Case Study 4

  • ISLLC Standard 4: A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs and mobilizing community resources.

     

    Case Study: Transitioning Students and Parents: Developing a Shared Vision

     

    Key Knowledge:

    b. the conditions and dynamics of a diverse school community

    e. successful models of school, family, business, community, government, and higher education partnerships

    Key Dispositions :

    b. collaboration and communication with families

    e. families as partners in the education of their children

    f. the proposition that families have the best interest of their children in mind

    Key Performances :

    •  information about family and community concerns is used regularly

    •  available community resources are secured to help the school solve problems and achieve goals

    •  community stakeholders are treated equitably

    •  community collaboration is modeled for staff

    •  opportunities for staff to develop collaborative skills are provided

     

    Questions:

    •  How can the school actively engage parents in developing a shared vision for their family and participating in the vision of the school?

    •  How can the school prepare 5 th grade students and parents for the transition from 5 th to 6 th grade?

     

    Introduction:

    Sixth grade teachers and the parent facilitator at a suburban school with a student body comprised of 97% black students and a mixed socioeconomic base (55% reduced-free lunch) noticed that parents and students struggled with the transition from 5 th to 6 th grade. The school opened in the 2004-2005 school year, so there were very limited transition opportunities for the rising 6 th graders in 2004-2005. In the spring of 2005, the counseling department, parent facilitator, and 6 th grade teachers developed a program for students from all three feeder schools. The students visited the middle school, were welcomed by the principal who shared the school's vision, took a tour, and were introduced to their teachers and the expectations for 6 th grade. There was a separate program in the evening for parents. Again, the principal welcomed the parents and explained the vision of the school and the teachers presented the expectations for 6 th grade and were available to answer questions. Though these programs addressed many surface level student and parent concerns, the school felt that it would be beneficial to have a more intense session with parents and students.

    In the spring of 2006, the principal, parent facilitator, counselor, curriculum support teacher, and 6 th grade teachers worked together to expand the transition programs for parents and students. All existing programs continued. In addition, the team developed a workshop that parents and students would attend together. The goal of the workshop was to develop a shared vision of success for parents, students and the school. The vision of the school is Mediocrity is not the standard, and failure is not an option. Whatever it takes. A secondary goal was to demonstrate to parents and students that activities at the middle school were professional, meaningful and rewarding to encourage parents to participate in future events at the school. To make sure that all parties had the opportunity to attend, flyers were distributed through the counseling department at all three feeder elementary schools. Participants were not required to pay to attend. The workshop was held on a Saturday from 8:00 am-2:00 pm.

    To meet the goals of the workshop, the team worked together to develop the following program:

    8:00-8:30- Parents and students signed in received their supplies and were sent on a scavenger hunt of the school. Participants were given clues and a map and had to navigate the school. (This activity was used to build teamwork skills between the parents and students and to allow all parties to explore the physical plant.)

     

    8:30-9:00- Breakfast and welcome by the principal. The principal set the purpose of the day and challenged parents and students to make the most of the day and to remember the vision of the school throughout.

     

    9:00-11:30- Parents and students were split. Parents attended a workshop with Mychal Wynn author of A Middle School Plan for Students with College Bound Dreams. Students participated in a mock day in middle school. The middle school is on block schedule, so teachers felt it was important to allow students to participate in what would be a typical rotation through all of their classes. The students were first taught to read their schedules, then they went through all of their classes for 2 days in 15 minute blocks. Teachers introduced students to the subjects they would be studying and challenged them with exploration ideas for the summer. The final class period was extended and students worked in groups to create poster sized cover stories that detailed the projected successes of their first year at middle school.

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    11:30-12:00- Lunch and Student Presentations. Students presented their cover stories to the entire body of students and parents.

     

    12:00-1:00- Parent Facilitator. The parent facilitator invited students to complete a report card for their parents. The parents had to assess themselves. The students and parents then compared results and discussed discrepancies. The parent facilitator addressed any questions or concerns and shared key suggestions for success in 6 th grade.

     

    1:00-2:00- Family Game Plan. Parents and students worked together to set goals, determine the steps necessary to meet those goals, identify possible challenges and recognize existing resources. Several families shared their work at the end of the session.

     

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    The conference concluded with sincere appreciation from the principal for the dedication of the parents, students, and school staff, with a challenge from the principal for all members of the community to continue to work towards the vision of the school, and with a raffle of door prizes. Each parent also received a conference tote bag, two books by Mychal Wynn and a notepad. Each student received a binder and notepad. The workshop also included lunch and breakfast for all participants. All funding was obtained the Higher Learning Link grant which focuses on transitions.

     

    Analysis:

    The level of engagement at the workshop was the highest that I have seen in five years of attending PTA meetings, parent workshops, and community association meetings. Parents and students were empowered and motivated to contribute to the vision. When the families completed their game plans, the room was filled with sense of purpose. Parents and students literally and figuratively put their heads together and envisioned their future. This case demonstrates that inviting students end parents to developing and sharing their own vision engages them in the vision of the school. Parents and students see through experience that the school's vision and their vision are aligned. They begin to see the school as a community of learners that exists to help all of its members to be the most successful person that they can be. Parents and students left the workshop with a deep understanding of the vision and the school's commitment to the vision. They also left with a clear understanding of their own personal goals and responsibilities to the vision of the school.

    In August, I expect that the school will clearly see a dramatic difference in the attitudes, motivation, and understanding of students and parents who attended the conference versus those who did not.

     

    Evaluation:

    The initial involvement of the school in helping parents and students to transition from 5 th to 6 th grade in 2004-2005 showed the knowledge, disposition and performances of a leader at the developing level for the specified elements. The addition of the transition workshop pushes the leader to the proficient level. The principal and her team took specific and reasonable actions to address the apparent needs of students and parents. The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. The leader demonstrated her belief that families are partners in education and that they have the best interest of their children in mind. The leader also showed her understanding of the dynamics of the school community and used community resources to help solve a problem in the school.