Charlotte Castagnola, Facilitator, Parent Activities; Judy I. Burton, Local Superintendent
Rhonda Bradley, Delia Lara, Susana Martinez, Laura Gonzalez, Charlotte Castagnola (NNPS Key Contact), Beatrice Gutierrez, Judy Burton (Superintendent), and Rebeca Rodriguez.
Ruth M. Yoon, Executive Director
Blossom Ko, Hilda Reyes, Megan Olman, Analee Haro-Simon, Ruth Yoon (NNPS Key Contact), Delia Stallard, and Norell Naoe. Not Pictured: Lucille Ignacio.
Local School District B and Families In Schools (FIS) are recognized for their collaborative work to increase the number and quality of programs of school, family, and community partnerships in all elementary, middle, and high schools in the district. FIS serves as an “external coach” to help district and school leaders develop stronger partnership programs.
Local District B is one of eleven “mini-districts” in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Despite a massive reorganization of the school district, District B’s leaders for partnerships and FIS were able to connect well with the new District Superintendent’s agenda and priorities.
The leadership team for District B has devised on-going professional development opportunities for all schools to learn more about conducting productive partnerships with diverse populations of students and families, many of whom speak Spanish at home. Last year, 48 schools’ Action Teams were trained in setting goals and selecting partnership activities to improve students’ attendance, behavior, reading, and graduation rates. Schools receive technical assistance at their school sites and other help at regularly scheduled district-level meetings.
Families In Schools is a private, non-profit organization that brings together and strengthens the capacity of schools, families and community partners in programs to improve the academic achievement of students. Program areas include family literacy, college preparation, school/community collaboration, parent academies, the Parents as Learning Partners initiative, and research & evaluation.
Local District B’s leader for partnerships is featured on a new videotape about the National Network of Partnership Schools. Her ideas and experiences are helping other district leaders learn how to facilitate the work of many schools.
Joining the National Network of Partnership Schools and attending the training offered by the Network in Baltimore is the most important action you can take to strengthen your parent involvement and the partnerships of families and schools. …Joining the Network makes you feel like you are part of a national movement to improve the achievement of children, rather than like a person trying to do it all alone.
--Charlotte Castagnola and Judy I. Burton, Local School District B, Los Angeles Unified School District, and Ruth M. Yoon, Families in Schools