I’m back after a long season of being out of the office in Baltimore, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma… everywhere but home. I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you some of the important work CISL has been doing lately.
Some of you may have attended one of the town hall meetings associated with the House Bill 2722, the African-American Achievement Gap Study. We held town hall meetings in Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma over the course of the past 2 weeks, hoping to hear from educators, parents, students and community members about their experiences with education. The town hall presentations offered our state’s data around African-American student success in math and reading, as well as data related to the importance of teacher quality, student supports, leadership and family/community involvement.
Following the presentations, all participants had the opportunity to share in small groups around the four goals the committee has developed: (1) Providing quality early learning opportunities for all African-American children; (2) Making sure the teachers teaching African-American students are of the highest quality; (3) Making sure all African-American students graduate on time, ready for college and career opportunities, and (4) Assuring that all African-American students enter post-secondary institutions without the need for remediation. These conversations were rich and provided the committee with wonderful feedback that will inform the final plan.
More than anything, I think the town hall meetings were most powerful in that they provided opportunities for those who do not usually have a voice to share their own experiences. Giving people a voice empowers them to believe they are important, that what they say and do matters. As an African-American mother, educator and community member, I was so proud to be a part of these events, to be able to see other mothers and children talk about education publically, many for the first time.
As we closed out these meetings, I stood in front of each group and exhorted them to not wait for the Legislature or school districts to mandate change, to begin to take action in their own homes, in their own schools, in their own communities. I don’t know that parents realize the immense power of their decisions. As most of the research will support, parent involvement is critical to the success of all students, Black, White, Latino, Asian or Native American. Parents do not need to wait for this bill to go to the Legislature. They can begin to take time to find quiet places for their children to do homework. They can set aside time each day for the family to stop everything and read. Parents can take time to talk with their children about what goes on at school each day.
Being a parent is not easy. I have three of my own children, and each is as different as possible from the other. What works with my youngest does not work with my oldest. The teachers my daughter has operate much differently from the teachers my oldest son has, and they are in the same school. I guess I have decided we need to take one step at a time. Make a determination to try one new thing that you are not doing right now. Don’t try to do it all. There is a document on our website that provides some suggestions about how to get involved with your kids in ways that will help them be successful. Pick one thing on that sheet and try it for a month or two until you feel confident. Then try something else.
You are the master of your own destiny. Schools are not perfect places. There is much that still has to be changed so all schools are serving all kids well, but all we have control over is what happens in our homes with our children. Let’s make every moment count!
Erin Jones, Director
Center for the Improvement of Student Learning
Friday, December 5, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
CISL e-newsletter (November 2008)
CENTER FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING (CISL)
www.yourlearningcenter.org
November 2008
View the Web version:
CISL E-NEWSLETTER
INSIDE:
1. Partnering for Student Success Conference Presentations and Handouts
2. National Expert Advice on Strategic Plan for Closing Achievement Gap
3. Teaching about Thanksgiving
4. Renton Principal Wins 2008 Milken National Education Award
5. Free CISL Video
=======================================
1. PARTNERING FOR STUDENT SUCCESS CONFERENCE
Watch presentations and download handouts
Look at pictures from the conference:
=======================================
2. NATIONAL EXPERTS OFFER THEIR ADVICE ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS
Listen to their conversations:
*Dr. Karen Mapp
*Paul Ruiz
*Dr. Ron Ferguson
*Dr. Deryl Hunt
Attend a Town Hall Meeting
=======================================
3. TEACHING ABOUT THANKSGIVING
Sally Brownfield shares ideas for parents and resources for teachers
=======================================
4. RENTON PRINCIPAL WINS 2008 MILKEN NATIONAL EDUCATION AWARD
=======================================
5. FREE CISL VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS PROMISING FAMILY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PRACTICES
Successful Schools: Families Matter is available for free. Learn how you can watch, download and order the video
=======================================
CONTACT US
For questions, comments or suggestions, please contact CISL at (360) 725-6165 or cisl@k12.wa.us.
=======================================
To subscribe to this newsletter: email cisl@k12.wa.us and ask to be added to the list.
www.yourlearningcenter.org
November 2008
View the Web version:
CISL E-NEWSLETTER
INSIDE:
1. Partnering for Student Success Conference Presentations and Handouts
2. National Expert Advice on Strategic Plan for Closing Achievement Gap
3. Teaching about Thanksgiving
4. Renton Principal Wins 2008 Milken National Education Award
5. Free CISL Video
=======================================
1. PARTNERING FOR STUDENT SUCCESS CONFERENCE
Watch presentations and download handouts
Look at pictures from the conference:
=======================================
2. NATIONAL EXPERTS OFFER THEIR ADVICE ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS
Listen to their conversations:
*Dr. Karen Mapp
*Paul Ruiz
*Dr. Ron Ferguson
*Dr. Deryl Hunt
Attend a Town Hall Meeting
=======================================
3. TEACHING ABOUT THANKSGIVING
Sally Brownfield shares ideas for parents and resources for teachers
=======================================
4. RENTON PRINCIPAL WINS 2008 MILKEN NATIONAL EDUCATION AWARD
=======================================
5. FREE CISL VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS PROMISING FAMILY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PRACTICES
Successful Schools: Families Matter is available for free. Learn how you can watch, download and order the video
=======================================
CONTACT US
For questions, comments or suggestions, please contact CISL at (360) 725-6165 or cisl@k12.wa.us.
=======================================
To subscribe to this newsletter: email cisl@k12.wa.us and ask to be added to the list.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Families and Communities: Building Bridges
So, I sat in a meeting yesterday with parents and parent involvement professionals from a number of school districts across the state of Washington. I am used to being in meetings where we talk and talk and talk and do nothing. We talk about doing and walk away with theories that sound good but have no practical application. However, I can say I have now been in two critical meetings in the last week where we have talked about really practical ways for schools to build bridges to families and communities.
I wanted to share with you some ideas I heard at this meeting – food for thought. One of the school representatives shared about an event that has worked well in her district. They hold a free back-to-school carnival a couple weeks before school starts as a way to reconnect with the community every year. This carnival is hosted by the district and several community partners (churches, health agencies, daycare providers, etc.). Families who attend the event can get free immunizations, information about health care, information about the school their child will be attending and free school supplies. Representatives are available from each of the schools, to answer questions about the particular school and to connect with parents.
Another suggestion that was made in this meeting but also in another meeting I attended was that parents just need to be asked what they want. Parents aren’t often given the opportunity to have a voice and feel unimportant in the school community. As a former teacher, I can say that schools haven’t done a very good job of engaging families in a dialogue. Too often as teachers we talk at parents and don’t listen. We tell parents when to come to school, where to go when they come and what to do when they get where we tell them to go.
Finally, we talked about the importance of educating parents (and even teachers, sometimes) about the special programs in our schools. Most parents in Title I and LAP communities don’t have any idea what those terms mean or what kinds of services available for their students. Although schools with such programs are mandated to have a parent involvement component, most parents in these communities are unaware of their role in the process. We need to do a better job in schools of creating effective communication strategies with our families and more opportunities for parents to engage in the everyday life of school.
Although there is much that must change if schools are to become effective models of education, I believe there is hope in this system. I want to do whatever I can to support all of you in the work you do as teachers, administrators, parents, concerned citizens… I hope to continue this conversation with you as the year progresses. My hope is that you will be helped by this information and running commentary. Keep up your hard work.
I wanted to share with you some ideas I heard at this meeting – food for thought. One of the school representatives shared about an event that has worked well in her district. They hold a free back-to-school carnival a couple weeks before school starts as a way to reconnect with the community every year. This carnival is hosted by the district and several community partners (churches, health agencies, daycare providers, etc.). Families who attend the event can get free immunizations, information about health care, information about the school their child will be attending and free school supplies. Representatives are available from each of the schools, to answer questions about the particular school and to connect with parents.
Another suggestion that was made in this meeting but also in another meeting I attended was that parents just need to be asked what they want. Parents aren’t often given the opportunity to have a voice and feel unimportant in the school community. As a former teacher, I can say that schools haven’t done a very good job of engaging families in a dialogue. Too often as teachers we talk at parents and don’t listen. We tell parents when to come to school, where to go when they come and what to do when they get where we tell them to go.
Finally, we talked about the importance of educating parents (and even teachers, sometimes) about the special programs in our schools. Most parents in Title I and LAP communities don’t have any idea what those terms mean or what kinds of services available for their students. Although schools with such programs are mandated to have a parent involvement component, most parents in these communities are unaware of their role in the process. We need to do a better job in schools of creating effective communication strategies with our families and more opportunities for parents to engage in the everyday life of school.
Although there is much that must change if schools are to become effective models of education, I believe there is hope in this system. I want to do whatever I can to support all of you in the work you do as teachers, administrators, parents, concerned citizens… I hope to continue this conversation with you as the year progresses. My hope is that you will be helped by this information and running commentary. Keep up your hard work.
