The School Counselor’s Role in Promoting Family and

Community Engagement

Bob Bardwell

MASCA Spring Conference

April 30, 2012

Which school counselor are you?Susie is a 2nd year school counselor. She is always communicating with families and ensures email or phone messages are responded to usually the day they are received. She ensures a translator is available at all programs and conferences for her non-English speaking families. She creates newsletters for families, provides frequent email, updates the school counseling website often and plans five night programs throughout the year. She routinely conducts needs assessments with her families to learn what they want from the school counseling program. She regularly attends PTA meetings and volunteers to help with the annual community book fair.

Johnny is a 4th year school counselor. He tries to be attentive to the needs of the families he works with but is not always good about responding in a timely fashion. He never checks email at night or on the weekends/ vacations and does little to communicate beyond a few items in the school newsletter. He is never seen in the community or at after school activities. He does not conduct evening programs as he does not get compensated or receive flex time for such events. He never answers his own phone instead letting all calls go to voice mail first. He rarely schedules any meetings after school hours stating that teachers are not willing to stay late.

What is Family and Community Engagement (FACE)

A multidimensional process in which schools, families and communities engage in shared actions to ensure a child’s academic, social and emotional success.

The Power of Family-School Partnering

Family-Community Partnerships are a Three-legged stool

Policies around Family And Community Engagement

• Talk to your neighbor – Does your school have any policies

about required communication with families? If so, what are they? Do staff follow them? If so,

who monitors this requirement? Does your school/school district have a

designated FACE coordinator?

• Why do you think most schools do not have such policies?

• What will be the general reaction from staff when told they have to do this?

Why now?

• It makes sense

• Our children and families deserve this focus and attention

• Research shows that when families are more involved, students will do better in their academic pursuits and emotional/ psychological well being

• The new state educator evaluation tool requires a Family & Community Engagement component - one of the four standards required by law Engagement Shared responsibility Communication Family concerns

New school counselor evaluation Rubric

Standard I:Curriculum, Planning, and

Assessment

Standard II:Teaching All Students

Standard III:Family and Community Engagement

Standard IV:Professional Culture

A. Curriculum and Planning Indicator

1. Professional Knowledge

2. Child and Adolescent Development

3. Plan Development

4. Well-Structured Lessons

A. Instruction Indicator

1. Quality of Effort and Work

2. Student Engagement

3. Meeting Diverse Needs

A. Engagement Indicator

1. Parent/Family Engagement

A. Reflection Indicator

1. Reflective Practice

2. Goal Setting

B. Assessment Indicator

1. Variety of Assessment Methods

2. Adjustments to Practice

B. Learning Environment Indicator

1. Safe Learning Environment

2. Collaborative Learning Environment

3. Student Motivation

B. Collaboration Indicator

1. Learning Expectations

2. Student Support

B. Professional Growth Indicator

1. Professional Learning and Growth

C. Analysis Indicator

1. Analysis and Conclusions

2. Sharing Conclusions With Colleagues

3. Sharing Conclusions With Students and Families

C. Cultural Proficiency Indicator

1. Respects Differences

2. Maintains Respectful Environment

C. Communication Indicator

1. Two-Way Communication

2. Culturally Proficient Communication

C. Collaboration Indicator

1. Professional Collaboration

2. Consultation

  D. Expectations Indicator

1. Clear Expectations

2. High Expectations

3. Access to Knowledge

  D. Decision-Making Indicator

1. Decision-making

      E. Shared Responsibility Indicator

1. Shared Responsibility

      F. Professional Responsibilities Indicator

1. Judgment

2. Reliability and Responsibility

Overarching beliefs about FACE components

• Our entire focus should be on academic achievement and eliminating gaps

• There must be administrator buy-in to create a change/shift in culture regarding family and community engagement work and priorities

• In most cases we need to create a more welcoming environment to school visitors, particularly at the teacher’s level

• We have to recognize that many parents/guardians have negative educational experiences themselves, so they think that future interactions will also be negative

Why School Counselors?

