Background
During the winter of the 1995-96 school year a focus group of parents and community members met to discuss how the District 203 staff could improve communication between our schools, families and community members. A recommendation from the focus group suggested a need for more parent involvement in our schools. As a result, the District researched different Parent Involvement models throughout school districts in the U.S.
Representatives attended a seminar at The Institute for Development of Education Activities where they were introduced to the Dr. Joyce Epstein Framework of Six Types of Involvement as a foundation to promote better parent involvement in our district.
The District adopted this model and the Parent Involvement Core Team (or School Family Community Partnership as it is now called) was initiated during the summer of 1996. SFCP teams at the individual schools were organized during the fall of 1996.
Mission
To support the School Improvement process by reaching out to involve families and community members in partnership programs and initiatives that contribute to student achievement and success.
Guiding principals
SFCP is a school Action Team that includes the principal, teachers, staff, parents and community members.
The team is responsible for developing a one-year action plan of partnership programs that support School Improvement Goals - both academic and non-academic - and helps to create a welcoming climate of partnerships within the school.
The SFCP team utilizes Epstein's Six Types of Involvement as a framework in the partnership planning process.
· A wide variety of supportive programs are explored
· A focused, goal-oriented plan is then built
Ø Parenting: Assist families with parenting and child-rearing skills, understanding child and adolescent development, and setting home conditions that support children as students at each age and grade level. Assist schools in understanding families.
Ø Communicating: Communicate with families about school programs and student progress through effective school-to-home and home-to school communications.
Ø Volunteering: Improve recruitment, training, work, and schedules to involve families as volunteers and audiences at the school or in other locations to support students and school programs.
Ø Learning at Home: Involve families with their children in learning activities at home, including homework and other curriculum-linked activities and decisions.
Ø Decision Making: Include families as participants in school decisions, governance, and advocacy through PTA/PTO, school councils, committees, action teams, and other parent organizations.
Ø Collaborating with Community: Coordinate community resources and services for students, families, and the school with businesses, agencies, and other groups, and provide services to the community.
Membership
Ø Highlands’ SFCP team shall consist of three co-chairs: the Principal and two parents.
Ø The team will include at least 2 additional parents per grade (K-5.) It will also include the Assistant Principal, LRC Director, Instructional Coordinator, Social Worker and one teacher per grade.
Ø Additional parents may be added as "Members-At-Large."
Ø Additional staff members may be added at the Principal's discretion.
Ø A school-wide recruitment for parent team members should take place each spring for the following school year.
Ø Any current team member or new parent can step forward to be one of the overall SFCP team co-chairs. The Principal will make the final selection.
Ø The Principal will select the staff members.
Ø Each parent and staff grade representative will be selected for at least a two-year term. However, they have the option of changing which committee they chair each year.
Ø Ideally, one half of the parent committee chairs and staff members should be in the first year of their term while the other half is in their second year. By partnering new members with returning members, this rotating schedule should aid in team continuity from year to year as well as provide “training” for new members.
Ø The parent co-chairs for the overall team may hold that position for up to two years.
Ø The parent co-chairs should be identified one year prior to their term and will "shadow" the current co-chairs for that time period in order to get "hands-on" training in how to lead the team.
Ø They will attend planning meetings with the principal and participate in the BLT as appropriate.
Organization Roles and Responsibilities
Parent Team Co-Chairs
Each year, the two parent team co-chairs must determine how they want to work with, and coordinate the efforts of, the individual SFCP committees. For example, they could choose to divide up responsibility by Type of Involvement so one co-chair will supervise all programs within Collaborating and Communicating while the other will supervise any Learning- at-Home and Parenting activities. Both co-chairs could incorporate Decision Making and Volunteering into their area of responsibility. Whatever process is selected needs to be communicated to the entire team at the start of the school year.
Ø Both parent chairs are responsible for setting meeting dates, developing agendas and running the team meetings with the Principal.
Ø Both parent chairs are responsible for working with the principal to finalize the overall team plan, calendar and budget for each school year.