Conversations about School PTA's
Sorry I’ve been away for so long! Life is busy, as you know if you are a parent and working full-time. For those of you who attended the “Partnership for Student Success”, thank you so much for making the conference such a success! You all are such a wealth of information yourselves.
I want to share with you where I have been in the last few weeks, both as a parent and as a professional. At the conference, I learned many things from people who attended. There are so many of you - black, white, Asian, Hispanic, Native American who have such great hopes for your students and for your schools. I am glad to hear that, in spite of the struggles, there is still hope. I am glad to hear that so many parents are still eager to advocate for their children and still believe they can have a voice.
Working as the director of CISL has given me the opportunity to hear from so many different sectors of our state population. There are some regions where parents feel highly supported in their schools and some regions where parents feel like aliens in a strange land. There are some districts where the PTA groups are thriving and meetings are full and effective and other districts where parents are not finding ways to engage in their students’ school communities. There are some schools that have begun to think out of the box and others who do not seem to have a clue why parents should be involved in school beyond parent-teacher conferences and choir concerts.
It was a conversation with a mother from a small town near Bremerton who really got me thinking… She challenged a statement I made at the conference about my previous experiences with PTA. She didn’t like what she perceived to be a negative tone about the models of PTA I had seen in the urban communities where I had lived and worked. Her PTA was thriving and involved parents and grand-parents, educators and community members. She could not understand the possibility that PTA was not working everywhere.
As much as I would love to see PTA organizations thrive in my community, I haven’t seen a model like this yet. Although I have paid my dues and have attended all the PTA meetings this year at my children’s school, I was still seeing an absence of people of color, as I had in my 8 years of as a public school educator. I was still not seeing the value of PTA for the parents around me beyond raising money, even though there were so many other needs.
So, what is the answer to this dilemma? Was I just not involved enough? Was PTA a model that only worked in middle class white environments? What could I do to make the PTA better for my family and for other families?
Coincidentally, the subject of PTA came up in four different venues in my professional and personal life. At a high school parent night, I met the PTA president from a predominantly African-American high school. She shared glowing reports about the work of her PTA and the many opportunities parents had to volunteer in her school in a variety of ways. I was in awe! If it was working for her, how could we recreate this success in other schools?
In three other meetings, I spoke with parents of color and white parents alike who experienced rejection from the parent involvement groups at their schools. Several parents felt there were language barriers. Other parents were unable to attend meetings because of the time commitment, so could not figure out a way to plug in. One parent mentioned that her sexual orientation became a hindrance for her in the way other parents in the group treated her and her child.
With all of these experiences swirling through my head, I decided to commit myself to studying different models for parent involvement that are working here in Washington State. I want to visit flourishing PTA groups, as well as groups like the Multicultural Advisory Committee (in North Thurston) and develop a list of the elements that are working in different communities. I would also like to celebrate those programs and events that are successful, so you can each pull from these experiences the elements you think apply to your community. My thinking has transformed. In the words of Dr. Hunt, a family involvement expert and visitor in our office just last month, “It’s not the problem that counts, it’s the solution.”
I want to make an effort as the director of CISL but also as the parent of three, to share what I hear about the successes of others and hope this will help you in your quest. I know I am not in this alone. I am also aware that what works in one place may not work for another place, but I hope in all the suggestions, you will find something that works for where you are.
I want to share with you where I have been in the last few weeks, both as a parent and as a professional. At the conference, I learned many things from people who attended. There are so many of you - black, white, Asian, Hispanic, Native American who have such great hopes for your students and for your schools. I am glad to hear that, in spite of the struggles, there is still hope. I am glad to hear that so many parents are still eager to advocate for their children and still believe they can have a voice.
Working as the director of CISL has given me the opportunity to hear from so many different sectors of our state population. There are some regions where parents feel highly supported in their schools and some regions where parents feel like aliens in a strange land. There are some districts where the PTA groups are thriving and meetings are full and effective and other districts where parents are not finding ways to engage in their students’ school communities. There are some schools that have begun to think out of the box and others who do not seem to have a clue why parents should be involved in school beyond parent-teacher conferences and choir concerts.
It was a conversation with a mother from a small town near Bremerton who really got me thinking… She challenged a statement I made at the conference about my previous experiences with PTA. She didn’t like what she perceived to be a negative tone about the models of PTA I had seen in the urban communities where I had lived and worked. Her PTA was thriving and involved parents and grand-parents, educators and community members. She could not understand the possibility that PTA was not working everywhere.
As much as I would love to see PTA organizations thrive in my community, I haven’t seen a model like this yet. Although I have paid my dues and have attended all the PTA meetings this year at my children’s school, I was still seeing an absence of people of color, as I had in my 8 years of as a public school educator. I was still not seeing the value of PTA for the parents around me beyond raising money, even though there were so many other needs.
So, what is the answer to this dilemma? Was I just not involved enough? Was PTA a model that only worked in middle class white environments? What could I do to make the PTA better for my family and for other families?
Coincidentally, the subject of PTA came up in four different venues in my professional and personal life. At a high school parent night, I met the PTA president from a predominantly African-American high school. She shared glowing reports about the work of her PTA and the many opportunities parents had to volunteer in her school in a variety of ways. I was in awe! If it was working for her, how could we recreate this success in other schools?
In three other meetings, I spoke with parents of color and white parents alike who experienced rejection from the parent involvement groups at their schools. Several parents felt there were language barriers. Other parents were unable to attend meetings because of the time commitment, so could not figure out a way to plug in. One parent mentioned that her sexual orientation became a hindrance for her in the way other parents in the group treated her and her child.
With all of these experiences swirling through my head, I decided to commit myself to studying different models for parent involvement that are working here in Washington State. I want to visit flourishing PTA groups, as well as groups like the Multicultural Advisory Committee (in North Thurston) and develop a list of the elements that are working in different communities. I would also like to celebrate those programs and events that are successful, so you can each pull from these experiences the elements you think apply to your community. My thinking has transformed. In the words of Dr. Hunt, a family involvement expert and visitor in our office just last month, “It’s not the problem that counts, it’s the solution.”
I want to make an effort as the director of CISL but also as the parent of three, to share what I hear about the successes of others and hope this will help you in your quest. I know I am not in this alone. I am also aware that what works in one place may not work for another place, but I hope in all the suggestions, you will find something that works for where you are.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
My Last Orientation for the Year
I have now attended my last school orientation for the year. Although I was impressed by the numbers of parents in attendance at the middle school orientation, there were easily twice as many parents at the elementary open house. Some hallways I dared not enter for fear of being squeezed into a corner.
All in all, my son was very happy with his new school and new classroom. He was excited to get to know the new students, hoping for the first time in his life that there would be other children around him every day with similar interests and similar eccentricities. He enjoyed talking with the teacher about his recent travels to Europe and about the microscope he had acquired from one of my favorite middle school teachers, Mr. Penello (who happens to live a few doors down from my parents).
As parents entered classrooms, we were handed packets of paper with information and forms to complete. I don’t think I have ever been as conscious of the importance of adult literacy as I am now. As the director of CISL, one of my charges is to help parents navigate the school system. How does a parent respond to a packet if s/he is not a reader? I was a reading teacher, and I am overwhelmed by the 20-page stack I received for each of my students. Do parents who don’t speak English feel comfortable coming to an orientation knowing they may not understand anything that is being said? Orientation must be an overwhelming experience for both groups. Do these families just not attend? What about parents who do not have an office desk or dining room table on which to fill out paperwork? Do these packets not get turned in? Some of you may think these silly questions, but let me remind you that thousands of students served here in Washington are in a state of transition or living without water and electricity or furniture. Some students are living with their families in a shelter…or in a vehicle. There is so much we take for granted about the children we see around us.
Getting back to my son’s classroom… After perusing the books on the shelves and looking at the posters displayed around the room, I asked the teacher if there was anything I could do to support her in the classroom. She asked if I would be interested in supervising a science team for a contest or organizing the Scholastic orders for the month. To be honest, although Mr. Penello was one of my favorite science teachers ever (Mr. Britt, you’re a close second), I would not say science is my strong suit at this point in my life. I was an English and French teacher for the last fifteen years. When it comes to organizing anything that requires the sending out of money… Well, there’s a reason my husband takes care of our bills. I am the QUEEN of procrastination.
Is there nothing else I can do? I was a teacher for 15 years! I taught my son’s current grade-level for most of that time. Is there nothing else I can offer? I speak languages. I have traveled the world. I have written music and directed plays. I was a little offended. Was I so useless? ... And then last night I ran into a PTA regional director who brought me back to reality and reminded me that not all teachers have had wonderful experiences with parents. To my son’s teacher, I am as yet an unknown quantity. Just the fact that I was a teacher does not mean I would necessarily interact well with her students.
I am glad that PTA director put me back in my place. She helped me to realize that I need to be more patient with my son’s teacher. However, this experience also brought to my recollection a thought I have had in my head since the day I arrived in my new office and saw Karen Mapp’s book Beyond the Bake Sale on my desk. I have not yet had time to read the whole book, but from what I read that day, it became apparent to me that school systems – administrators, teachers, even PTAs – have not done a very good job of involving parents in the education of their children during the school day. The most interested and available parents are often asked to organize fund raisers or make copies or maybe, if they’re lucky, to supervise in the lunchroom, attend field trips or chaperone a school dance. Aren’t there other ways we could be helpful as parents?
The wheels in my head have been turning… Maybe not all parents have interesting jobs. Some may work at home as mothers (yes, being a stay-at-home mom or dad is a job). Some parents may not work at all, but I believe each parent has something to offer – a skill, a talent, an experience. Is there a way to invite parents to engage in the classroom in a way that benefits everyone? Is there a coffee shop owner who can talk about the process of buying a franchise or the process of making different kinds of non-caffeinated drinks? Is there a bus driver who can talk about his/her experience driving a bus and how s/he chose this career? Is there a lawyer who can talk about the difference between reality T.V. and real life? Are there people who have skills or hobbies that could be turned into free after-school classes?
I say these things not to point a finger at my son’s teacher, because if any finger-pointing were to be done, one of the fingers would be pointing back at me as a teacher. I say these things because it is time for all of us – parents, educators, community organizations – to think about the ways we can build bridges that connect us and not walls that divide us. We all have something to offer one another. We each hold a key to the success of the children in America’s classrooms.
All in all, my son was very happy with his new school and new classroom. He was excited to get to know the new students, hoping for the first time in his life that there would be other children around him every day with similar interests and similar eccentricities. He enjoyed talking with the teacher about his recent travels to Europe and about the microscope he had acquired from one of my favorite middle school teachers, Mr. Penello (who happens to live a few doors down from my parents).
As parents entered classrooms, we were handed packets of paper with information and forms to complete. I don’t think I have ever been as conscious of the importance of adult literacy as I am now. As the director of CISL, one of my charges is to help parents navigate the school system. How does a parent respond to a packet if s/he is not a reader? I was a reading teacher, and I am overwhelmed by the 20-page stack I received for each of my students. Do parents who don’t speak English feel comfortable coming to an orientation knowing they may not understand anything that is being said? Orientation must be an overwhelming experience for both groups. Do these families just not attend? What about parents who do not have an office desk or dining room table on which to fill out paperwork? Do these packets not get turned in? Some of you may think these silly questions, but let me remind you that thousands of students served here in Washington are in a state of transition or living without water and electricity or furniture. Some students are living with their families in a shelter…or in a vehicle. There is so much we take for granted about the children we see around us.
Getting back to my son’s classroom… After perusing the books on the shelves and looking at the posters displayed around the room, I asked the teacher if there was anything I could do to support her in the classroom. She asked if I would be interested in supervising a science team for a contest or organizing the Scholastic orders for the month. To be honest, although Mr. Penello was one of my favorite science teachers ever (Mr. Britt, you’re a close second), I would not say science is my strong suit at this point in my life. I was an English and French teacher for the last fifteen years. When it comes to organizing anything that requires the sending out of money… Well, there’s a reason my husband takes care of our bills. I am the QUEEN of procrastination.
Is there nothing else I can do? I was a teacher for 15 years! I taught my son’s current grade-level for most of that time. Is there nothing else I can offer? I speak languages. I have traveled the world. I have written music and directed plays. I was a little offended. Was I so useless? ... And then last night I ran into a PTA regional director who brought me back to reality and reminded me that not all teachers have had wonderful experiences with parents. To my son’s teacher, I am as yet an unknown quantity. Just the fact that I was a teacher does not mean I would necessarily interact well with her students.
I am glad that PTA director put me back in my place. She helped me to realize that I need to be more patient with my son’s teacher. However, this experience also brought to my recollection a thought I have had in my head since the day I arrived in my new office and saw Karen Mapp’s book Beyond the Bake Sale on my desk. I have not yet had time to read the whole book, but from what I read that day, it became apparent to me that school systems – administrators, teachers, even PTAs – have not done a very good job of involving parents in the education of their children during the school day. The most interested and available parents are often asked to organize fund raisers or make copies or maybe, if they’re lucky, to supervise in the lunchroom, attend field trips or chaperone a school dance. Aren’t there other ways we could be helpful as parents?
The wheels in my head have been turning… Maybe not all parents have interesting jobs. Some may work at home as mothers (yes, being a stay-at-home mom or dad is a job). Some parents may not work at all, but I believe each parent has something to offer – a skill, a talent, an experience. Is there a way to invite parents to engage in the classroom in a way that benefits everyone? Is there a coffee shop owner who can talk about the process of buying a franchise or the process of making different kinds of non-caffeinated drinks? Is there a bus driver who can talk about his/her experience driving a bus and how s/he chose this career? Is there a lawyer who can talk about the difference between reality T.V. and real life? Are there people who have skills or hobbies that could be turned into free after-school classes?
I say these things not to point a finger at my son’s teacher, because if any finger-pointing were to be done, one of the fingers would be pointing back at me as a teacher. I say these things because it is time for all of us – parents, educators, community organizations – to think about the ways we can build bridges that connect us and not walls that divide us. We all have something to offer one another. We each hold a key to the success of the children in America’s classrooms.
Middle School Orientation
Well, my middle school children have just experienced orientation at their new school. The event was organized so that all new students (both 7th and 8th graders) could do activities together in groups of 10 – 12, facilitated by 8th grade students. The groups played name games and listened to speakers. They took tours of the building and saw their new schedules.
Parents could come later and meet with teachers and counselors. We were invited to sign up for the PTA and for the Parks and Recreation middle school events. Athletic packets were passed out and parents were encouraged to pay for their child’s hot lunch.
As a former middle school teacher, I was pretty impressed with the enthusiasm of the student leaders and faculty present at the event. My only concern, after talking with someone else who had taken off work to attend the event, was that as well-run as the afternoon was, the timing was not well-suited for those families in which both parents worked day jobs. Although there were many parents present, I now wonder how many other parents could have attended had the event been held in the evening.
These are things as schools that we need to think about… 20 or 30 years ago, most moms were at home during the day and could pick up and leave to run errands or assist in a classroom or attend an orientation in the middle of the day. The times are different now. Most women work a full-time job and take care of their children. Many women and even some men are single parents. How can we think about doing things differently to accommodate the different needs of our society so that all parents and guardians can participate in the education of our nation’s children?
Yesterday I paid my PTA dues and signed up to participate in this “mechanism” for the first time in my children’s educational journey. Why had I not signed up before? We were busy at nights. After teaching a full day, I did not have the energy to be out for hours at night as well, in addition to athletic events and church. Furthermore, the PTA groups always seemed to be comprised predominantly by the stay-at-home mothers with whom I had little in common. I do not know how my experience will be here, but I have joined. I am committed to challenging traditional thinking and trying to help create a parent-community-school partnership that is inclusive, not exclusive.
Stay tuned for the next installment – the elementary open house…
Parents could come later and meet with teachers and counselors. We were invited to sign up for the PTA and for the Parks and Recreation middle school events. Athletic packets were passed out and parents were encouraged to pay for their child’s hot lunch.
As a former middle school teacher, I was pretty impressed with the enthusiasm of the student leaders and faculty present at the event. My only concern, after talking with someone else who had taken off work to attend the event, was that as well-run as the afternoon was, the timing was not well-suited for those families in which both parents worked day jobs. Although there were many parents present, I now wonder how many other parents could have attended had the event been held in the evening.
These are things as schools that we need to think about… 20 or 30 years ago, most moms were at home during the day and could pick up and leave to run errands or assist in a classroom or attend an orientation in the middle of the day. The times are different now. Most women work a full-time job and take care of their children. Many women and even some men are single parents. How can we think about doing things differently to accommodate the different needs of our society so that all parents and guardians can participate in the education of our nation’s children?
Yesterday I paid my PTA dues and signed up to participate in this “mechanism” for the first time in my children’s educational journey. Why had I not signed up before? We were busy at nights. After teaching a full day, I did not have the energy to be out for hours at night as well, in addition to athletic events and church. Furthermore, the PTA groups always seemed to be comprised predominantly by the stay-at-home mothers with whom I had little in common. I do not know how my experience will be here, but I have joined. I am committed to challenging traditional thinking and trying to help create a parent-community-school partnership that is inclusive, not exclusive.
Stay tuned for the next installment – the elementary open house…
Friday, August 29, 2008
Jones Family 2008-2009
Have you ever wondered if you are the only parent who has a difficult time making connections to your child’s school? As the new director of the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning (CISL) at OSPI and as someone who has just moved into a new community, I decided it may be helpful to use this blog to chronicle my experiences as the mother of three children (an 11 year-old, a 12 year-old and a 13 year-old) and an educator. I hope you can learn from my experiences.
I know there are some of you out there saying, “School must be easy for her. She’s an educator. She works for OSPI. If anyone ‘gets’ school, it must be her.” I am passionate about doing this blog because as experienced as I am, I do not have all the answers. Furthermore, I have not always been here. I have not always had positive or easy experiences. I think each one of you will be able to relate to some portion of my past story and/or some portion of my current one.
I am an African-American woman who was raised as an ex-patriot in the Netherlands. I grew up as one of the only brown people in a sea of very wealthy Caucasians. When I decided to come to America for college, I came very aware that I was a foreigner in this country. I knew I would be culturally different from the other African-Americans, so I was ready to “not belong” to their community right away. What shocked me was how I was perceived by Caucasians in my college community. My first three years in America were years of self-discovery and much pain as I realized I was not like anyone else around me. Not only was I called a “foreigner” by those in the African-American community, most of whom had never heard of the Netherlands; I was also called the “n” – word as I walked down the street to the store. I was followed by security in stores as I walked down aisles looking for a new toothbrush or a bar of soap. It was not until my junior year that I finally decided either people would like me or not like me. I couldn’t change where I had grown up or the color of my skin.
Shortly after graduation from college, I married an African-American man who had grown up in a single-parent home in an urban community. We married and spent the first four years of our marriage living in very poor communities where gang violence was a daily affair and meals consisted of whatever we could gather from our WIC checks and the food bank. He was working on his graduate degree, and I was substitute teaching when I could get work. Finally, I was hired as the only teacher of color in a private school. In the midst of that first job, I became pregnant with my oldest child. As my children grew from infancy to school age, I became concerned about the state of affairs in our public schools. I looked at the resources my students had in the private school where I worked as compared to the lack of resources and apparent lack of concern for education I was seeing in the public schools. Suddenly, my perceptions of school were personal and not just professional.
I now have three school-aged children. I have one child who has struggled with academic endeavors from the time he was four and I asked him to practice writing. Based on his difficulty remaining focused to complete tasks, we suspected he was ADD, which was later confirmed. He is very intelligent, but struggles with organization and completing assignments. He is gifted athletically and musically. My second child struggles with the content of some subjects but is organized and persistent so has demonstrated above-average grades throughout elementary school. This child is very social and thrives on daily interactions with peers, as well as participation in team sports and band. If there is “drama” to report in school, she is somehow involved. The third child has participated in highly-capable programming for most of his academic career. Although he demonstrates high achievement academically and participates in band, he struggles socially amongst his peers.
Anyone with more than one child knows that no two children are ever alike. This makes parenting at home and at school very complicated. Each child has different needs. Some can be left alone to complete assignments and to manage their behavior. They are self-motivated and self-sufficient. Others require many reminders and a regular call to a teacher.
I am a teacher by trade, so maybe you think I should have this all together. Let me tell you, I am still learning. I still haven’t figured out the way to guarantee that the homework my son has done at home in front of my eyes will make it to his teacher’s desk. I still haven’t figured out how to stop my daughter from allowing other people’s “issues” to distract her from her job at school – to be a student. I haven’t figured out how to stop worrying about whether or not my youngest will have made enough friends by his birthday to warrant having a party. I haven’t figured out how to get as involved as I would like in my children’s school while holding down a full-time job.
As we begin a new year, I want you to know that I send my children off to school the first day just as nervous as you. Will my children get the best teachers? Will my youngest son be laughed at because he’s not good at playing football or basketball like the rest of the boys? Will my children remember to bring home all the necessary beginning-of-the-year paperwork? Will their classrooms be overcrowded? Will they like their new schools?
Don’t think because I have an important position in education that schools will treat me any differently from you. I have been yelled at (when a teacher thought I was a student skipping class, not a parent visiting a classroom). I have been ignored (I mean, not even looked at or spoken to by office staff). I have been told by a teacher that she thought my child was stupid, until she realized he was ADD and just needed to be refocused. I have had important paperwork lost by a teacher. I have struggled just like you to get my kids the kind of education I believe they (and all children) deserve.
As we begin a new school year, I have already made appointments with my children’s principals. I want them to know me and to know that I care. Did I not care before? That was not the case. This will be the first year I can get away from work to make these appointments. I was always in school working with other people’s children and unable to get away to take care of my own the way I would have liked to.
This is a new season for me. As I walk through a new year as a parent of children in a new school, as an employee in a new position, I want to be very aware of ways other parents who are busy during school hours can be involved. I want to think more intentionally about how to support those of you who may have to work two or three jobs or who work a 9:00 – 5:00 and can’t get away to visit a classroom during the day.
Join me for the next nine months and learn with me about how we can do a better job of partnering with our schools to create more successful experiences for our children. Hear about my successes and feel free e-mail me with yours.
If you have questions or suggestions to add to this blog, please write to me at erin.jones@k12.wa.us. I may not have answers for you, but I can help connect you to the resources you need.
I know there are some of you out there saying, “School must be easy for her. She’s an educator. She works for OSPI. If anyone ‘gets’ school, it must be her.” I am passionate about doing this blog because as experienced as I am, I do not have all the answers. Furthermore, I have not always been here. I have not always had positive or easy experiences. I think each one of you will be able to relate to some portion of my past story and/or some portion of my current one.
I am an African-American woman who was raised as an ex-patriot in the Netherlands. I grew up as one of the only brown people in a sea of very wealthy Caucasians. When I decided to come to America for college, I came very aware that I was a foreigner in this country. I knew I would be culturally different from the other African-Americans, so I was ready to “not belong” to their community right away. What shocked me was how I was perceived by Caucasians in my college community. My first three years in America were years of self-discovery and much pain as I realized I was not like anyone else around me. Not only was I called a “foreigner” by those in the African-American community, most of whom had never heard of the Netherlands; I was also called the “n” – word as I walked down the street to the store. I was followed by security in stores as I walked down aisles looking for a new toothbrush or a bar of soap. It was not until my junior year that I finally decided either people would like me or not like me. I couldn’t change where I had grown up or the color of my skin.
Shortly after graduation from college, I married an African-American man who had grown up in a single-parent home in an urban community. We married and spent the first four years of our marriage living in very poor communities where gang violence was a daily affair and meals consisted of whatever we could gather from our WIC checks and the food bank. He was working on his graduate degree, and I was substitute teaching when I could get work. Finally, I was hired as the only teacher of color in a private school. In the midst of that first job, I became pregnant with my oldest child. As my children grew from infancy to school age, I became concerned about the state of affairs in our public schools. I looked at the resources my students had in the private school where I worked as compared to the lack of resources and apparent lack of concern for education I was seeing in the public schools. Suddenly, my perceptions of school were personal and not just professional.
I now have three school-aged children. I have one child who has struggled with academic endeavors from the time he was four and I asked him to practice writing. Based on his difficulty remaining focused to complete tasks, we suspected he was ADD, which was later confirmed. He is very intelligent, but struggles with organization and completing assignments. He is gifted athletically and musically. My second child struggles with the content of some subjects but is organized and persistent so has demonstrated above-average grades throughout elementary school. This child is very social and thrives on daily interactions with peers, as well as participation in team sports and band. If there is “drama” to report in school, she is somehow involved. The third child has participated in highly-capable programming for most of his academic career. Although he demonstrates high achievement academically and participates in band, he struggles socially amongst his peers.
Anyone with more than one child knows that no two children are ever alike. This makes parenting at home and at school very complicated. Each child has different needs. Some can be left alone to complete assignments and to manage their behavior. They are self-motivated and self-sufficient. Others require many reminders and a regular call to a teacher.
I am a teacher by trade, so maybe you think I should have this all together. Let me tell you, I am still learning. I still haven’t figured out the way to guarantee that the homework my son has done at home in front of my eyes will make it to his teacher’s desk. I still haven’t figured out how to stop my daughter from allowing other people’s “issues” to distract her from her job at school – to be a student. I haven’t figured out how to stop worrying about whether or not my youngest will have made enough friends by his birthday to warrant having a party. I haven’t figured out how to get as involved as I would like in my children’s school while holding down a full-time job.
As we begin a new year, I want you to know that I send my children off to school the first day just as nervous as you. Will my children get the best teachers? Will my youngest son be laughed at because he’s not good at playing football or basketball like the rest of the boys? Will my children remember to bring home all the necessary beginning-of-the-year paperwork? Will their classrooms be overcrowded? Will they like their new schools?
Don’t think because I have an important position in education that schools will treat me any differently from you. I have been yelled at (when a teacher thought I was a student skipping class, not a parent visiting a classroom). I have been ignored (I mean, not even looked at or spoken to by office staff). I have been told by a teacher that she thought my child was stupid, until she realized he was ADD and just needed to be refocused. I have had important paperwork lost by a teacher. I have struggled just like you to get my kids the kind of education I believe they (and all children) deserve.
As we begin a new school year, I have already made appointments with my children’s principals. I want them to know me and to know that I care. Did I not care before? That was not the case. This will be the first year I can get away from work to make these appointments. I was always in school working with other people’s children and unable to get away to take care of my own the way I would have liked to.
