ACTION-A Coming Together in Our NeighborhoodAllen School Canton, Ohio Two years ago, a neighborhood volunteer approached Allen School’s community worker about establishing a summer enrichment program for neighborhood youth in pre-k through seventh grade. A successful community partnership formed between Allen School and St. Anthony Parish. More... Velva C. Taylor-Grace, School Community Worker (330) 453-2782 Type 6 | Elementary Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Family Read Parent WorkshopsVictory Boulevard Elementary School North Hollywood, California Victory Boulevard Elementary School had limited funds to spend on family involvement. As a result, they looked for good programs that were free. Victory Boulevard contacted the community business partner Family Read to help improve the school’s Parent Education Program. The school and faculty supported the program by providing space and adult supervision for childcare while parents took classes. The goal of the classes was to increase parents’ awareness of ways to strengthen their relationships with their children. More... Susana McDonald, Parent Center Director (818) 761-4676 Type 1 | Elementary Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Foreign Languages: Your Passport to the WorldBennett Park Montessori Center #32 Buffalo, New York Italian Night Parent Workshops shared the benefits of foreign languages with the Bennett Park Montessori community. The six workshops targeted two goals: • Inform parents about the benefits of learning a second language, such as enhanced memory, increased SAT scores, improved higher order thinking skills, and increased understanding of other cultures. • Enable parents to see how Italian is taught at school. Current job opportunities for individuals that become foreign language speakers also were reviewed. More... Kim Lennert Walek, Action Team Chair (716) 851-3790 Type 4 | Elementary Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Musical Motivation for Test-TakingHardy Elementary School Chattanooga, Tennessee Artists in the local music industry lent their talents and inspiration to motivate students at Hardy Elementary School to aim high on the state standardized tests. They created a song that became such a hit that it had to be shared with the ten other underperforming schools in Hamilton County. More... Valitus F. Edwards, Sr., Curriculum Support Specialist (423) 493-0301 Type 2 | Elementary Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Parent Benchmark NightsLincoln Elementary School Wichita, Kansas Lincoln Elementary School staff supported the decision that increasing family and community involvement would help improve students’ achievement. They planned eight Parent Benchmark Nights for second-grade families to enhance parent knowledge of the benchmark assessments and increase the number of students who pass the assessments. More... Patty Steele, Parent Involvement Worker (316) 973-9300s Type 4 | Elementary Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Proficiency BreakfastCollinwood Computech Middle/High School Cleveland, Ohio One of Collinwood Computech Middle/High School’s goals is to raise Ohio Proficiency Test scores. The Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) hosted a Proficiency Breakfast where parents, students, teachers, and community members received test preparation materials, played learning games, and built camaraderie to assist students pass the exam. More... Dorothy Wynn, (216) 268-6168 Type 4 | High School | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Technology CommitteeKennedy Junior High School Lisle, Illinois A parent’s concern sparked the inception of the Technology Committee at Kennedy Junior High. The father felt his son was missing out on necessary technology exposure that would better prepare students for the future. The principal encouraged interested parents to form a committee to explore additional technology avenues for the school community. The initial parent chaired the committee, consisting of parents, administrators, and a Parent Involvement School, Family and Community chairperson. The mission of the Technology Committee was to provide students with more opportunities for hands-on technology applications, to increase teachers’ use of technology during classroom instruction, to educate parents and the community about the usefulness of the Internet, and to foster business partnerships with a focus on technology. More... Maureen Dvorak, Action Team Co-Chair (630) 305-8477 Type 5 | Middle Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |