National Network of Partnership Schools

Johns Hopkins university

 

partnership award winners – 2004

WEBSITE SUMMARIES

www.partnershipschools.org

 

2004 Partnership SCHOOL AWARD

WITH SPECIAL RECOGNITION

 

LOWNDES MIDDLE School, Valdosta, GA

Jacqueline Crawford, Title I Support Specialist, Kim Williams and Rebecca Young, Co-Chairs;

Samuel Clemons, Principal (Valdosta County Public Schools)

 

Row 1: Becky Young, Bria McFarland, Samuel Clemons (Principal), Eve Cheatham, Sarah Webb, and Lewis Cureton. Row 2: Ann Abel, Ashley Dickert, Jacqueline Crawford (NNPS Key Contact), Anissa Wiseman, Gwen Burgman, Michelle Adams, Tonya Phillips, and Cheryl Acree. Row 3: Johnetta Henry, Kim Williams, Matt Faircloth, and Eric Cureton.

The Action Team for Partnerships at Lowndes Middle School has 22 members, including the principal, and representative teachers, parents, other school staff, secretary, and students.  The team meets monthly.  Members share leadership for all of the family and community involvement activities that are conducted throughout the year.  New members are added each year to “keep ideas flowing.”  The Action Team is connected to the School Leadership Team, with some linking members.  A Chair Elect is chosen one year in advance, who works closely with the current chair to ensure a smooth transition of leadership from year to year.

 

Three themed Family Nights were conducted in 2004, with guest speakers, activities, and discussions that are important for student success at the middle level.

 

·         Teaching Tolerance addressed and redirected racial tensions at the school.  The director of African American Studies at Valdosta State University was a guest speaker.  The audience shared family traditions and discussed stereotypes and diversity.  Students performed, a business partner provided dinner, and new dialogues were started.  The school followed up with a “Mix-It-Up Lunch” for students to sit with peers of a different race or culture to continue the conversation about tolerance.

·         The Wonderful World of Math gave teachers a chance to create exciting (even magical) real-world math activities (e.g., calculator contests, number riddles, Algebra tiles, and more) for families and students to conduct in classrooms.  Business partner Chik-Fil-A provided the meal.  Students guided family members in many math activities.

·         At Move Forward with Fitness, families and students selected among 10 fitness activities (e.g., dance, aerobics, rock climbing, jump rope, etc.). 

 

Students made posters in multiple languages, flyers were sent home, and local newspapers and radio stations advertised the Family Nights.  Students were given homework passes on these evenings.  By starting later and providing a full meal, parents who worked late were able to attend with their children. The events boosted parental involvement, reinforced the school’s welcoming environment, and focused families and students on school goals for student achievement and success in school.

 

Among many other activities, Lowndes Middle School conducted a Parent Educational Resource Expo with information from teachers and local vendors, Parent University, Wonderful Wednesdays, Teacher Communicating Breakfast, Accelerating Reading Activities, Math-a-Thon, Parents Assuring Student Success (PASS) training, Parents to Lunch, teacher-student skits on how to help students with study skills, parent-teacher conferences, PTO activities, and more.  One parent wrote: “In order for students to have the greatest success, teachers and parents should work together.   Teachers at LMS, as well as the administration, have done a great job of inviting parents to become part of their child’s school experiences.”

 

Surveys and discussions with parents helped the Action Team evaluate the quality of activities.  They also used the NNPS End-of-Year Evaluation and UPDATE surveys to assess progress and to plan improvements.

 

ABOUT NNPS: What Lowndes Middle School Leaders Say to Other Schools . . .

 

We would urge other schools to affiliate with the National Network of Partnership Schools to experience the advantage of organized leadership for parent involvement.  Principals should know that there are opportunities in NNPS to improve school programs, provide family services and support, increase parenting and leadership skills, and connect families with others for support and friendship.  Most importantly, NNPS exists (to enable all schools) to assist students in succeeding academically and in life by fortifying the bonds of students, parents, school, and community.

 

For more information on Lowndes Middle School’s work on school, family, and community partnerships, visit http://lms.lowndes.k12.ga.us  and click on Involvement.