A Hot Link to HomeworkTropical Elementary School Plantation, Florida When Tropical Elementary School wanted to increase the avenues for communication between teachers and families, they turned to www.schoolnotes.com. Schoolnotes.com is a free online service provided to educators around the world. The easy-to-use format allows teachers to design classroom web pages for a variety of uses. It does not require advanced computer skills or a great deal of time. Teachers can use the system anywhere there is Internet access More... Deborah Hysell, Action Team Member (954) 797-4330 Type 2 | Elementary Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Family Nights Out for Fun and LearningGlenville High School Cleveland, Ohio At Family Nights Out for Fun and Learning teachers inform and involve families of students who are required to pass the Ninth Grade Ohio Proficiency Test (OPT). The primary purpose of Family Nights Out is to establish two-way communication between the school and the home. The teachers provide parents with resources so that they can help their students prepare to take the tests in October and March. They guide parents to help students feel confident about the test and not overwhelmed by this high-stakes graduation requirement. Parents learn about the high school’s practices, their children’s status on the OPT, and what they can do at home to prepare for the test. The motto used to garner support is: “The will to succeed begins with the will to prepare.” More... Phyllis W. Benjamin, Action Team Co-Chairs (216) 381-0975 Type 4 | High School | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Parent/Family Report Card Pick-UpCollinwood Middle and High School Cleveland, Ohio Collinwood Middle and High School is an urban comprehensive school located in a residential and business community in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has an enrollment of approximately 1500 students in grades 9-12 and 400 students in grades 6-8. To align with the goals of the school’s reform plan and to increase the number of parents coming to pick up students report cards, the Action Team redesigned report card pick up by making it more family and community friendly. More... Caroline J. Peak, Action Team Chairperson 216) 774-8002 Type 2 | High School | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Proficiency After DarkJohn F. Kennedy Junior High School Cleveland, Ohio Friday night prior to the Ohio Proficiency Test (OPT), students prepared intensively at John F. Kennedy Jr. High School in an innovative partnership program known as “Proficiency After Dark.” Approximately one hundred twenty-nine students stayed overnight at the school to participate in test preparation led by teachers. Parents, community members, students, and school staff made this event a success. More... Sophronia Hairston, Action Team Chairperson (216) 921-1450 Type 4 | High School | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Rhodes to SuccessJames Ford Rhodes High School Cleveland, Ohio Students travel down numerous roads to achieve success in their lives. James Ford Rhodes High School recently formed the Teacher-Alumni-Parent Partnership (TAPP) to help guide students down the road of success. Team members used their own experiences and fond memories of their high school days to develop activities. They met one evening per month throughout the school year at a local recreation center. The high school was not available in the evenings, so the recreation center donated a meeting room at no cost. TAPP informed families throughout the year of the team’s goals and accomplishments. Meeting dates and times were also listed in the local newspaper to encourage alumni and community members to participate. At each meeting, there were introductions and a brief synopsis of the topics previously discussed. TAPP’s first objective targeted boosting school spirit by recognizing student success. TAPP members believe that students who take pride in themselves, their classes, and their accomplishments are more likely to be successful throughout life. More... Madolyn Sherrell, Unit Principal (216) 749-8587 Type 5 | High School | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Student-Led ConferencesWest Carrolton Middle School West Carrolton Middle School, Ohio To increase student achievement and to facilitate interaction between students and their parents and teachers, a team of teachers at West Carrollton Middle School instituted student-led conferences organized around student portfolios. Many schools face the challenge of achieving high attendance at traditional parent-teacher conferences. However, schools organizing student-led conferences tend to experience an increase in conference attendance as parents enjoy having this time with their children, seeing samples of their children’s work, and hearing the descriptions their son or daughter gives for particular assignments. There is some research to support that student discussions with parents regarding academics is one of the best predictors of student achievement compared with other family involvement practices. More... Robert Alspach, (937) 859-8296 Type 2 | Middle Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |