supply donations, monetary donations especially for our Dual Credit program for H.S. students, etc.). Students are also positively influenced by community members.

Random and Sporadic Parent Volunteers This partnership has not been very productive because: The school has failed to find a way to structure the program and be effective for volunteers, students, and faculty. Many parents are reluctant to volunteer. Parents who have volunteered struggle to understand the parent volunteer boundary. Volunteers are sometimes inconsistent or unreliable.

Revamping Parent Volunteers to be More Effective Establish a PTO * Kinder teachers are working to put together a parent panel of interested/reliable parents. Once the panel is set, they will begin establishing a strong PTO (with a large focus on fundraising).

Revamping Parent Volunteers to be More Effective Mocha Moms- Mocha Moms serves as an advocate for those mothers (of color who choose to be full time mothers that stay at home) and encourages the spirit of community activism within its membership Our administration is currently: Collaborating with a mother who is involved in this group The group is trying to launch “Occupy Schools” movement The movement is a call to all parents to occupy schools through volunteering, supporting schools, etc. There would be a training (run by the mother involved in the Mocha Moms group) to prepare volunteer parents for their responsibilities and help them understand their role in the school.