Florence, SC

Row 2 (L to R): Dr. Tammy Pawloski (Director), Rachel Smiley, Brenda Hill

Center of Excellence Summer Institute 2018

The mission of Francis Marion University’s Center of Excellence (COE) is to prepare teachers to increase the achievement of children of poverty by improving the quality of undergraduate teacher preparation, graduate teacher preparation, and professional development for practicing teachers.  COE’s Summer Institute is a two-day workshop that provides participants with practical, research-based approaches to meet the needs of under-resourced learners.   The Center’s leaders, staff, student assistants, and University faculty worked together on the details required for a big conference.

After several years, the Summer Institute is, now, well known for its high quality professional learning programs and for equipping teachers with knowledge and skills needed to work with parents, health and human service providers, and other community services to meet the social, emotional, and physical needs of children of poverty.   Attendees at the most recent Summer Institute included college students who are preparing to be teachers, faculty from several local colleges and universities, practicing teachers, and other educators from across the state.  COE also guides districts and schools in South Carolina to develop their partnership programs and join NNPS.   Leaders from these schools attended the Summer Institute to strengthen their practices of family and community engagement. Sessions included how to engage families on achievement-related learning, problem solving, and positive behavior.

This activity is featured in Promising Partnership Practices 2018.

NNPS Outreach Grant Transparency School Visits

The Center of Excellence (COE) at Francis Marion University awards several small grants each year to support promising partnership practices planned by schools that are members of the COE local “network” and NNPS.  The funds support engagement activities that are likely to improve the school’s welcoming climate, school safety, or students’ academic or behavioral success in school.

Schools’ Action Teams for Partnerships (ATPs) may apply for small grants to fund activities in their One-Year Action Plans for Partnerships.  Their proposals must explain how the activity is expected to involve more and different families in ways that support their children’s learning, development, or safety at school or in the community.  All grant recipients must present the results of their efforts at an End-of-Year Celebration at COE.  This year, the schools used iMovie Showcase to show, share, and describe the funded projects to all schools at the meeting.    They also must submit their practices for consideration in the annual NNPS book of Promising Partnership Practices.

COE added another layer of support for grant recipients in the 17-18 school year.  Leaders conducted site visits to learn more about how six schools’ ATPs were proceeding with the funded activities.   The Assistant Director of COE visited each school, collected information, and took videos or photos of how projects moved successfully to completion, and how teams identified and solved challenges along the way.

This activity is featured in Promising Partnership Practices 2018.