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FOCUSING ON THE EARLY YEARS: WHY IT MATTERS & WHAT YOU CAN DO PRESENTERS: BOB BUTTS, ASST. SUPT. OF EARLY LEARNING, OSPI MARI TAYLOR, WSSDA PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR, LAKE STEVENS SD MARY FERTAKIS, WSSDA PAST PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR, TUKWILA SD SARAH LYTLE, PH.D., DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH & EDUCATION, I-LABS, UW WSSDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE, NOV. 20, 2014

AGENDA Welcome & Introductions Session Objectives Participant Survey: P-3 Inventory Why Early Learning?: Current Brain Research; Making EL a priority at the District level; Return on Investment Pre-K & K-3 Actions: Inventory Components; Family Engagement; K- 3 Reading Next Steps

SESSION OBJECTIVES 1. Recognize the critical importance of the early years of a child’s development. 2. Based on the information provided, identify additional actions and the next steps participants can take in their districts to expand pre-K – 3 rd grade activities.

PARTICIPANT SURVEY **** Please take 5 mins. to complete the P-3 Inventory form at your table ****

WHAT PRE-K ACTIONS CAN A DISTRICT TAKE? Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT). Special Education for 3-5 year olds. Provide family engagement opportunities prior to kindergarten. Partner with early learning providers. Help provide high quality pre-school opportunities. Provide preparation for studnets before kindergarten entry. Other actions? (What additional actions is your district taking?)

WHAT K-3 RD GRADE ACTIONS CAN A DISTRICT TAKE? Provide full-day kindergarten. Create a system to identify students who need extra help and provide them with it. Engage our commuhity to provide the social and health supports many students/families need. Provide extended learning opportunities (i.e. before, after & summer school programs). Professional development to ensure K-3 teachers understand child development, the needs of children living in poverty, and how to teach students to read. Use available K-3 class size reduction dollars for this purpose. Have a designated Early Learning Coordinator on staff.

FOCUS ON FAMILY ENGAGEMENT: LEARNINGS FROM THE HARVARD FAMILY ENGAGEMENT INSTITUTE Parent involvement needs to occur from Pre-K through 12th grade. Family engagement is not a “program” – it needs to be built into our systems. Building trusting relationships with teachers and the school is of paramount importance for families to feel connected. We must shift from deficit to asset-based thinking as we problem-solve, honor community, and value families as “co-producers” in our partnership. Create hands-on learning opportunities for families and students.

FOCUS ON FAMILY ENGAGEMENT: LEARNINGS FROM THE HARVARD FAMILY ENGAGEMENT INSTITUTE Parents volunteering and mentoring helps educate children both at home and at school. Parent communication should be with teachers, the district, and the community. Communication between parents and teachers should include both the good and the bad. “My expectations for communication with teachers are to know what is being taught, when it is being taught, and what I can do to prepare my child for testing.”

FOCUS ON FAMILY ENGAGEMENT: LEARNINGS FROM THE HARVARD FAMILY ENGAGEMENT INSTITUTE Relationships are key for successful engagement and reach across all areas: home and family; school; community. Research data supports the positive academic and social outcomes that result from effective family engagement. Ties to community (as well as schools) can have a sustained effect on learning outcomes. Are our schools welcoming? Assess the “welcoming” nature of how parents and community members feel upon entering our buildings - from how they are greeted, to the messages communicated on signage around the schools.

FOCUS ON FAMILY ENGAGEMENT: LEARNINGS FROM THE HARVARD FAMILY ENGAGEMENT INSTITUTE We must share essential core beliefs of what families want for their children: -> All parents have dreams for their children and want the best for them -> All parents have the capacity to support their children’s learning. -> Parents and school staff should be equal partners. -> The responsibility for building partnerships between school and home rests primarily with school staff, especially school leaders.

FOCUS ON FAMILY ENGAGEMENT: LEARNINGS FROM THE HARVARD FAMILY ENGAGEMENT INSTITUTE The primary responsibility for initiating family engagement needs to come from school leaders and staff. FE initiatives need to be linked to student learning – less focus on social, celebratory and informational activities (“feasts and festivals”). We (all levels of the district) have to prove we can be trusted. “What we need to be measuring is the change in family/parent behaviors, NOT student test scores in order to evaluate if our parent engagement initiatives are successful.” (Dr. Karen Mapp)

FOCUS ON FAMILY ENGAGEMENT: LEARNINGS FROM THE HARVARD FAMILY ENGAGEMENT INSTITUTE * Readiness and willingness are key - both have to be in place or strategies and initiatives won’t work. * Our governance role in family engagement: -> Ensure our policies are aligned with our family engagement philosophy so policy and practice are working together; -> Work with staff to identify policies that need to incorporate updated family engagement language - and where this language should be included if it doesn’t currently exist in policy; -> Make intentional decisions about resource allocation based on family engagement as a priority.

DISCUSSION & NEXT STEPS

THANK YOU! Bob Butts: Mari Taylor: Mary Fertakis: Sarah Roseberry Lytle:

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