• School counselors are in a unique position to focus on Family & Community Engagement because we interact extensively with students, families, community members and school staff on a daily basis

• School counselors understand the critical role (better than most other staff members) that families play in the development and emotional well being of their children and how this impacts academic achievement

• School counselors are likely to have trusting relationships with families which creates opportunities for dialogue and conversation

Ideas to consider

• You need to ask the question – What type of school do you want to be? Partnership School Open-Door School Come-if-we-call-School Fortress School

• Build a relationship of mutual trust and respect

• Create School/family Involvement Policy

• Offer regular workshops and materials for families

Ideas to consider (continued)

• Conduct home visits for new students, particularly those who are likely to be needier

• Utilize volunteers better/more consistently across building levels

• Create components to teacher contracts which address the family and community engagement expectations

• Create a volunteer signup/registration form that is filled out yearly by parents/guardians

• Create a picture board of all staff in a visible location for easy identification

Ideas to consider (continued)

• Add a component to the employment application that addresses the willingness of prospective employees to work with families

• Provide professional development opportunities for all staff around family & community engagement components

• All schools should having a live voice answer the phone whenever possible

• Conduct a school climate survey

• Create classroom visit checklist to encourage families to visit and ask questions

Ideas to consider (continued)

• Create action teams Meet regularly Provide listening sessions Can organize and mobilize

• Create parent/family job description/expectations contract

• Send home learning packets to connect curriculum to the home/family

• Provide a listening tour for interested parents/community members

Ideas to consider (continued)

• Create a common Open House protocol across all schools to provide consistency.

• Schedule all Open House programs during the same week

• Encourage building principals/administrators to attend the other school’s Open House programs to see what is done, what works and what might need improving

• Create welcoming packets for local realtors which “sell” your school

• Have staff create posters about themselves that hang outside their classroom door

Ideas to consider (continued)

• Create better signage to direct visitors

• Ensure dedicated parking spots for visitors

• Create a staff organizational chart & publish it in the student handbook and have online

• Create a program catalog in each school

• Provide senior citizens a tax rebate for those who volunteer and/or tutor in the schools

• Create family centers in each school

• Conduct student led conferences

• Track parent/teacher monthly contacts

What Next

• Speak with district administrators to see what is being done around FACE in your district

• Create FACE working group among staff

• Gain more information about this topic Read Ask questions Talk with others

• Meet with PTA/PTO/PTSA group to seek involvement.

• Create positive energy and buzz about this project and getting involved

Book Resources

• Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide To Family-School Partnerships – Henderson, Mapp, Johnson & Davies

• School, Family and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action – Epstein & Associates

• The Power of Family-School Partnering: A Practical Guide for School Mental Health Professionals & Educators – Lines, Miller & Arthur-Stanley

• Building Successful Partnerships: A Guide for Developing Parent and Family Involvement Programs – National PTA

Research/Report Resources

• Handbook on Family & Community Engagement, Redding et al (www.families-schools.org)

• Title I and Parent Involvement: Lessons from the Past, Recommendations for the Future; Mapp www.americanprogress.org/issues/issues/2012/03/pdf/titleI_parental_invovlement.pdf

• Primary Sources 2012: America’s Teachers on the Teaching Profession (http://mediaroom.scholastic.com/primarysources)

• The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Teachers, Parents and the Economy www.metlife.com/assets/cao/contributions/foundation/american-teacher/MetLife-Teacher-Survey-2011.pdf

• Turning Points: Transforming Middle Schools www.turningpts.org/pdf/Family.pdf

Other Resources

• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (www.casel.org)

• Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (www.sedl.org)

• Harvard Family Research Project (www.hfrp.org)

• National Parent Teacher Association (www.pta.org)

• National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (www.ncpie.org)

• US Department of Education (www2.ed.gov/parents)

For more information or to continue the discussion

Bob BardwellSchool Counselor & Director of Guidance & Student Support ServicesMonson High School55 Margaret StreetMonson, MA 01057413.267.4589x1107413.267.4157 (fax)bardwellr@monsonschools.com