Fall, 1996 No. 1 National Network of Partnership Schools
Network Goals and Activities for 1996-97
Joyce L. Epstein, Director
It is a pleasure to introduce Type 2, the newsletter of the National Network of Partnership Schools. We will use the newsletter to communicate with members twice a year about activities and events.
This is the first school year that our "lead" states, districts, and schools are working with us to demonstrate how to improve their programs of partnership. The staff of the National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins has two main goals for members in the 1996-97 school year.
First, we want all members of the National Network of Partnership Schools to make good progress implementing and improving their programs of partnership using the Action Team approach and the framework of six types of involvement.
Second, we want all members to be thinking about how to "scale up" their efforts over the next few years. At the school level this means continually improving programs and practices to reach more families more effectively. At the district and state levels this means improving leadership roles and increasing the number of schools or districts that are members of the National Network of Partnership Schools.
One activity, FOCUS ON RESULTS, will start this fall to help members of the National Network reach school goals. A new research and evaluation topic will be selected each year to learn more about how practices of school-family-community partnerships help schools reach specific goals.
For the 1996-97 school year, we will focus on STUDENT ATTENDANCE. We will explore these questions: Which practices of school-family-community partnerships help schools improve or maintain good attendance? How are schools meeting the challenge to reach the hardest to reach families so that they can help their children improve attendance? What are the results? Does attendance improve or remain at a high level because of these practices of partnership?
If STUDENT ATTENDANCE is one of your goals, your school, district, or state might like to join this voluntary evaluation activity. You will receive details about joining the study in November. If you are not trying to improve attendance this year, then you may want to join future topics that FOCUS ON RESULTS.
The National Network of Partnership Schools is taking bold steps to guide schools, districts, and states to establish permanent, productive programs of school-family-community connections. We are delighted to see that so many leaders in schools, districts, and states are ready to develop talent and expertise to improve their programs and practices. We will be working to help you with your progress and plans.
