It was summer 2003. A new superintendent arrived to the Naperville Community School District 203 in Naperville, IL. The burning question: How would the NNPS district facilitator and her team convince this new leader to embrace the district’s existing partnership program?
Whether sparked by a new leader or a new school year, it is so common in education for programs to come and go. However, a number of NNPS district facilitators have shown that promoting their partnership programs can help grow and sustain viable local networks of partnership schools using the NNPS research-based approach.
Among its many promotional strategies, the Family and Community Engagement division in Cleveland, OH stresses the importance of making presentations on its partnership program to the school board, the CEO executive cabinet, and other administrators. By generating awareness among these key stakeholders, more administrators can emphasize to schools the need to develop partnership programs. As Cleveland’s Chief Executive Officer Barbara Byrd-Bennett explained in a letter of support for the division’s efforts, “we know that we must help our schools change the way they think of school, family, and community partnerships.”
Seattle Public Schools uses its Web site to spread the word about its partnership program. From the school district's main Web site, you are never more than two clicks away from learning about family involvement, including the district's membership and its recent NNPS Partnership Award. The site offers partnership information and resources for educators and parents. Visit www.seattleschools.org/area/fam to learn more.