FCAT Fair/ FCAT NightHammocks Middle School and Leisure City K-8 Center Miami and Homestead,, Florida Two Action Teams for Partnerships (ATP) in Miami-Dade County Public Schools organized similar workshops designed to provide students, parents, and community members with information about the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). Hammocks Middle School implemented an FCAT Fair while Leisure City K-8 Center hosted an FCAT Night. Both practices sought to build partnerships and provide information on the state tests. More... Vera Hirsch, Principal, Hammocks Middle School (305) 385-0896 hirshv@dadeschools.net Type 2 | Elementary Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Helping Parents = Helping StudentsClara E. Westropp Fundamental Education Center Cleveland, Ohio Knowing that students need family support in order to be academically successful in school, the Clara E. Westropp Fundamental Education Center planned a series of workshops to help parents support their children’s learning at home. The monthly workshops focused on topics suggested by parents of kindergarten through eighth-grade students. More... Cristina M. do Couto Miranda, Family Liaison (216) 267-3706 Type 4 | Elementary Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
How to Create an Effective Homework EnvironmentClover Street School Windsor, Connecticut Students at Clover Street School gave homework a brand new look. At an evening workshop called “Creating an Effective Homework Environment,” parents learned helpful homework techniques, and students in grades two through five designed their own homework kits. Students used stickers and art supplies to decorate shoeboxes that would serve as their kits. The children filled their kits with essential homework supplies that had been donated by students at a local private high school. While the students created their homework kits, their parents listened to a presentation by the Clover Street Family Resource Center on tips to enable children to thoroughly and correctly complete their homework. At the end of the night, the children took their kits home to use throughout the year. More... Betsey Lepak, Chairperson-Parent Involvement Committee (860) 687-2050X124 elepak@windsorct.org Type 1 | Elementary Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Partnerships and School-Wide EnrichmentHinkletown Mennonite School Ephrata, Pennsylvania Hinkletown Mennonite School’s students in kindergarten through eighth grade participated in multi-gradelevel enrichment clusters facilitated by parents or teachers. Students selected one of 18 topics to explore, and groups met weekly for nine 75- minute sessions in the school’s third quarter. More... Thomas Burnett, (717) 859-3519 Type 3 | Elementary Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
Tenth-Grade Exit Exam BreakfastCollinwood Computech Senior High School Cleveland, Ohio For the past two years, Collinwood has hosted successful ninth-grade proficiency breakfasts where parents, students, teachers, and community members receive test preparation materials, play learning games, and build camaraderie to help students pass the exam. The Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) expanded this practice with the Tenth-Grade Exit Exam Breakfast. The Saturday morning event introduced parents and students to the exam and refreshed students who needed to retake any part of the ninth-grade proficiency test. More... Dorothy Wynn, Family Liaison (216) 268-6168 Type 2 | High School | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |
WASL University and Family Prep AcademyDearborn Park Elementary School Seattle, Washington “I know I’m going to do a good job on the WASL!” proclaimed a fourth grader at Dearborn Park Elementary after participating in the school’s Washington State Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) University and Family Prep Academy. The required after-school program consisted of intensive, academic activities to prepare students for the WASL. Parents and other adult family members attended concurrent classes to gain information to help their children succeed on the WASL. Interpreters translated for parents who were not fluent in English. More... Barbara Jean Hicks, Special Program Manager (206) 297-8228 bjhicks@ix.netcom.com Type 4 | Elementary Grades | Achievement in Other Academic Areas |