Smart Parent Involvement

SMART PARENT INVOLVEMENT March 12, 2009 Wanny Hersey, Bullis Charter School Lynne Steffens, the groupery

What is “Smart Parent Involvement”?

Maximizing support/minimizing “noise”

Informed: Parents understand/ “buy-into” big picture and how to contribute

Engaged: Parents take ownership; efforts are high-value; recruit and inspire extended community

Results : Productivity jumps/noise level drops

From the trenches

Benefits of parental involvement

students have support from home

school administrators and teachers have support & trust

Why does Parent Involvement matter?

Students with involved parents:

Higher performance

Better attendance

More positive attitudes & behavior

Improved long-term academic achievement

Why does Parent Involvement matter?

Involved parents:

Higher performance

Better attendance

More positive attitudes and behaviors

Improved short-term and long-term contributors

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Parent Involvement Scenarios

Common scenarios

Low effort/Low value

High effort/Low value

High effort/Negative value

Ideal set-up for Parent Involvement

Lower effort/High value

Mission statement & strategic action plan

Informed, engaged parent community

Strong parent leadership & effective tools

The contributors and the detractors

Happy families are all alike, every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

-- Tolstoy

From the trenches Obtaining and securing parental engagement Camaraderie + rewarding outcome = committed volunteers

Today’s Objective

Strategic Planning

Best Practices

Online tools

Free up key leaders (the “go to” volunteers)

Engage the disengaged

Q&A/Share success stories or challenges

Strategic Planning

Creates a common vision

Provides relevance & purpose

Develops a shared commitment

Ensures sustainability

Strategic Planning How to do this? 1. Relevance: Explain why this is good for the organization

Strategic Planning Results Time Strategic Abandonment X X Aspiration Gap Momentum Normal Operations

Strategic Planning 2. Relationship: Explain the structure; how everything fits together. 3. Collaborative: Involve all constituents in developing the “pieces”.

Strategic Plan Parameters Statement of Beliefs AP AP AP AP Action Plans AP AP AP AP AP AP AP AP AP AP AP AP Strategies S S S S S Strategic Objective Strategic Objective Strategic Objective Mission

Beliefs We believe that… Risk-taking promotes growth. Individuals of positive character are essential for a thriving community. People and communities need to change, evolve, and grow in order to thrive. Learning has no boundaries. Each person has a unique capability, style, and desire for learning. Family and community influences significantly shape human development. The human spirit is nurtured by positive energy, happiness, and laughter. A community is created, sustained, and evolves through the choices its participants make. People challenge their personal and physical boundaries best in a supportive environment. Freedom fosters innovation. Ownership of decisions fosters commitment. Equal opportunity is necessary for all members of the community to reach their full potential.

Mission Bullis Charter School offers a collaborative, experiential learning environment that emphasizes individual student achievement. As a model of educational innovation, BCS inspires children, faculty and staff to reach beyond themselves to achieve full potential. Using a global perspective to teach about the interconnectedness of communities and their environments, the BCS program nurtures mutual respect, civic responsibility and a lifelong love of learning.

Parameters

We will honor and respect the balance between school, family and personal time.

We will implement no new program, service or activity unless it is consistent with our strategic intent.

We will not expand our programs or services without consideration of our organizational readiness.

All parents, students and staff will exemplify the six character pillars.

We will not teach to the test.

Strategic Objectives

Every student will be actively responsible for his or her learning and individual goals.

Every student will achieve academic success.

Every student will continue to discover and pursue individual talents and interests.

All students will model the six character pillars.

All students will become self-confident contributors to the global society and demonstrate understanding of the interconnectedness of people and their environment.

Strategies

We will…

Build innovative educational programs that enrich the academic experience and inspire the individual student.

Secure a site over which we have sufficient control that best allows us to implement our curriculum.

Create an environment and processes that attract, develop and retain the highest quality of staff.

Develop effective internal and external lines of communication.

Develop multiple and complementary metrics to measure our objectives for student, staff and organization performance.

