Spring, 2002, No. 12 National Network of Partnership Schools
Building Partnerships to Welcome Middle and High School Families
Responsive. Informative. Resourceful. Focused. And fun. These are some of the words to describe the partnership practices of Collinwood Middle and High School in Cleveland, OH. The Collinwood Action Team for Partnerships demonstrated what research has shown: that caring communities can be built. In particular, two of the school’s partnership practices have helped create a welcoming, family-friendly environment. The activities foster relationships between school staff and families, inform families of school programs and policies, and guide families in supporting their sons and daughters to succeed in school.
Ice Cream for All
The 2000-01 school year kicked off with a “Get-To-Know-You” ice cream social—a common practice in elementary schools, but one most secondary schools disregard. Collinwood began the year with the social event to help ease students’ transitions and to establish early positive communications between staff and families. The Action Team for Partnerships organized the activity in response to parents’ requests for more fun and informative gatherings. (The 2001-02 ice cream social was cancelled due to 9/11, but will resume next school year.)
In addition to ice cream, parents got the scoop on the educational plans and activities for the upcoming school year. Attendees received folders loaded with information such as tutoring opportunities, student required reading lists, and volunteer questionnaires. For families who could not attend the event, a live interview of the principal was broadcast from the school on the 5 o’clock evening news.
The Action Team tapped many resources in order to ensure that the ice cream social was affordable and sustainable. They obtained donations and in-kind services from the school district and from a community organization to offset costs. The school’s business partner, G.E. Lighting Corporation, paid for postage to mail flyers home, and donated light bulbs and door prizes. Action Team committee members divided the prep work, and students were hosts, organizers, and performers.
Report Cards and More
Continuing to focus on building partnerships with families, Collinwood transformed its report card pick-up nights into welcoming, informative events that supported families throughout the school year. Symbolic of the school’s outreach, a huge WELCOME PARENTS banner greeted parents as they entered the registration area. Once inside, parents visited information tables staffed by guidance counselors, the attendance liaison, and Action Team members. Parents received homeroom information, student class schedules, assistance with scheduling parent-teacher conferences, information on the new state attendance mandates, guidance on partnership program opportunities, and much more. Refreshments added even more of a welcoming touch.
Each of the three report card pick-up nights focused on a different theme: an English/Language Arts standards workshop; a community fair focused on energy programs; a health fair complete with blood pressure checks and other health screenings; and a Family Art Walk. As an additional resource, parents could participate in a workshop on hands-on math, science, and technology offered by Quality Education for Minorities, supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Most importantly, staff and families engaged in two-way communications about students’ academic progress.
The promising partnership practices at Collinwood Middle and High School show that a sustainable program can be achieved when an Action Team collaboratively develops and implements practices in its comprehensive One-Year Action Plan for Partnerships. For more information, visit the Middle and High School section of the NNPS website at www.partnershipschools.org.
Adapted from: Promising Partnership Practices—2001, National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University.
