2. Partnering with Families: Embracing All Families to Strengthen Culturally Responsive Systems in an Elementary School
Michelle Belnavis
Dan Seaman
Lexi Vanden Heuvel
Mizzier Campbell
Kayla Barnes Patrick

3. Assessment Connection
The content of this session connects to SIR - items 6, 7, 15, 37, 41, 43, 48 TFI - items 1.11, 1.15

4. Wisconsin’s Framework For Equitable Multi-Level System of Supports
Family & Community Engagement: Embrace: Through words and actions, staff convey a welcoming environment, respectful of families’ home cultures, values, and languages. Schools recognize families as the first teachers of and foremost experts on their child. Engage: Families participate meaningfully in school and district level decision making. Family perspectives are intentionally sought through two-way communication, paying particular attention to family input from populations underserved by the school and district. Empower: As children proceed through the system, schools and districts involve families as active partners in their child’s learning. Schools and districts empower families: through respectful relationships, with information and resources, and by connecting families with community assets

5. Partnering with Families
Within an Equitable Multi-Level System of Support
Lower Impact Higher Impact
Feature photos that represent families in your school
Family resource room
Positive phone call
Share academic and behavioral expectations
P-T conferences to set goals
Celebrations
Parent representative(s) on PBIS/RtI universal team
Monthly positive phone calls/contacts
Back to school nights
Potlucks
Strategies highlighted in
Communications done In home language
Modeling learning support strategies
Class parties
Acknowledgement system
Home visits
The When and Where
Performances
Literacy/math nights
Read with child at home
Regular, personalized communication
PBIS/RtI family brochures, website
Fundraisers
Using family surveys and feedback
Data sharing folders
Embrace
Engage
Empower
Adapted from the Class-wide Family Engagement Rubric created by Flamboyan Foundation.

6. Northside Elementary Team
Our Journey
Strengthening Culturally Responsive Systems

7. Sun Prairie School Team:
Sun Prairie School Team:
Monica Lyons, Special Education Teacher
Kayla Patrick, Social Worker
Lexi Vanden Heuvel, Principal

8. Northside Elementary School
Sun Prairie Area School District
550 Students K-5
26% Free-Reduced
72% White, 9% Black, 8% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 7% 2+ Races
11% Special Education
8% English Language Learners

9. Our Data
Reading Achievement
80% of students who are below benchmark in the fall of 2017 will demonstrate accelerated growth, more than one year, by spring 2018 as measured by Fountas and Pinnell.
70% of ALL students will score proficient or above (40th PR) on Spring STAR Reading (Fall 2017 baseline = 53%)
Assessment Period
# of Students Who Met Benchmark
% of Students Who Met Benchmark
% of Students Who Were At or Above 40th PR
School Average
Fall -
50%
53%
November
290
64.20%
Winter
371
72%
63.60%
Spring
Goal: 80
Goal: 70
Black students 89% basic and below for ELA and 84% math, percentage points higher than all other non-white students

10. 89% Percent of Black Students Basic & Below (ELA)
Black students 89% basic and below for ELA and 84% math, percentage points higher than all other non-white students

11. Our Response
Develop the Capacity of ALL Staff in Culturally Responsive Practices
Engage Families of Underserved Students
Continue to Embrace Families with Cultural Celebration
Implement Year One of Read Your Heart Out

12. Where We Started 2014 Social Justice Institute
2015/2016 partnered with Madison Reading Project
February 2016 Equity and Social Justice Conference in Madison
2016/2017 Equity Team met monthly per district initiative to develop more inclusive literacy practices and building wide programs for African American families/students of color.
PBIS Family Connections Sub Committee - postcards, table at each family night, tried to plan outings in neighborhood parks

13. EQUITY: Model to Inform Culturally Responsive Practices

14. FILL BUILDING -Paperclip activity - white privilege -Exposure
-Book clubs
-Movie discussion
-Present day social activists

15. FILL BUILDING

16. STAFF SURVEY

17. STAFF SURVEY

19. EQUITY: Model to Inform Culturally Responsive Practices

20. African-American Family Connections
Invited families to have a conversation and share feedback for RYHO
Discussed barriers to engagement
Intentionally invited families, face-to-face opportunities including parent-teacher conferences, music concerts, etc.

21. EQUITY: Model to Inform Culturally Responsive Practices

22. Northside’s 5th Annual Culture Celebration

23. Building From The 7 Experiences
Music
Food
Goals:
-Increase ESL attendance at School Events
-Bridge families home and school lives
Relate to seven experiences
-shared experience that is responsive and relevant
-see all selves mattering
Culturally Immerse Families
-potluck
-dancers
-live music
-culture museum
Culture Museum
Dancing

24. Shared Experience – Bridge School & Family Life

25. Increase Attendance of Underserved Families

26. Embracing a Variety of Cultures

27. EQUITY: Model to Inform Culturally Responsive Practices

28. Read Your Heart Out
In Celebration of African American Parent Involvement Through Literacy
Background/Planning
Three staff attended RYHO training fall RYHO appeared to be the event that would embrace the partnership we were seeking.
January 2017 Title I funds used to add value to staff library with a lense on equity.
March 2017 staff attended RYHO at Glendale in Madison.
September 2017 began monthly meetings.
January 2018 began weekly meetings.
February 2018 held our 1st RYHO event.

29. Free To Be Me… Books - Title I Books
Date Selection - Staff Conversation, BLC
Visiting Other RYHO Sites
Growth - check in, too many readers, community room,

30. See What I Can Be!!!

31. Read Your Heart Out!!!
Insert Video

36. Shared Resources Invitation Reader Schedule Flyer Survey
Reader Reminder

39. Strengthening Our Culturally Responsive Systems
Family Engagement - Resource Room, Building Decor, Ask Questions and Just Listen
Continued Personal & Professional Growth
Experiment with Mentorship Programs
Grow Culturally Relevant Experiences - RYHO, Culture Night, etc.

41. csession.questionpro.com