Establish partnerships throughout the community to support our mission.

Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning – Best Practices

Manage Expectations:

Role & responsibility

Time commitment

Ground rules

Decision-making

“ handing-off”

Team Leader Role

Coordinate the process.

Organize the work.

Communicate with Internal Facilitator.

Present the Action Plans.

Team Responsibility

Honor the strategy

Chart a course into the future

Work as a team

Bring diverse perspectives to common focus

Presentations

Formal Presentation

Listen

Questions & Answers

Clarify

Transition

Prepare

Action Plans

Specific programs, initiatives, tasks or activities

Separately assignable

Latitude for on-time, on-site decisions

Cost & benefit analysis

Action Plans

NOT a wish list

NOT a blank check

NOT crisis management

NOT a fresh coat of paint

NOT more bells and whistles

Action Plans

Don’t hire staff.

Include in cost analysis.

Don’t form committees.

That’s an administrative function.

Focus on results.

Steps provide a roadmap subject to detour.

Decisions

Include (Accept)

Exclude (Reject)

Return (SPT does not rewrite.)

Accept with Stipulation

(minor surgery)

Gaps?

Decisions

Consent agenda format

Identify action plans to be pulled for discussion.

Whole team decides.

Monday PM/Tuesday AM

Focus on result statements.

Steps provide a roadmap.

Don’t rewrite action plans.

Send back for revisions.

From the trenches

Key components of parent engagement

choice

ownership

appreciation/recognition

building community

purpose: you can affect change

Best Practices: Step-by-step Transforming the theoretical to the actionable In the words of Nelson Mandela: … an issue “was not a question of principle; it was a question of tactics.”

Best Practices: What is our purpose?

Clear Mission Statement

Directly supported with action plans, programs and opportunities

Parent efforts/involvement specifically tied to school’s mission

Best Practices: Create the environment

School Setting –

Create an inviting campus

Ample parking

Front office layout/personnel

Inviting social area for parents/teachers/staff: designed for use (umbrellas, benches, information board)

Take the time/make the effort: “First Tuesday of the Month Coffee” designed just to get parents out of their cars and onto the campus even for 5 minutes.

Best Practices: Inclusivity

Ensure “opportunity for all”

Parent Meetings accessible to all: alternate monthly meetings between a.m. and p.m.

Break down volunteer positions/opportunities:

avoid the “one size fits all.”

create small 1 hour commitments

consider different personalities: introverts (home projects) extroverts (group projects)

introduce newcomers with low risk opportunities (minimal time commitment/no-fail outcome)

Best Practice: Strong Parent Leadership

Leaders self-identify early-on through involvement (Strategic Planning)

Leaders buy-in to school’s mission statement &

Leaders facilitate parent engagement through proven tools & tactics

Best Practices: Set-up for Success

Ensure your volunteers succeed

Define commitment

Clearly define the task & timeline

Clearly define skill set & tools

Provide Best Practices & Standard Procedures

Best Practices: Communication

Inform not Inundate

Electronic/Printed Communications:

same date/time

same format

Be creative: student-generated newsletter

From the trenches

Eliminate information overload

provide tools that streamline communication

target groups, avoid unnecessary email blasts

consistent, timely delivery

Information events

“ High-value” Events: guest speakers (teachers, parents, board members, community members); skits/mini art shows by grade level

Kindergarten/new family orientation: inform/invite new families to engage from the get-go

Annual information night (volunteer job faire) previous volunteers staff information tables and encourage sign ups

Personal Request

How to target hard-to-reach/“volunteers-in-hiding”

Foster “Parent Ambassadors” – formally or informally

Personal contact, one-on-one invites (especially newcomers). Allows organizers to build a data base: Nancy can’t commit to this but she may be interested in that.

Often the excuse is not “I don’t have time” -- rather it is “I didn’t know you still needed someone” or “I thought there were more qualified people” – parents are flattered when asked personally to volunteer.

Best Practices: Support