Row 1: Leslie Cameli (NNPS Key Contact), Deb Whang, Amy VanderVeen, Susan Stuckey (Principal), Janet Anderson, Sheryl Robinson, Amy Connelly, and Susie Fischer. Row 2: Lynn Gissler (NNPS Key Contact), Stephanie Birch, Claire Dunnett, Jennifer Madson, Cheryl Fortman, Celeste Akre, Lisa Wisinski, Brian Kessler, Christine O’Neil, Sue Kouri, and Connie Eilers.
With its sixth annual Partnership School Award, Highlands Elementary School is demonstrating that schools can sustain and continually improve even top-notch programs of school, family, and community partnerships. Highlands strengthened its School Family Community Partnership (SFCP) team, led by the Principal and two Parent Co-Chairs. The team had regular meetings after school, and provided childcare for parents with young children. They distributed a planning guide for team members, conducted an orientation for new members who join the team, and made periodic reports to the Building Leadership Team (BLT).
In 2006, Highlands conducted a Math Scavenger Hunt, as part of its Family Math program. The evening brought together 4th and 5th grade students and parents who hunted in “secret locations” for an hour of math games and activities. Groups followed different paths, but all ended at the school’s stage to celebrate math and win prizes – including an iPod – donated by local businesses. Activities include geometry, logic, number sequences, number charts, Soduku, and more. The event showed the result of teamwork by SFCP members, math teachers, local senior citizens, custodians, and administrators in planning the activities for 9-11 year-old students with diverse math skills. These leaders checked completed activities, controlled traffic, provided help for students and parents, and conducted other arrangements. More than 100 attended and enjoyed the innovative focus on math.
This year, Superintendent, Dr. Alan Leis visited an SFCP team meeting. His presentation, Rules for the New Game: Educating Students for a Profoundly Different Future, explained how the district will focus not only on test scores and students’ academic progress, but also on other aspects of human development. His support of the SFCP sent a strong message to staff and parents of the critical role of parent involvement in children’s education and in the education system, overall.
Highlands continued its Parent University with a Mathematics Workshop (adding to its series of writing, reading, and study skills workshops in prior years). Three teachers, an administrator, and two parents designed the workshop for two groups of K-2 and 3-5 parents. The workshop included a film of students learning math; a presentation on the new curriculum and how math is taught; and opportunities for parents to try math activities, ask questions, and take home information. The activities helped many parents get on the same page as teachers to help students with math.
Highlands continued and improved its reading program for first graders with local firefighters; expanded its Parent-Child Book Club to meetings for K-1, 2-3, 3-4, and 4-5 students and parents to read and share opinions on books; and initiated a Dad’s Breakfast for all students and fathers (or father figures) to enjoy activities, and raise funds via a raffle based on donations from local stores, restaurants, museums, and businesses. The proceeds were donated to Hurricane Katrina relief for a school in Mississippi. Over 500 attended this fun and philanthropic activity.
Our SFCP team would advise other principals to join NNPS. In addition to the framework of six types of involvement and guidelines for looking over the content and quality of programs and events, NNPS provides a wealth of resources that a school can use to develop or modify their work to meet that school’s particular needs and goals. The annual Promising Partnership Practices includes ideas that can be adapted by any school . . . NNPS provides a solid framework for building school, family, and community relationships to maximize children’s learning and development.
See Highlands Elementary School’s history of Partnership District Awards from 2001 to 2005 and examples of activities in Promising Partnership Practices on the website, www.partnershipschools.org, in the section Success Stories. Visit the school at www.naperville203.0rg/Highlands.