(L to R): Joe Sanford (Co-Chair), Nancy Ketterling, (Co-Chair), Norma Espindola,
Jody Hughes (Principal), Misty Sauceda (Co-Chair), Luis Sauceda (Co-Chair).
Meet the Challenge to Involve More Families: Math Friday & Fritters with Fathers
At Mark Twain Elementary, a large and diverse school of over 600 students, a major challenge for increasing the participation of fathers and father figures is that many are employed on schedules that prevent them from attending day and/or evening events at the school. To increase involvement these important figures in students’ lives, the ATP organized a breakfast event—Math Friday & Fritters with Fathers—or Viernes de Matemáticas y Buñelos con Papás. Held from 7:30 to 8:20 a.m., the activity was targeted for dads, but open to moms, grandparents, and other caregivers. Families were treated to math games, fritters, coffee, and juice for both mental and physical nourishment at the start of the day. The students taught the math games to their parents, including Racing Bears, Multiplication Mania, Take Two, and Friendly Factors. A third-grade bilingual teacher helped English-speaking and Spanish-speaking parents feel welcome and assisted children in explaining the rules of the various games. One father was pleased to learn some new mental computation skills from his son, while his son thought the best part was to share breakfast with his dad before the school day began.
Reach Results for Student Success in School: Strengthen Social Studies Skills
Students, parents, staff, and community members at Mark Twain Elementary enjoyed the Western theme of this year’s 15th annual Frontier Day – the culmination a social studies unit on the life of the pioneers in the 1800s. Students dressed in period costumes, set up stations, and presented information or conducted activities on various aspects of early American life on the school grounds and throughout the building. Among the topics were Native American storytelling, pioneer chores, mountain men, and the Wanapum Indians. Students demonstrated what they learned about how to make cornmeal, pan for gold, and split cedar wood. An “animal viewing ranch” allowed students to see a miniature horse, bull, and ducks. The day started with a parade, continued with an outdoor barbeque lunch, and closed with an assembly featuring a slide show of photos taken throughout the day by faculty and staff, accompanied by live fiddle and banjo music.
Frontier Day garners a lot of community support, including in-kind services and donations of time and money. The Sheriff’s department provided the small animals for the viewing ranch; a waste management firm donated portable toilets; and another group pitched in 50 bales of straw. Nearly 200 parents and community members joined the school’s 600 students and 60 staff and faculty at this wonderful activity. The students brought their learning to life and translated their textbooks into hands-on experiences.
See Mark Twain Elementary School’s Partnership School Award from 2008 and examples of activities in Promising Partnership Practices on the website at www.partnershipschools.org in the section Success Stories. Visit the school at http://www.psd1.org/twaines/site/default.asp.