Family Family EngagementEngagement

Dr. Rosa S. AtkinsDr. Rosa S. AtkinsSuperintendent of Superintendent of

Charlottesville City SchoolsCharlottesville City Schools

Research says…Research says…

“District leadership and capacity building play a key role in supporting strategic and systemic family engagement.”

Seeing is Believing: Promising Practices for how School Districts Promote Family Engagement. National Parent Teacher

Association and the Harvard Family Research Project, July 2009.

Strategic Planning 2006Strategic Planning 2006

In 2006, the school division developed a In 2006, the school division developed a comprehensive five-year Strategic Plan to comprehensive five-year Strategic Plan to focus corrective actions and support healing in focus corrective actions and support healing in a community that was frequently divided.a community that was frequently divided.

Strategies were identified to:Strategies were identified to: Build trustBuild trust Support transparency in decision-makingSupport transparency in decision-making Foster two-way communicationFoster two-way communication Engage the entire community in public educationEngage the entire community in public education

Strategic Goals 2006-2011Strategic Goals 2006-2011

Goal 1Goal 1:: Increase academic achievement for all Increase academic achievement for all students and close achievement gaps.students and close achievement gaps.

Goal 2Goal 2:: Support the whole child (physical, Support the whole child (physical, social, emotional needs).social, emotional needs).

Goal 3Goal 3:: Increase family, school, and Increase family, school, and community involvement and collaborationcommunity involvement and collaboration..

Goal 4:Goal 4: Recruit, retain, and support diverse and Recruit, retain, and support diverse and effective leadership, teachers, and staff.effective leadership, teachers, and staff.

Goal 5:Goal 5: Provide all students and staff with an Provide all students and staff with an environment conducive to learning.environment conducive to learning.

Strategic Goals 2011-2017Strategic Goals 2011-2017 Goal 1: All students will graduate prepared for post-Goal 1: All students will graduate prepared for post-

secondary education and active participation in society.secondary education and active participation in society. Goal 2: Our schools will be partners with families Goal 2: Our schools will be partners with families

and the community to meet the academic, physical, and the community to meet the academic, physical, social, and emotional needs of every student.social, and emotional needs of every student.

Goal 3: Our schools will be optimal teaching and learning Goal 3: Our schools will be optimal teaching and learning environments, places of excellence and equity for all.environments, places of excellence and equity for all.

Goal 4: Charlottesville City Schools will be an exemplary Goal 4: Charlottesville City Schools will be an exemplary workplace that attracts and supports the best-qualified workplace that attracts and supports the best-qualified teachers, administrators, and staff members.teachers, administrators, and staff members.

““To Do” vs. “To Be”To Do” vs. “To Be”

2006 Goals2006 Goals Defined by verbs: Defined by verbs:

support, increase, support, increase, provide, recruit.provide, recruit.

Details actions but Details actions but no endpoint no endpoint

2011 Goals2011 Goals Defined by states of Defined by states of

being: being: Will beWill be partners, partners, exemplary workplace, exemplary workplace, optimal learning, etc. optimal learning, etc.

Creates an ideal that we Creates an ideal that we can act from now can act from now

2006 Goal2006 GoalGoal 2Goal 2: : SupportSupport the the

whole child (physical, whole child (physical, social, emotional social, emotional needs).needs).

Goal 3Goal 3: : IncreaseIncrease family, family, school, and community school, and community involvement and involvement and collaborationcollaboration..

2011 Goal2011 GoalGoal 2Goal 2: : Our schools Our schools will will

be partnersbe partners with with families and the families and the community to meet community to meet the academic, the academic, physical, social, and physical, social, and emotional needs of emotional needs of every student.every student.

School-based activitiesSchool-based activitiesOpen House

Read to Succeed

Talent Night

Back to School

Heritage Night

Bully-Not’s Performance

Community Involvement in…Community Involvement in…

Neighborhood Festivals

Service Projects

Fitness and Fun!

Divisionwide performances

Buford Schoolyard Garden

Prof. Development

Tutoring

Parent InformationParent Information

Strategies for Engagement: 2011Strategies for Engagement: 2011

Holding success conferences to analyze Holding success conferences to analyze student data early and oftenstudent data early and often

Enrolling parents as partners in learning Enrolling parents as partners in learning through BLAST, Parent University, AVIDthrough BLAST, Parent University, AVID

Inviting participation in long-term planning, Inviting participation in long-term planning, policy, and decisions: school facilities, class policy, and decisions: school facilities, class sizes, budget allocationssizes, budget allocations

Cultivate learning centers in neighborhoodsCultivate learning centers in neighborhoods

Parent ConferencesParent ConferencesSchool PK-12 Enrollment Conferences

CHS 1140 3466

HALC 38 180

BUFORD MS 468 936

WALKER UPPER ELEM. 549 1026

B-MORAN ELEM. 345 794

CLARK ELEM. 246 687

GREENBRIER ELEM. 303 526

J-VIA ELEM. 274 1232

JOHNSON ELEM. 299 1091

VENABLE ELEM. 299 884

August 2010-January 2011

AVID Wall of College Acceptances

AVID enrolls students and

parents in developing

potential and setting high

expectations for achievement.

Parent EducationParent Education

Family Learning CentersFamily Learning Centers

Community Engagement: Community Engagement: School Facilities & Grade ConfigurationSchool Facilities & Grade Configuration

What’s Next? What’s Next?

Strategic Plan 2011-2017 takes family Strategic Plan 2011-2017 takes family engagement to a new level of engagement.engagement to a new level of engagement.

Strategy 1.4 - Expose all students and their families to a range of social, cultural, academic, and post-graduate opportunities. Objective 1.4.1 - Engage a panel of community

members to develop a catalog of community involvement opportunities for students and families, updated annually.

Personal and Personal and Academic Academic

Excellence Excellence Inspired by Inspired by

a Collaborative a Collaborative and Innovative and Innovative

Learning Learning EnvironmentEnvironment