Donna Kellum, Action Team Chair; Kathleen V. Franklin, Principal (Buffalo Public Schools)
Lillian Tyson, Donna Kellum (NNPS Key Contact), Crystal Kirkland, Norman Hall, Kathleen Franklin (Principal), Lula McMillon, and Sylvia Williamson.
The Follow Through Urban Learning Laboratory, a Title I, K-8 school, serves nearly 700 students. The school has been a member of the National Network of Partnership Schools since 1999. It benefits from excellent guidance and assistance from the Buffalo district leaders for partnerships (see Partnership District Award for Buffalo Public Schools, above).
The school's Action Team for Partnerships meets every other month, conducts informal meetings as needed, and benefits from cluster meetings with other schools in the district. Team leadership for partnership activities is shared according to members' interests and expertise. The Action Team for Partnerships reaches out to other faculty, parents, and community partners to help implement partnership activities. For example, the Action Team leaders present information at the Open House Night to let all parents know about the many partnership activities that are scheduled for the year and how to become involved. Volunteers are welcome at all times of the day, even before work.
The school principal and Vice President of the parent organization are among team members, ensuring that the Action Team for Partnerships is connected to the leadership structure of the school. A new principal last year was successfully integrated into the partnership team and program. Photos of all partnership activities are displayed on a school bulletin board to help everyone see the many activities that involve parents throughout the year.
One major activity conducted in 2002 was Bring Your Parent to School Day. Parents went with their children to all classes and participated in lessons, tests, and PE with their children. Employed parents could participate because they did not have to stay the entire day. Over 70 upper grade parents and over 100 lower grade parents attended the first Take Your Parent to School Day. Several new volunteers were recruited from the parents who attended.
Other partnership activities at Follow Through include parent-child math days, science days, field trips, tutoring, open forum, interactive homework, parent compact, and many more. All activities are linked to the Comprehensive School Education Program (CSEP).
All activities are evaluated and improved over time. For example, the evaluation of the Bring Your Parent to School Day revealed that parents were surprised by how many things the children were learning. Based on the evaluation, the Action Team for Partnerships decided to schedule six Bring your Parent to School Days next year, two days per grade level cluster. The school reports that behavior and grades are improving as more children see that their parents value education and are interested in the school's program.
Follow Through Urban Learning Laboratory's leaders write: Since joining NNPS, our parent participation has increased way beyond what we expected. In the 2001-2002 school year, we conducted more than 50 activities with parent participation. Parents rearranged their work schedules to come to school on some of these occasions, now that they feel welcomed and needed. Our committee has been working together for several years. It took us that long to get a really strong program going, and we are still making adjustments.
Also see this school's examples of Promising Partnership Programs on the website, www.partnershipschools.org, in the section Success Stories In the Spotlight.