Notes from “Overview on Improving School~Family~Community Partnerships” 10/21/04

Rockville High School Team attends conference that addresses family involvement improving student achievement, held October 21, 2004 in Wethersfield.

Workshop objectives:

• Explore Connecticut’s standards of family involvement
  
• Helping parents to parent
  
• Communicating with families
  
• Expanding volunteer programs
  
• Strengthening learning at home
  
• Involving families in decision making
  
• Collaborating with the community
  
• Identify barriers that block effective family involvement.
  
• Plan next steps to building more successful partnerships.
  

Attendees:
Keith Gerritt – RHS Principal
Dana Lancaster – RHS Teacher
Mark Olsen – RHS Teacher
Diane Madore – RHS Social Worker
Vicky Rispoli – RHS Parent
Linda Hamlin – RHS Parent
Roger Wiley – Vernon Board of Education Member/RHS Parent

The workshop was based on a comprehensive framework for school, family and community Partnership.
The workshop promoted healthy partnerships for better learning through better communication, more parent involvement, good newsletters, teacher support and to help the school find better ways to enhance student achievements.

We learned that students with involved parents, no matter what their income or background are more likely to earn higher grades, be promoted, attended school regularly, have better social skills, and graduate and go on to college.

Good School-Family-Communication can: earn respect, reach goal agreements, and enhance better listening, trust, and communication.

Positive parent involvement requires our schools to be more welcoming and open!
Teachers need to be approachable and willing to communicate with parents.
We need to create a positive partnership with everyone’s help. Encourage teachers to ask parents for help.

Our family systems have changed tremendously and we need to be open to those changes and work even harder than we ever have to make the partnership a positive one. Redefining parent involvement to enhance an effective school, family, community partnership is crucial. Our schools need to help parents understand when to get help for their children, affirm them, give them good resources, set expectations, and most importantly give them the support they need.

We need to look at diversity in our schools and communities. We need to look at our schools and families strengths. Parents need to regain trust. All parents want their children to have a good education and see them succeed no matter what the parent’s background. Our schools should help our families get a good foundation by assuming parents are always approachable.

The workshop was presented by:
CT State Department of Education
Hartford, CT
860-713-7024
e-mail: sde.partnership@po.state.ct.us
Workshop also sponsored by CT Parents Plus – 1-860-571-6052
United Way of CT and SERC.
Great Resource Book – FREE OF CHARGE : “Helping Your Child Succeed in School”
By the US Dept. of Education, Washington, DC
To order this book fax your request to: 301-470-1244 - the education publication center in Maryland.