National Network of Partnership Schools
Johns Hopkins university
partnership award
winners – 2004
WEBSITE SUMMARIES
2004 Partnership SCHOOL AWARD
WITH SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Roosevelt Elementary
School, Saint Paul, MN
Christine Cardinal, Family
Involvement Coordinator; Maria Castro, Principal (St. Paul Public Schools)
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| Row 1: Dona Synstegard, Maria Castro (Principal), Doris McCarty, and Cecilia Fogarty. Row 2: Yia Thao, Josephine Elizondo, Debra Pridgen, Cara Crawford, Christine Cardinal (NNPS Key Contact), Dorothy Eaglefeather, and Kao Her. Not Pictured: Monica Plaster. |
Roosevelt Elementary School in Saint Paul, MN, is a two-year NNPS Partnership School Award winner for its excellent family involvement program. The highly diverse school serves Latino, Asian, African American, and white students through grade 3. The school has a well-functioning Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) of 12 teachers, principal, parents, grandparents, and community partners, guided by an on-site coordinator who is supported by the district. The team meets monthly, and communicates by phone, notes, and email. New members are added and trained to take over for members who leave the school. The team is connected to the school’s Leadership Committee and Family Support Team.
The ATP selects activities for the six types of involvement to address specific goals
in the School Continuous Improvement Plan (SCIP) and to develop a welcoming
school climate where all partners work together to help increase all students’
achievement and success. Roosevelt
implements Success for All and extends its work on family and community
involvement with NNPS.
Among many
activities in 2004, the ATP organized an Open House-Before School Starts
for parents and students to meet their teachers, sign a Home-School Compact
(an NCLB required symbolic agreement to work together as partners), and learn
of the year’s expectations for achievement.
The team also conducted a Spring Carnival to unite families and
to raise funds to support student trips and school needs. This year, Girls Night In brought
third graders, mothers, and others to hear from women with interesting careers
and to learn about the education needed for different jobs. Over 70 students, parents, staff and
community members attended. The
evaluation of this career night is guiding the ATP to plan a similar activity
for boys next year to help all students link their dreams to a long-term view
of education.
Other activities
that were continued, improved, or introduced this year included: Second Cup
of Coffee, which opens school doors once a month for parents to talk with
the principal and teachers about testing, homework, and upcoming events; Fall
and Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences; Attendance Incentive Awards; Visit
Your Child at School Luncheon; Family Breakfasts; Hmong, Latino,
and African American Family Nights; Raising Readers Book Fairs; Reading-at-Home
programs; Guest Writers; and more.
Spanish and Hmong interpreters attend events to assist parents, child
care is provided, and transportation is arranged for families who need
assistance to attend parent-teacher conferences. Roosevelt’s partnership
program includes many community connections, including the YMCA Swim and Gym
Night for free recreation for families.
Safe Kids Fun Night provides information and activities on family
and school safety. The activity is
conducted in cooperation with community agencies such as neighboring hospitals,
health department, sheriff’s department, fire department, and others. All of the activities send a message that
all families are welcome and valued at Roosevelt.
The ATP evaluates
all activities, conducts surveys, collects reactions and suggestions, and uses
district-level planning and evaluation tools and NNPS UPDATE and annual One-Year
Action Plan to chart its course and continually improve its family
involvement program. This year, the school’s test scores on the
Metropolitan Comprehensive Assessments increased 13% in reading and 10% in
math. Along with good teaching, family
and community involvement contribute to students’ success.
ABOUT NNPS:
What Roosevelt’s Leaders Say to Other Schools . . .
NNPS helps
schools develop family involvement as a comprehensive, organized structure, and
offers assistance when necessary.
Following the NNPS model, our ATP has stayed on task working on all
areas of parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision
making, and collaborating with the community.
Partnerships have strengthened our school and helped increase our test
scores in reading and math. … You are not alone when you join NNPS!
*See
Roosevelt Elementary School’s history of Partnership District Awards in 2003
and examples of Promising Partnership Programs on the website, www.partnershipschools.org, in
the section In the Spotlight. Also
visit www.roosevelt.spss.org for
more information about the school.