Joe Sanford, Co-Chair/Teacher,
Nancy Ketterling, Paraeducator,
Norma Espindola,
Co-Chair/Counselor,
Jody Hughes, Principal,
Misty Sauceda, Parent, and Luis Sauceda, Parent.
Meeting the Challenge to Involve More Families
Mark Twain Elementary School serves about 600 students in Pasco, Washington. The school’s Action Team for Partnerships works hard to engage a highly diverse population of parents with good information and exciting events. In May of 2008, Mark Twain’s ATP conducted Math Monday Morning, especially for parents who worked afternoon or night shifts at the local fruit and meat processing plants. These parents often are unable to attend activities and meetings that are held after school. The early-morning math breakfast included coffee, donuts, and many math games. More than 94 students brought their parents in early to play Mancala, Uno, Cribbage, and other games. The classroom with the most parent participants was awarded an ice cream party.
Reach Results for Student Success in School
A multifaceted math and literacy celebration aimed to boost students’ math and reading scores on the state’s standardized tests. The school’s Night of the Arts combined Young Author’s Night, Dr. Seuss’s Birthday celebration, and Arts and More performances in a single event. Students and parents had opportunities to watch 9 different performances including hand chimes, juggling, lego designers, geometric drawings, acrostic poems, capoeira (a martial arts/dance mix), square dancing, and more. They watched the Paws Performers present The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss and also enjoyed a used-book swap. Between presentations, parents were invited into school classrooms to read their students’ recently published writings. Almost 800 people attended the event to reinforce students’ reading, writing, and the arts.