The district Leader for Partnerships in Calcasieu Parish serves as a mentor for the State Personnel Development Grant (LA SPDG) in an effort to “scale up” the number of districts and schools developing strong programs of family and community engagement across the state of Louisiana. The district’s ATP Training Workshop focused on building positive partnerships of school, family, and community.
Lake Charles, Louisiana
From I Do to We Will—
Family Engagement in Calcasieu Parish
The district Leader for Partnerships in Calcasieu Parish serves as a mentor for the State Personnel Development Grant (LA SPDG) in an effort to “scale up” the number of districts and schools developing strong programs of family and community engagement across the state of Louisiana. At SPDG Day on the Louisiana State University campus, Calcasieu’s experienced leader shared her experiences and successes with NNPS and discussed how the district is committed to using research-based approaches to increase family and community engagement linked to goals for student success. Attendees received a copy of the Power Point, other resources, and contact information to link with Calcasieu’s leader after the conference.
To encourage the participants to say “I Do” and move to “We Will” develop more effective partnership programs and link to NNPS, the Calcasieu leader include a comic token of an extra-large plastic diamond engagement ring in the packet of information. Calcasieu has said “We Will” work as partners to all students and their families by joining NNPS and by creating action teams and action plans for good partnerships in all Title I schools. The presentation also will be shared with the newly elected local school board in the fall.
How to Beat Stress with Less
Federal Program’s funding seems to be reduced each year, while schools are asked to do more and more. One silver lining has been an opportunity for “flexibility” of some funds. For example, Title II dollars can be used to support professional development at the district’s ATP Training Workshop. Using Title II funds for substitute teachers allowed more staff to attend the training.
The workshop focused on building positive partnerships of school, family, and community. This included several anti-stress incentives, celebrations of good work and progress, and networking opportunities. Eight schools that were featured in the NNPS book of Promising Partnership Practices 2014 were honored, as was the school that earned an NNPS Partnership School Award for the 3rd time. The schools gave brief descriptions of their featured activities. Community guest speakers discussed resources they could share with schools and families, based on needs identified by each school’s ATP. The workshop also discussed important ATP tips/reminders, new initiatives at each school, challenges schools faced and solutions, and a summary of the customized report on results of Calcasieu schools’ UPDATE data provided by NNPS. Much of the stress in the daily lives of parents and teachers disappeared when they danced out of the workshop to the tune of Happy by Pharrell Williams. They were refreshed, invigorated and tuned to partnership!
