Family and Family and Community Community Engagement (FCE)Engagement (FCE)School District FCE Coordinator’s School District FCE Coordinator’s MeetingMeeting

September 23, 2010September 23, 2010

Why Family and Community Why Family and Community Engagement?Engagement?

“It takes a village to raise a child”, African Proverb “It takes a village to raise a child”, African Proverb proliferated by current Secretary of State Hillary Clintonproliferated by current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

It’s a requirement - Ohio HB 1 has identified family and It’s a requirement - Ohio HB 1 has identified family and civic engagement in schools as a key component civic engagement in schools as a key component of education reform in Ohio. The bill sets June 30, of education reform in Ohio. The bill sets June 30, 2010, as the deadline for all Ohio school districts to 2010, as the deadline for all Ohio school districts to have Family and Civic Engagement Plans submitted to have Family and Civic Engagement Plans submitted to their local Family and Children First Councils, which will their local Family and Children First Councils, which will be partners in districts' FCE efforts. be partners in districts' FCE efforts.

It is designed to help Ohioans close achievement gaps, It is designed to help Ohioans close achievement gaps, increase graduation rates and improve the well-being increase graduation rates and improve the well-being of children.of children.

Sustainability of relationships will assist in a Sustainability of relationships will assist in a community-wide sharing of resources and ultimately community-wide sharing of resources and ultimately shared responsibility for student success. shared responsibility for student success.

I’m the FCE Coordinator – I’m the FCE Coordinator – What are my What are my

responsibilities?responsibilities? Collaborative Planning ProcessCollaborative Planning Process Service Coordination and Service Coordination and

Integration of Programs, Integration of Programs, Services, StrategiesServices, Strategies

System Level Capacity BuildingSystem Level Capacity Building

Lorain County ModelLorain County Model

Schools

Families

Community

LCCFC

P-16 E

SC

STUDENT

FCE Teams: FCE Teams: District and County-wideDistrict and County-wide

County-wide Team structure consists of all County-wide Team structure consists of all FCE Coordinators from each district meeting FCE Coordinators from each district meeting quarterly. System and community provider quarterly. System and community provider representatives also available to provide representatives also available to provide assistance.assistance.

Local District Structure – recommendation to Local District Structure – recommendation to meet monthly to monitor plan progress. Team meet monthly to monitor plan progress. Team comprised of School, Community, and Family comprised of School, Community, and Family members. Keep it to a manageable level. members. Keep it to a manageable level. Understand requirements under HB1.Understand requirements under HB1.

Identifying and recruiting Identifying and recruiting community members to be community members to be

on your teamon your team Not a problem – Lorain County has great Not a problem – Lorain County has great

resources at your fingertips!resources at your fingertips! What non-academic barriers have been What non-academic barriers have been

identified in your plan? Plan to invite identified in your plan? Plan to invite and recruit community representatives and recruit community representatives that can champion your cause, help that can champion your cause, help make progress and assist in being a make progress and assist in being a proactive team player!proactive team player!

How can I attract/recruit How can I attract/recruit families and parents?families and parents?

Recruit from within – identify what parents are active in each school, i.e. Recruit from within – identify what parents are active in each school, i.e. classroom moms, PTA, athletic boosters, band boosters, volunteers, hall classroom moms, PTA, athletic boosters, band boosters, volunteers, hall monitors, etc. Recruit through newsletters, notes home, flyers, website, monitors, etc. Recruit through newsletters, notes home, flyers, website, games, concession stand.games, concession stand.

Senior citizens are an untapped volunteer market. Contact your local Senior citizens are an untapped volunteer market. Contact your local Office on Aging or Senior CenterOffice on Aging or Senior Center

Local civic groups held in your district, i.e. Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, etc. Local civic groups held in your district, i.e. Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, etc. Send a recruitment letter asking for support for one representative.Send a recruitment letter asking for support for one representative.

Host a special event: Breakfast in the cafeteria, flu-shot clinics, family Host a special event: Breakfast in the cafeteria, flu-shot clinics, family night at a school – all examples to get families in the door.night at a school – all examples to get families in the door.

Offer stipends to parents to attend PLS (Parents Leadership Institute)Offer stipends to parents to attend PLS (Parents Leadership Institute) Next State SessionNext State Session: : October 1-2, 2010 and November 12-13, 2010October 1-2, 2010 and November 12-13, 2010 Parent Academies educate parents on four major areas: Academic Parent Academies educate parents on four major areas: Academic

Content Standards; School Improvement; Conditions for Learning; Content Standards; School Improvement; Conditions for Learning; Nutrition and Health. Schedule a trainer or train-the-trainer modelNutrition and Health. Schedule a trainer or train-the-trainer model

What school personnel What school personnel should be on my team?should be on my team?

Attendance is most likely based on time and Attendance is most likely based on time and talent, willingness or requirement to support talent, willingness or requirement to support cause.cause.

Enhance/Expand current team structure: Enhance/Expand current team structure: District Leadership Team, Wellness Team, District Leadership Team, Wellness Team,

Don’t forget about school janitors, food service Don’t forget about school janitors, food service staff, hall monitors – sometimes these staff, hall monitors – sometimes these individuals are eyes and ears of building and individuals are eyes and ears of building and can help meet your goals.can help meet your goals.

Identifying Non-Academic Identifying Non-Academic Barriers to School SuccessBarriers to School Success

Beyond the Classroom – What is prohibiting student Beyond the Classroom – What is prohibiting student success? Identifying what learning supports are not success? Identifying what learning supports are not available to my students.available to my students.

Community learning supports are defined as the Community learning supports are defined as the collection of resources, programs, services, strategies collection of resources, programs, services, strategies and practices – as well as environmental and cultural and practices – as well as environmental and cultural factors extending beyond the classroom – that together factors extending beyond the classroom – that together provide the physical, cognitive, social and emotional provide the physical, cognitive, social and emotional support that every student needs to succeed in school support that every student needs to succeed in school and in life and in life (State of California, SB 288; Adelman and Taylor, 2006; Ohio Department of (State of California, SB 288; Adelman and Taylor, 2006; Ohio Department of

Education [ODE] CSLS Guidelines, 2007)Education [ODE] CSLS Guidelines, 2007)

Where do I go from Where do I go from here…here…

Get serious – these type of activities could lead Get serious – these type of activities could lead to not only student success but school success to not only student success but school success and perhaps even have an impact on passing and perhaps even have an impact on passing a crucial levy.a crucial levy.

Attend FCE Coordinators Meetings with next Attend FCE Coordinators Meetings with next scheduled on December 3scheduled on December 3rdrd, 2010 and hosted , 2010 and hosted by Coordinated School Health.by Coordinated School Health.

Meet with your Superintendent and confirm his Meet with your Superintendent and confirm his vision for school success.vision for school success.

Don’t be afraid to change your plan – fluidity Don’t be afraid to change your plan – fluidity will assist you in becoming a change agent.will assist you in becoming a change agent.