This is a new season for me. As I walk through a new year as a parent of children in a new school, as an employee in a new position, I want to be very aware of ways other parents who are busy during school hours can be involved. I want to think more intentionally about how to support those of you who may have to work two or three jobs or who work a 9:00 – 5:00 and can’t get away to visit a classroom during the day.
Join me for the next nine months and learn with me about how we can do a better job of partnering with our schools to create more successful experiences for our children. Hear about my successes and feel free e-mail me with yours.
If you have questions or suggestions to add to this blog, please write to me at erin.jones@k12.wa.us. I may not have answers for you, but I can help connect you to the resources you need.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
COLLEGE ACCESS SUMMIT
Join The College Success Foundation to create a statewide college access network.
When: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Breakfast and networking reception begin at 9 a.m.
Summit 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
What: KnowHow2GO College Access Summit
Where: University of Washington
HUB West Ballroom – Seattle campus
Who: You, along with college access providers, youth-serving
organizations, and community leaders from around the state
On May 20, 2008, the Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) in partnership with College Success Foundation (CSF) will launch KnowHow2GO Washington at a statewide college access summit.
Reminder: Space is limited, so click here to register and reserve your spot.
The summit will feature:
• KnowHow2GO campaign launch and College Bound scholarship program
• What's happening in your region and best practices from national and statewide experts
• Breakout sessions and peer learning opportunities
• Networking with statewide and regional partners
• Information on the availability of mini-grants
Ultimately, our vision is to create a statewide network around college access — and we need your participation.
• In addition to launching the KnowHow2GO campaign, our vision is to help more students connect to resources — like you — in their local community.
• A statewide network of college access providers, advocates and youth-serving organizations will help more students realize their college aspirations.
• KnowHow2GO Washington presents a timely opportunity to realize this common vision and create a shared agenda around college readiness and access.
When: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Breakfast and networking reception begin at 9 a.m.
Summit 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
What: KnowHow2GO College Access Summit
Where: University of Washington
HUB West Ballroom – Seattle campus
Who: You, along with college access providers, youth-serving
organizations, and community leaders from around the state
On May 20, 2008, the Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) in partnership with College Success Foundation (CSF) will launch KnowHow2GO Washington at a statewide college access summit.
Reminder: Space is limited, so click here to register and reserve your spot.
The summit will feature:
• KnowHow2GO campaign launch and College Bound scholarship program
• What's happening in your region and best practices from national and statewide experts
• Breakout sessions and peer learning opportunities
• Networking with statewide and regional partners
• Information on the availability of mini-grants
Ultimately, our vision is to create a statewide network around college access — and we need your participation.
• In addition to launching the KnowHow2GO campaign, our vision is to help more students connect to resources — like you — in their local community.
• A statewide network of college access providers, advocates and youth-serving organizations will help more students realize their college aspirations.
• KnowHow2GO Washington presents a timely opportunity to realize this common vision and create a shared agenda around college readiness and access.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
10 Ways to Celebrate Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month at Home
1. Recognize the great diversity of Asian and Pacific Islander ethnicities and languages. How many can you name?
2. Read about Asian Pacific American History.
3. Talk with your child about the moments in our history that we should never forget.
• What happened to Japanese Americans during World War II?
• How did Chinese immigrants contribute to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad?
• Who was the first Asian Pacific American governor in the continental United States?
4. Some Asian Americans came to the United States as refugees. Talk with your child about what it means to be a refugee.
5. Put on a play or do a readers’ theater of an Asian or Pacific Islander folk tale.
6. Visit the Seattle Asian Art Museum or the Wing Luke Asian Museum. Go on the Chinatown Discovery Tour.
7. Make a Hawaiian lei with your child or learn how to make a paper crane.
8. Write a haiku.
9. Many people know about Ellis Island and the important role it played in receiving immigrants from European countries. What do you know about Angel Island?
10. Make banana pancakes.
2. Read about Asian Pacific American History.
3. Talk with your child about the moments in our history that we should never forget.
• What happened to Japanese Americans during World War II?
• How did Chinese immigrants contribute to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad?
• Who was the first Asian Pacific American governor in the continental United States?
4. Some Asian Americans came to the United States as refugees. Talk with your child about what it means to be a refugee.
5. Put on a play or do a readers’ theater of an Asian or Pacific Islander folk tale.
6. Visit the Seattle Asian Art Museum or the Wing Luke Asian Museum. Go on the Chinatown Discovery Tour.
7. Make a Hawaiian lei with your child or learn how to make a paper crane.
8. Write a haiku.
9. Many people know about Ellis Island and the important role it played in receiving immigrants from European countries. What do you know about Angel Island?
10. Make banana pancakes.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Civil Rights Conference on the dropout crisis in the Northwest (May 30, 2008)
The Dropout Crisis in the Northwest: Confronting the Graduation Crisis in All Communities with Special Focus on American Indian and Alaska Native Students is scheduled for May 30, 2008 at the University of Washington.
Our feature speakers will include Susan C. Faircloth of Penn State University, Christopher B. Swanson of Education Week, Nettie E. Legters of Johns Hopkins University, Mandy Smoker Broaddus of the Office of Public Instruction in Helena, Montana, Sally Brownfield of Hood Canal School District, and Gary Orfield, among others.
Click here to register. Registration is free to the public.
Lunch will be provided. Due to our limited space, we will confirm your registration by email before May 26, 2008. Please join us. We look forward to seeing you at the conference.
Our feature speakers will include Susan C. Faircloth of Penn State University, Christopher B. Swanson of Education Week, Nettie E. Legters of Johns Hopkins University, Mandy Smoker Broaddus of the Office of Public Instruction in Helena, Montana, Sally Brownfield of Hood Canal School District, and Gary Orfield, among others.
Click here to register. Registration is free to the public.
Lunch will be provided. Due to our limited space, we will confirm your registration by email before May 26, 2008. Please join us. We look forward to seeing you at the conference.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Washington State Coalition for Language Access Conference
The WASCLA Conference brings together participants throughout Washington State to share improvements and progress in working to ensure access to Limited English Proficient individuals.
Who Should Attend?
Those who are interested in language access including interpreters, translators and those providing services in the following areas: domestic violence, sexual assault, crimes such as trafficking, advocacy, law enforcement, housing, health- care, immigration, public benefits, family law, and government services.
Goals for the Summit:
Learn more about LEP policies, interpreter and translator best practices, training for staff on working with interpreters, telephonic interpreting, interpreter and translator certification, reimbursement systems, translation models, and cultural competence. Discuss a statewide database to share interpreter and translator resources. Network with professional interpreters and translators.
Click here for more information.
Who Should Attend?
Those who are interested in language access including interpreters, translators and those providing services in the following areas: domestic violence, sexual assault, crimes such as trafficking, advocacy, law enforcement, housing, health- care, immigration, public benefits, family law, and government services.
Goals for the Summit:
Learn more about LEP policies, interpreter and translator best practices, training for staff on working with interpreters, telephonic interpreting, interpreter and translator certification, reimbursement systems, translation models, and cultural competence. Discuss a statewide database to share interpreter and translator resources. Network with professional interpreters and translators.
Click here for more information.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Preventing the Kindergarten Readiness Gap
Dear Education Leaders and Supporters:
As we implement multiple strategies to meet state standards and “leave no child behind,” we cannot ignore the readiness skills of our future students. Forty percent of children walk into kindergarten already one to three years behind. What happens in the early learning years, long before a child enters kindergarten, has a profound impact on his or her future education.
Educators want to get out of the remediation business because it doesn’t work well and it is very costly. Early intervention is a powerful strategy, such as offering READY! for Kindergarten classes for parents and primary caregivers of children birth to age five. The READY! for Kindergarten program focuses on fun family activities that lead to school readiness. Over 50 school districts are benefiting from this approach.
You and your colleagues are invited to attend a one-day seminar presented by the National Children’s Reading Foundation. The attached brochure contains all of the information. Please join us to discover the unexpected research and practical options for narrowing and eliminating the readiness gap before students enter kindergarten.
Click here to learn more or to register now.
From the National Children's Reading Foundation
www.readingfoundation.org
As we implement multiple strategies to meet state standards and “leave no child behind,” we cannot ignore the readiness skills of our future students. Forty percent of children walk into kindergarten already one to three years behind. What happens in the early learning years, long before a child enters kindergarten, has a profound impact on his or her future education.
Educators want to get out of the remediation business because it doesn’t work well and it is very costly. Early intervention is a powerful strategy, such as offering READY! for Kindergarten classes for parents and primary caregivers of children birth to age five. The READY! for Kindergarten program focuses on fun family activities that lead to school readiness. Over 50 school districts are benefiting from this approach.
You and your colleagues are invited to attend a one-day seminar presented by the National Children’s Reading Foundation. The attached brochure contains all of the information. Please join us to discover the unexpected research and practical options for narrowing and eliminating the readiness gap before students enter kindergarten.
