Back Row (L to R): Shira Gleave, Bethany Olson, Angie Meiners, Sami Savage, Dominique Dennis, Svetlana Krug, Tatayana Polyukh.
Front Row (L to R): Carla Lobos (Principal), Bertha Rodriguez, Andrea Diaz.
Meet the Challenge to Involve More Families: Good News Postcards
Robert Frost Elementary School’s Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) wanted to increase the recognition of students’ positive attitudes, behaviors, and achievements in order to encourage students to give their best efforts in school. All teachers, PreK-5, participated to brighten families’ mailboxes with blue and yellow Good New Postcards. After the principal stressed the importance of establishing efficient, positive teacher-to-parent communications (not just contact when a child is in trouble), the team’s Positive Student Recognition committee decided that the postcards, mailed to parents, would affirm every student’s good qualities sometime during the year. One postcard was sent by each teacher each week, with different students recognized for their accomplishments.
The cards were designed to show school spirit with the school’s mascot’s bright yellow cougar paw print on a blue background. Next to the paw print, the text announced: “Good News!” And: “¡Buenas Noticias!” And: “Хорошие новости!” Corresponding to the three main languages spoken by families at Robert Frost—English, Spanish, and Russian. The multilingual text sent another message, too, that Robert Frost celebrates the diversity of its population.
Teachers highlighted students’ academic achievements, good behavior, effort, and various improvements in the classroom. The ATP encouraged teachers to be short, sweet, and specific: “Susie did a great job today in helping a friend with reading,” or, “Juan was a good friend today and invited someone to be part of his group.” ATP Co-Chairs reported that the practice has received nothing but good feedback. One parent said, “My son put his postcard in a picture frame and takes it out to show when company comes over.” By bringing to light students’ many good qualities, teachers also are encouraging students to let that same light shine.
Reach Results for Student Success in School: Increase Science Skills and Fathers’ Involvement
Robert Frost Elementary is a culturally diverse school in the heart of Pasco, Washington, where students receive instruction in English, Spanish, and Russian. About 85% of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch; over 65% are bilingual; and 12% of the families are migrant workers. Over the past three years, support from families has grown. Events are often attended by moms and female caregivers, so one goal of the ATP was to involve more fathers and father figures in school activities and in students’ education. This year, the ATP addressed this goal in the Super Science Symposium.
With the help of AP Science students from Pasco High School, the Symposium activated the district’s GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design) strategies to increase real-world, hands-on, and multi-media teaching and learning. Other community volunteers—including local professionals, scientists, utilities providers, nursing students, and others—made interactive science presentations. Activities and demonstrations were conducted on plants and the life cycle of flowers; gravitational waves; lasers; weather equipment; electricity safety; medical topics on the pulse, heartbeat, and CPR; astronomy; optometry; computer technology and science games; and more. Many of the 75 volunteers and presenters were men, including some brothers, sisters, and cousins at the high school. Every student was able to choose a free book to take home, and every father, grandfather, or male guardian in attendance received a coupon for a free cheeseburger from McDonalds. The ATP believes this event, now in its third year, has helped improve students’ scores on state science tests and provided parents and teachers resources and ideas to increase science inquiry and understanding at home and in the classroom.
See Robert Frost’s prior Partnership School Awards in 2007 and 2008. Also see examples of activities in Promising Partnership Practices on the website, www.partnershipschools.org, in the section Success Stories. Visit the school at http://psd1.schoolwires.net/frostes/site/default.asp.