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NNPS Designs New Applications for 2007 Partnership Awards
NNPS announces new applications for its annual Partnership Awards, starting in 2007. The applications for schools, districts, states, and organizations continue to be research-based and require evidence of outstanding practice, but the format is friendlier so that more qualified programs may apply...
New Reports Summarize 2006 UPDATE Data
Members of NNPS received two reports summarizing the 2006 UPDATE data collected from all schools and districts in the Network. In addition, 22 districts with 8 or more schools that returned UPDATE data received a customized summary of their own schools' data. The reports by Kenyatta Williams, Steve Sheldon, and Joyce Epstein show how districts and schools in NNPS are investing time in improving their partnership programs...
Issues and Insights: Parent Liaisons: What IS Their Role in Developing
Partnership Programs
NNPS receives many questions about the role of "parent liaisons" in developing comprehensive programs family and community involvement. Some districts and schools hire parent liaisons (also titled parent coordinators, facilitators, parent leaders, family liaisons) to work in the "old way" – assigning them all activities that involve parents. Some serve as "ombudsmen" to address parents’ concerns and complaints. Often, parent liaisons are expected to work alone...
Research Brief: Summaries of 2006 UPDATE Data Provided to Districts and
Schools
How are schools and districts in NNPS developing their partnership programs? Two reports on 2006 UPDATE data were sent to all members of NNPS in January. This summary presents a few results...
Meeting the Challenge: Tackling the Challenge of Evaluation
Developing and maintaining a strong partnership program is an important goal and on-going challenge for all members of NNPS. Studies show that schools with strong programs of school, family, and community partnerships have more parental involvement, higher levels of student achievement, and better student behavior and attendance. Studies also indicate that when action teams evaluate their partnership activities, schools are more likely to improve the overall quality of their partnership program. Many Action Teams for Partnerships, however, are not sure how to evaluate their partnership programs and what tools are available to help them...
Elementary School Report: Involve Families with Students in Science the NNPS
Way
Science education offers opportunities and poses challenges to teachers and students in elementary schools. Beginning in 2007-08, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires states to assess students’ science learning in at least one grade level each year in grades 3-5, 6-9, and 10-12. Many elementary teachers, however, are unsure about new directions for science instruction using hands-on and inquiry-based approaches. NNPS notes that school, family, and community partnerships help teachers create opportunities for students to study science as active learners...
Leadership Line / Military Child Initiative: Hawaii Strengthens Structures and
Processes to Support Schools’ Partnership Programs
In Hawaii, state, regional, and school leaders are working together to improve the organization and quality of programs of school, family, and community partnerships. With strong support from the Hawaii State Board of Education, leaders for partnerships from 15 complex areas (like "districts" in other states) and their Parent Community Network Coordinators (PCNC) are working to strengthen their programs of family and community involvement to help all students meet success...
Middle and High School Report: Improve Family Involvement in Post-Secondary
Planning
It is never too early for students to begin to think about their post-
secondary pathways. Planning for college and careers must start early in students’ school lives, not in the eleventh hour of grade 11...
Our Growing Network - 2007 (pdf).
Leadership Line: Maryland Partnership Program Development - A Collaborative
Venture! Parents as Essential Partners (PEP) and NNPS
Maryland’s Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC) is Parents as Essential Partners (PEP), part of the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium in Bethesda, Maryland. With a new five-year federal grant, PEP will collaborate with NNPS at Johns Hopkins University to strengthen district-level and school-based programs of family and community involvement that will increase student success in school...
NNPS Goes On the Road With Professional Development Workshops
Senior Program Facilitators, Marsha D. Greenfeld, Darcy J. Hutchins, Cecelia S. Martin, and Brenda G. Thomas, and Director Joyce L. Epstein, have been "on the road" conducting professional development workshops and presentations for NNPS members, prospective members, and other education leaders. They visited the following locations (listed alphabetically) from September 2006 through February 2007...