Click here to learn more or to register now.
From the National Children's Reading Foundation
www.readingfoundation.org
Celebrating Earth Day at Home
On April 22nd, we join over 100 different countries in celebrating Earth Day. This is an opportunity to appreciate nature and discover ways to protect our environment. At home and in the classroom, it is a great time to learn with our children about our planet and how each of us can contribute to keeping it clean.
Ten Ways to Celebrate Earth Day with your Child:
1. Talk about how her daily choices impact the rest of the world.
2. Participate in local Earth Day celebrations.
3. Decorate your house for Earth Day with homemade crafts.
4. Take a tour of your house. What could you do at home to use less electricity and water?
5. Read about an endangered species.
6. Talk to your child about how to reduce your household garbage. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
7. Join the Environmental Kids Club.
8. Enjoy nature. Go for a walk. Go to a park. Play outside!
9. Plant a tree.
10. Talk about how to stay safe from environmental risks at home.
Ten Ways to Celebrate Earth Day with your Child:
1. Talk about how her daily choices impact the rest of the world.
2. Participate in local Earth Day celebrations.
3. Decorate your house for Earth Day with homemade crafts.
4. Take a tour of your house. What could you do at home to use less electricity and water?
5. Read about an endangered species.
6. Talk to your child about how to reduce your household garbage. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
7. Join the Environmental Kids Club.
8. Enjoy nature. Go for a walk. Go to a park. Play outside!
9. Plant a tree.
10. Talk about how to stay safe from environmental risks at home.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Hands-on Environmental Lessons
Students learn how to test water quality and gain a better understanding of the local environment.
Click here to learn more.
Click here to learn more.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Insights into their Future
8th grade students at North Thurston Public Schools went to work for the day at a variety of businesses. They gained insight on what life is like in the workforce and learned that some things are even "cooler" in person than on TV.
Click here to learn more.
Click here to learn more.
A Fun Way to Develop Strategic Thinking
Second and third-graders in Idaho are learning how to play chess. They practice thinking ahead, and it levels the playing field for ELL students.
Click here to learn more.
Click here to learn more.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Getting Kids Excited About Reading
Sanislo Elementary found a way to bring reading to life. They organized a kiting event and handed out books with kites in their story line.
Click here to learn more.
Click here to learn more.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Bilingual Education at Evergreen Elementary
Students at the bilingual school, Evergreen Elementary, in Shelton learn math in English and science in Spanish. Parents are enthusiastic about their children achieving fluency in two languages.
Click here to learn more about the approach the school is taking and why it is successful.
Click here to learn more about the approach the school is taking and why it is successful.
Mini-courses by Parents
Parents come to Marshall Middle School's alternative class to teach mini-courses on their area of expertise. Parents decide what courses to offer, and students like the variety of subjects.
Click here to read the story.
Click here to read the story.
Running Start
With the end of the school year just a few months away, it is time for high school students to consider whether Running Start is a good option for their junior and senior years.
Click here to read an article about the program or visit the Running Start website.
Click here to read an article about the program or visit the Running Start website.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
CSI Workshops Hook Students on Science
Lower Columbia College hosted CSI Workshops for high school students. Students tested DNA and blood samples to solve a hypothetical murder case. Students find the practical application of science fascinating.
Click here to read the story.
Click here to read the story.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Success in a Mixed-Ability Classroom
First-grade teacher Judy Birk at Twin City Elementary encourages kids helping kids with varying abilities in her classroom.
Click here to read the story.
Click here to read the story.
Hands-on Learning - Genetic Inheritance
Science teacher Ray Nelson teaches his seventh graders at Chinook Middle School about dominant and recessive genetic traits with a hands-on activity. The kids not only understand the concepts but really enjoy the class.
Click here to learn more.
Click here to learn more.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
The Hundred Dresses
My April book review for the CISL e-newsletter will be on a timeless classic dealing with prejudice, teasing, bullying, classism. After choosing to do my April book review on The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, I couldn’t believe it when I saw that Seattle Children’s Theater is doing a play based on it. It is currently running and continues through April 6. I am planning a trip to Seattle to see it. You can get more information at www.sct.org. -- Sally Brownfield
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Students Launch a Business
High school students in Middle Creek are reinforcing their classroom learning by starting a business and having a lot of fun.
Click here to learn more.
Click here to learn more.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Mentorship Program Helps Struggling Students
A group of mentors in University Place School Districts is reaching out to African American boys who are struggling in school. Students in the program are bringing up their grades with the encouragement of their peers and mentors.
Click here to read the story.
Click here to read the story.
Voices of Children Contest
5th Annual Voices of Children Contest
What living with a grandparent, aunt, uncle or other relative has meant
What is the contest?
Voices of Children Raised by Grandparents and Other Relatives is a contest for children in Washington State who are being raised now or in the past by a relative other than their parents. The contest honors both the children and the more than 35,000 relatives in Washington State who are raising them.
What do you do?
Write a poem, short essay, or draw a picture that describes how living with a relative (such as a grandparent, aunt, or uncle) has made a positive difference in your life. Entries will be judged in three age categories 5-7 year olds, 8-12 year olds, and 13-19 year olds.
What are the rules?
• All participating children must live in Washington State and be 5 -19 years old.
• Poems should be 21 lines or less.
• Essays should be 200 words or less.
• Use colored pencils, markers, pencil, or crayons on any drawings. Make your art as big and bold as possible and add a statement that explains your drawing.
• Writings may be submitted on the attached entry form or on a separate piece of white paper. Drawings should be on white, unlined paper. If the entry form is not used, make sure to include your name, age, address, phone number, and e-mail (if available).
• Entry must be original, in English, and unpublished.
• Winners will be notified in early May and all decisions of the judges are final.
• We reserve the right of first publication and use of writings and drawings.
• All entries may be published in a 2008 book called Voices of Children-Raised by Grandparents and Other Relatives.
What are the prizes?
The first 200 entries will receive special gifts. The top two entries in each age division will receive $100 from Twin Star Credit Union and more!
Questions?
If you have questions, please call Family Education and Support Services at 1-877-813-2828 or e-mail Shelly Willis at ShellyWillis1@qwest.net.
All entries must be submitted or postmarked by April 10, 2008.
What living with a grandparent, aunt, uncle or other relative has meant
What is the contest?
Voices of Children Raised by Grandparents and Other Relatives is a contest for children in Washington State who are being raised now or in the past by a relative other than their parents. The contest honors both the children and the more than 35,000 relatives in Washington State who are raising them.
What do you do?
Write a poem, short essay, or draw a picture that describes how living with a relative (such as a grandparent, aunt, or uncle) has made a positive difference in your life. Entries will be judged in three age categories 5-7 year olds, 8-12 year olds, and 13-19 year olds.
What are the rules?
• All participating children must live in Washington State and be 5 -19 years old.
• Poems should be 21 lines or less.
• Essays should be 200 words or less.
• Use colored pencils, markers, pencil, or crayons on any drawings. Make your art as big and bold as possible and add a statement that explains your drawing.
• Writings may be submitted on the attached entry form or on a separate piece of white paper. Drawings should be on white, unlined paper. If the entry form is not used, make sure to include your name, age, address, phone number, and e-mail (if available).
• Entry must be original, in English, and unpublished.
• Winners will be notified in early May and all decisions of the judges are final.
• We reserve the right of first publication and use of writings and drawings.
• All entries may be published in a 2008 book called Voices of Children-Raised by Grandparents and Other Relatives.
What are the prizes?
The first 200 entries will receive special gifts. The top two entries in each age division will receive $100 from Twin Star Credit Union and more!
Questions?
If you have questions, please call Family Education and Support Services at 1-877-813-2828 or e-mail Shelly Willis at ShellyWillis1@qwest.net.
All entries must be submitted or postmarked by April 10, 2008.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Teaching Tolerance Offers Grants to Schools & Districts
Teaching Tolerance is offering grants of up to $10,000 for programs that equalize students' experience in school. Letters of inquiry are due by May 15, 2008.
Click here for more information.
Click here for more information.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Seeds of Compassion Coming to Seattle
Seeds of Compassion is a five-day event celebrating kindness and the nurturing of children in Seattle from April 11-15.
The Dalai Lama will be at KeyArena on Monday, April 14. He'll sit down with children and leaders to speak about empathy and compassion. Schools are invited to participate in the "What Does Compassion Look Like" campaign, or are encouraged to initiate compassion programs in their schools.
Those who cannot attend are invited to watch the worldwide Webcast. Tickets are free and travel costs will be reimbursed for schools.
Click here to learn more.
The Dalai Lama will be at KeyArena on Monday, April 14. He'll sit down with children and leaders to speak about empathy and compassion. Schools are invited to participate in the "What Does Compassion Look Like" campaign, or are encouraged to initiate compassion programs in their schools.