Ø Both parent chairs are responsible for the recruitment of all parent members - both grade level reps and members-at-large.
Ø Both parent chairs are responsible for making sure all team members are kept up-to-date on SFCP activities and District sponsored SFCP events.
Ø Both parent chairs are responsible for submitting information about the SFCP team to the Highlands Happenings on a regular basis. Each spring/summer, they need to write and submit the SFCP overview to be included in the Parent Handbook and they need to be providing a handout and speak at the annual Kindergarten Round-up. They must also update the SFCP information contained on the Highlands website and provide those changes to the Webmaster.
Ø Both parent chairs are responsible for providing any required information to the National Network of Partnership schools (i.e. UPDATE forms, Focus on Results surveys, Partnership Award applications etc.) as well as the District Core Team (i.e. Annual best practice, Knowledge Bank, Team rosters etc.)
Ø Both parent chairs are responsible for participating in the District SFCP Orientation, Networking Sessions and end of year Celebration. They are also responsible for ensuring their school's team is represented at any other SFCP training sponsored by the district.
Ø Both parent chairs are required to attend the monthly Highlands’ Building Leadership Team (BLT) meetings.
Ø At least one parent chair should attend the monthly Home & School meetings to provide an update on SFCP activities.
Ø There are three things that must be approved by the Principal:
Ø Allocation of dollars
Ø Use of school facilities
Ø Communication to the entire school
Parent Grade Representatives/Committee Chairperson
Each parent grade representative will be assigned as “chairperson” for a committee focusing on a specific program or activity linked to one of Dr Epstein’s six types of Involvement. There may be more than one chairperson for each committee.
Ø Parent chairs are responsible for the planning and organizing of their assigned program…using input and assistance from staff members. They are responsible for all publicity, overseeing the actual event, and evaluating it. However, they are not responsible for “working” the entire program by themselves! The team should always encourage participation from other school volunteers.
Ø Each chairperson is responsible for keeping their designated SFCP Parent Co-chair up-to-date on plans so that the Co-chairs can co-ordinate activities between different committees.
Ø Each chairperson is responsible for developing/updating a project plan for their specific program or activity that can be passed down to the next chairperson.
Ø Each chairperson is responsible for writing update articles about their program for the Highlands Happenings.
Staff Members
Each staff member will be assigned to a specific committee as a "content expert", liaison to other staff members, and advisor to parent chairpersons on school/district procedures and resources.
Parent "Members-at-Large"
Parent "Members-at-Large" may be selected to chair a specific committee, or they can assist with one or more programs. They can attend all team meetings, both Highlands and District, and should be copied on all SFCP team communications.
Secretary
At each meeting, a staff member will be selected by the principal to act as Secretary. They will record the minutes and distribute them to all team members as well as copies to the Home & School president and vice president.
Ø The entire SFCP team will meet once every other month for 1 hour and 15 minutes right after school (Sept, Nov, Jan, Mar and May.)
Ø On the alternate months, a “Parent member only” meeting may be held. The objective would be to: 1) facilitate communication between committees, and 2) provide more opportunity for parent input to both the SFCP team as well as the Building Leadership Team that the Parent co-chairs attend each month.
Ø Individual committees should meet whenever necessary to plan and execute their specific program.
Ø A parent orientation meeting should be held in August to give members a chance to get acquainted and organized for the upcoming year.
Ø SFCP makes a budget request to Home & School during the April budgeting process. There are usually two parts to the budget proposal:
1) An allowance to cover stipends for teachers who develop the content and present the material for any Learning-At-Home programs that are scheduled at night (i.e. Writer's Workshop.) The current district guideline is to pay teachers $30/hour for the time that they actually present - this amount is intended to "cover" any prep time that was required.
2) An allowance to cover expenses for supplies, non-teacher presenters etc. associated with any SFCP program.
Ø SFCP should seek out additional revenue sources in the form of grant money that may be available to fund specific programs.
Ø The Principal is responsible for approving all budget allocations.