Those who cannot attend are invited to watch the worldwide Webcast. Tickets are free and travel costs will be reimbursed for schools.
Click here to learn more.
Tolerance.org Gives Pointers on Family Engagement
Tolerance.org published an extensive article to celebrate Bring Your Family to School Week, February 10-16. It covers several key areas of family engagement: initiating contact, inviting engagement, overcoming language barriers, using plain terms and recommended resources.
Click here to learn more.
Click here to learn more.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
African American Legislative Day – Students Top Priority
Washington State’s Capitol building was all a buzz February 4, 2008, with nearly 1,400 students and adults taking part in the African-American Legislative Day. One of the top legislative priorities outlined by the Commission on African American Affairs is House Bill 2722. The Bill was introduced by Representative Eric Pettigrew, to create a strategic task force on reducing the achievement gap for African American students.
What makes this African American Legislative Day different from years past is the strategic positioning of legislation aimed at closing the racial opportunity and achievement gap for African American students. The Black Education Roundtable, an informal advisory group convened by the Washington Commission on African American Affairs has been instrumental in initiating and rallying support for this Bill.
Thelma Jackson, one of the presenters for the session on Education-The New Civil Rights Arena, made it clear that HB 2722 is not a study Bill. Dr. Jackson indicated that we already know from the alarming facts and figures that show African American students are falling behind. While there are initiatives to address the achievement gap there isn’t a thoughtful, comprehensive and inclusive strategy for addressing specifically African American Students. If passed by both Houses, and approved by the governor, HB 2722 will charge the CISL department the task of convening an advisory committee to conduct an analysis of the achievement gap for African–American students, the best and promising practice models for the students and a plan for implementation, benchmarking and evaluating.
Click here to visit Washington State Commission on African American Affairs website for more information regarding HB 2722, African American Legislative Day or other issues concerning the African American community. ---Victoria Moreland
What makes this African American Legislative Day different from years past is the strategic positioning of legislation aimed at closing the racial opportunity and achievement gap for African American students. The Black Education Roundtable, an informal advisory group convened by the Washington Commission on African American Affairs has been instrumental in initiating and rallying support for this Bill.
Thelma Jackson, one of the presenters for the session on Education-The New Civil Rights Arena, made it clear that HB 2722 is not a study Bill. Dr. Jackson indicated that we already know from the alarming facts and figures that show African American students are falling behind. While there are initiatives to address the achievement gap there isn’t a thoughtful, comprehensive and inclusive strategy for addressing specifically African American Students. If passed by both Houses, and approved by the governor, HB 2722 will charge the CISL department the task of convening an advisory committee to conduct an analysis of the achievement gap for African–American students, the best and promising practice models for the students and a plan for implementation, benchmarking and evaluating.
Click here to visit Washington State Commission on African American Affairs website for more information regarding HB 2722, African American Legislative Day or other issues concerning the African American community. ---Victoria Moreland
Federal Way Mentors Recognized
Federal Way School District's Heritage Leadership Camp earned recognition in a local newspaper article. The camp is a part of the district's partnership program led by Trise Moore. It is good to see these programs getting recognized for their work.
The leadership program was featured in a video called "Successful Schools: Families Matter," produced by the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning.
Click here to read the story.
Click here to learn more about the DVD "Successful Schools: Families Matter."
The leadership program was featured in a video called "Successful Schools: Families Matter," produced by the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning.
Click here to read the story.
Click here to learn more about the DVD "Successful Schools: Families Matter."
Thursday, January 24, 2008
CISL's February E-Newsletter Released
The Center for the Improvement of Student Learning has released its February e-newsletter, and it's chock full of new stories, research, promising practices and plenty of resources. Go to CISL's Website to see all the stories.
Many of this month's key stories and updates can be found below as well.
Regaining Her Life: Meisha Nash struggled with drugs and alcohol and had all but fallen through the cracks. But her desire to achieve coupled with a caring school staff have her on the path to success.
After-School Help: The Vietnamese Friendship Association, through its after-school program, is helping at-risk Vietnamese youth get through life and school.
Class of 2008 Graduation Checklist, Q&A Now Translated: Confused about what students in the class of 2008 need to graduate? Downloadthe graduation Q&A and checklist in English, Spanish and Russian.
SAVE THE DATE: Partnering for Student Success Conference: A groundbreaking partnership of school districts, education agencies, community groups and the Governor’s Office are planning a conference in October 2008 in Yakima focused on families, schools and communities working together to increase learning and success for all students.
Online Toolkit: CISL is developing an online toolkit to assist schools in the engagement of families and communities. The toolkit's creation is in response to requests by districts and schools for more partnership resources. This PDF form is the first part of the toolkit.
CISL Conversation (Audio): Joyce Epstein, Director of the National Network of Partnership Schools, discusses her years of research on family, school and community partnerships.
... and there's plenty more read at yourlearningcenter.org, so be sure to go to our Website.
Many of this month's key stories and updates can be found below as well.
Regaining Her Life: Meisha Nash struggled with drugs and alcohol and had all but fallen through the cracks. But her desire to achieve coupled with a caring school staff have her on the path to success.
After-School Help: The Vietnamese Friendship Association, through its after-school program, is helping at-risk Vietnamese youth get through life and school.
Class of 2008 Graduation Checklist, Q&A Now Translated: Confused about what students in the class of 2008 need to graduate? Downloadthe graduation Q&A and checklist in English, Spanish and Russian.
SAVE THE DATE: Partnering for Student Success Conference: A groundbreaking partnership of school districts, education agencies, community groups and the Governor’s Office are planning a conference in October 2008 in Yakima focused on families, schools and communities working together to increase learning and success for all students.
Online Toolkit: CISL is developing an online toolkit to assist schools in the engagement of families and communities. The toolkit's creation is in response to requests by districts and schools for more partnership resources. This PDF form is the first part of the toolkit.
CISL Conversation (Audio): Joyce Epstein, Director of the National Network of Partnership Schools, discusses her years of research on family, school and community partnerships.
... and there's plenty more read at yourlearningcenter.org, so be sure to go to our Website.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Wrapping up LEAP Conference
Here's a post from CISL facilitator Sally Brownfield on last week's LEAP Conference in Tacoma. LEAP (Latino/a Educational Achievement Project) was founded in 1998 with a mission to improve the academic achievement of Latino/a students in Washington state. To learn more about LEAP, go to their Website at www.leapwa.org.
Now, here's the report from Sally:
Last week I attended the LEAP conference in Tacoma. It was wonderful. Unfortunately, I was only able to attend the first day of the conference, but I attended two great workshops and the evening banquet.
This conference was centered on high school students. About three-fourths of the 800 people attending were high school students. The second day of the conference was Legislative Day in Olympia. The students went to Olympia, visited the Capitol, spoke with legislators and learned first-hand how our state government works. Such a positive, active learning experience for students.
I do wish more students in our state had such opportunities. As an educator (out of the classroom for three years now), it certainly renewed my excitement for our future possibilites being in the hands of these capable and dedicated young people.
It was also a great pleasure to enjoy a wonderful meal and great conversation with four outstanding students from Bridgeport.
Now, here's the report from Sally:
Last week I attended the LEAP conference in Tacoma. It was wonderful. Unfortunately, I was only able to attend the first day of the conference, but I attended two great workshops and the evening banquet.
This conference was centered on high school students. About three-fourths of the 800 people attending were high school students. The second day of the conference was Legislative Day in Olympia. The students went to Olympia, visited the Capitol, spoke with legislators and learned first-hand how our state government works. Such a positive, active learning experience for students.
I do wish more students in our state had such opportunities. As an educator (out of the classroom for three years now), it certainly renewed my excitement for our future possibilites being in the hands of these capable and dedicated young people.
It was also a great pleasure to enjoy a wonderful meal and great conversation with four outstanding students from Bridgeport.
Issaquah Addressing Issue of Jailed Parents and Their Children
The issue of jailed parents and their children is growing one in the state and one that OSPI has been addressing. Now, the Issaquah School District is asking for funding to provide a housing project that would reunite formerly jailed parents with their children. This is an interesting story from Wednesday's Seattle Times.
Click here to read the story.
Click here to read the story.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
10 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month at Home
Here are some tips educators can pass along to families as they prepare for Black History Month.
1. Ask your local librarian to recommend books to read with your child.
2. Visit a museum or cultural arts institution that showcases African American art and culture.
3. Read about notable African Americans from Washington State.
4. Play mancala, a traditional counting game popular in Africa. Make your own mancala game from an egg carton.
5. Find opportunities in your community to celebrate Black History.
6. Reflect on issues African Americans face today. Visit the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs website for more information.
7. Create a Black History calendar for the whole year. Black history shouldn’t be confined to February. Click here to find an important event in African American history for every day of the year.
8. Talk with your child about Black History. Possible topics and questions to get started:
* What rights do we take for granted: the right to vote, to get an education, to read, to go shopping, to ride on a bus, to eat in a restaurant, to live where we choose, to get married. What would our lives be like without these rights?
* Many groups of people still experience racism or discrimination. Discuss with your child what this looks like today and what your family might do to treat all people fairly.
9. Use the World Wide Web to learn more about African-American History.
10. Remember that black history is everyone’s history.
1. Ask your local librarian to recommend books to read with your child.
2. Visit a museum or cultural arts institution that showcases African American art and culture.
3. Read about notable African Americans from Washington State.
4. Play mancala, a traditional counting game popular in Africa. Make your own mancala game from an egg carton.
5. Find opportunities in your community to celebrate Black History.
6. Reflect on issues African Americans face today. Visit the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs website for more information.
7. Create a Black History calendar for the whole year. Black history shouldn’t be confined to February. Click here to find an important event in African American history for every day of the year.
8. Talk with your child about Black History. Possible topics and questions to get started:
* What rights do we take for granted: the right to vote, to get an education, to read, to go shopping, to ride on a bus, to eat in a restaurant, to live where we choose, to get married. What would our lives be like without these rights?
* Many groups of people still experience racism or discrimination. Discuss with your child what this looks like today and what your family might do to treat all people fairly.
9. Use the World Wide Web to learn more about African-American History.
10. Remember that black history is everyone’s history.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Olympia Area Seniors Look Ahead to Graduation, College
Since 2004, The Olympian newspaper has followed 15 South Sound students set graduate this year. Here's a look at how a few of them feel about graduating and their next step afterward. The story also covers what requirements this class must meet in order to graduate. It's always interesting to get into the minds of students to see what convers them the most.
Click here to read the story.
Click here to read the story.
Touching Education Story from Vancouver
If you don't think people in today's education system really care -- I mean really care -- just read this story from The Columbian newspaper in Vancouver. Seven-year-old Luke Jensen has a rare form of leukemia, but with the efforts of his school, the hospital and his parents, he's still getting a quality education.
Click here to read the story.
And, when you're done with that, kudos to The Columbian on another quality education story on Running Start. It's about 17-year-old Jena Bodell, who's in her second year at Clark College and will earn her Associate of Arts degree as she graduates from Skyview High School this June.
Click here to read the story.
Click here to read the story.
And, when you're done with that, kudos to The Columbian on another quality education story on Running Start. It's about 17-year-old Jena Bodell, who's in her second year at Clark College and will earn her Associate of Arts degree as she graduates from Skyview High School this June.
Click here to read the story.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Students Learning Government and History
One of the more important aspects of life students can take from their time in school is how to navigate the world, especially when it comes to how their government works. Those students will become more engaged in the world as adults and simply be more informed about how government affects their lives, and how they can hold government accountable.
Rivers' Edge High School in Richland has taken an interesting approach in teaching students history and about their government. Maybe your school could take an idea or two from the following story that ran Friday in the Tri-City Herald.
Click here to read the story.
Rivers' Edge High School in Richland has taken an interesting approach in teaching students history and about their government. Maybe your school could take an idea or two from the following story that ran Friday in the Tri-City Herald.
Click here to read the story.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Grants Available, But Hurry!
Thanks for our friends at the National Network of Partnership Schools for passing this along. The first grant has a quick deadline, but it looks like a good one. Good luck!
The National Center for Family Literacy Verizon Tech Savvy Awards
The National Center for Family Literacy is looking for nominees for its Verizon Tech Savvy Award. The awards recognize programs that teach parents about current technology and enable them to better guide their children in the use of new media.
Maximum Award: $25,000
Eligibility: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, including community-based nonprofits, libraries and schools
Deadline: January 11, 2008
http://www.famlit.org/site/c.gtJWJdMQIsE/b.2180327/
Free Books for Read Across America Day
The Literacy Empowerment Foundation offers free books to build the school library for Read Across America Day, March 3, 2008. Resources are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply early! This is a wonderful initiative that could work hand-in-hand with conducting a family reading night.
Maximum Award: varies
Eligibility: schools and literacy projects
Deadline: February 10, 2008.
http://www.lefbooks.org/reading_resource_project/
Littlest Volunteers Contest
The Walt Disney Company, in conjunction with Wondertime Magazine, is searching for stories about teaching young children the joys of volunteering. Volunteers who share their experiences, including what the students have learned from the volunteer efforts, will have the opportunity to win money for their favorite charity. This is a wonderful opportunity to complete a Type 3-Volunteering or Type 6 –Collaborating with the Community activity that will give back to the community.
Maximum Award: $5,000 to winner’s favorite charity
Eligibility: adults (parent, caregiver, or early childhood educator) volunteering with a child aged eight and younger
Deadline: February 29, 2008
http://wondertime.go.com/contest/littlest-volunteers/index.html
The National Center for Family Literacy Verizon Tech Savvy Awards
The National Center for Family Literacy is looking for nominees for its Verizon Tech Savvy Award. The awards recognize programs that teach parents about current technology and enable them to better guide their children in the use of new media.
Maximum Award: $25,000
Eligibility: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, including community-based nonprofits, libraries and schools
Deadline: January 11, 2008
http://www.famlit.org/site/c.gtJWJdMQIsE/b.2180327/
Free Books for Read Across America Day
The Literacy Empowerment Foundation offers free books to build the school library for Read Across America Day, March 3, 2008. Resources are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply early! This is a wonderful initiative that could work hand-in-hand with conducting a family reading night.
Maximum Award: varies
Eligibility: schools and literacy projects
Deadline: February 10, 2008.
http://www.lefbooks.org/reading_resource_project/
Littlest Volunteers Contest
The Walt Disney Company, in conjunction with Wondertime Magazine, is searching for stories about teaching young children the joys of volunteering. Volunteers who share their experiences, including what the students have learned from the volunteer efforts, will have the opportunity to win money for their favorite charity. This is a wonderful opportunity to complete a Type 3-Volunteering or Type 6 –Collaborating with the Community activity that will give back to the community.
Maximum Award: $5,000 to winner’s favorite charity
Eligibility: adults (parent, caregiver, or early childhood educator) volunteering with a child aged eight and younger
Deadline: February 29, 2008
http://wondertime.go.com/contest/littlest-volunteers/index.html
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Happy New Year!
Now that we're all back from our extended holiday break, here's a few education stories that you might have missed. We hope your new year will be one where you, your students and your family will be engaged with improving student learning. As always, we're here to help. Be sure to contact us at by e-mail cisl@k12.wa.us, by phone at (360) 725-6165 or via our Web site, www.yourlearningcenter.org.
Below are several interesting reads to start off 2008:
From The Herald in Everett:
Arlington dumping summer math help
Disappointing results are causing the Arlington School District to dump its summer school program aimed at getting high school students over the WASL math hump. Just three of 40 students enrolled in Arlington's math summer school program were able to pass the August retake of the math WASL.
From the News-Tribune in Tacoma:
Girl talks about life with teacher parents
Sixth-grader Sophia Sonovich writes about spending two years in her parents' respective fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms at Pioneer Valley Elementary in Spanaway. She says some ground rules helped the three of them preserve teacher-student boundaries.
From the Seattle P-I:
Anti-bullying program aims to teach students empathy
A program called the Roots of Empathy at Dearborn Park Elementary revolves around the idea that if children can learn to identify and understand how other people feel, and better communicate their own feelings, they'll be less aggressive and less likely to bully other students.
From the Tri-City Herald:
Exchange students teach as well as learn
Sandra El Daccache isn't Muslim. Plenty of people assume she is when they hear she's from Lebanon. The 16-year-old doesn't mind setting her new friends straight. That's part of why she's in Pasco this year. She and three other students from Muslim and Arab countries are studying in the Mid-Columbia as part of the Youth Exchange and Study Program.
Below are several interesting reads to start off 2008:
From The Herald in Everett:
Arlington dumping summer math help
Disappointing results are causing the Arlington School District to dump its summer school program aimed at getting high school students over the WASL math hump. Just three of 40 students enrolled in Arlington's math summer school program were able to pass the August retake of the math WASL.
From the News-Tribune in Tacoma:
Girl talks about life with teacher parents
Sixth-grader Sophia Sonovich writes about spending two years in her parents' respective fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms at Pioneer Valley Elementary in Spanaway. She says some ground rules helped the three of them preserve teacher-student boundaries.
From the Seattle P-I:
Anti-bullying program aims to teach students empathy
A program called the Roots of Empathy at Dearborn Park Elementary revolves around the idea that if children can learn to identify and understand how other people feel, and better communicate their own feelings, they'll be less aggressive and less likely to bully other students.
From the Tri-City Herald:
Exchange students teach as well as learn
Sandra El Daccache isn't Muslim. Plenty of people assume she is when they hear she's from Lebanon. The 16-year-old doesn't mind setting her new friends straight. That's part of why she's in Pasco this year. She and three other students from Muslim and Arab countries are studying in the Mid-Columbia as part of the Youth Exchange and Study Program.
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