Pasco, WA

Row 2 (L to R): Scott Lehrman ,Sherry Lancon, Alpha Diaz, Kassidy Naef, Isabella Lara, Amy Phillips, Steve Christensen

Not pictured: Lorraine Landon (NNPS Key Contact)

ATP in One Click

The leaders for partnerships in the Pasco School District work with all 22 schools on goal-linked programs of school, family, and community partnerships.  Each year the leaders create useful tools and procedures to help the chairpersons of the Action Teams for Partnerships (ATPs) to strengthen their leadership skills, improve teamwork, and increase the quality of their programs of family and community engagement.  This year, they used the Raw Shorts program to create an “explainer video”—a brief overview of the role of the chair or co-chairs of the ATP.

Sometimes it is difficult to convince a teacher, parent, counselor, or other member of the ATP to become team leader.  Some people are shy or unsure of their leadership skills.  Once in the role, some wonder what to do as ATP chair or co-chair.  The video summarizes important information on the role of the chairperson and gives prospective leaders a glimpse of what they can expect in this role.

ATP in One Click summarizes the “basics” of the NNPS model.  These include: (1) how to develop goal-linked programs using the framework of Six Types of Involvement; (2) how to encourage team members to work together, share leadership, and draw from each member’s talents; and (3) how to select, implement, and evaluate family and community engagement activities that will contribute to students’ success in school.  The video also lets ATP chairpersons know about training, recognition, and funding that will support their work.  See ATP in One Click at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCAKnhYFezs.

Leading By Example

An overarching goal of Pasco School District’s leaders for partnerships is to strengthen the skills of the chairpersons of the Action Teams for Partnerships (ATPs) in all 22 schools.  This year, the leaders developed a communication plan to share useful information and resources with ATP chairs so that all teams would continually improve outreach to engage all families in their children’s education and to increase the number of students who succeed to their full potential.

In the 2017-18 school year, leaders selected the theme “Making Connections with ATP.”  They used their quarterly Cluster Meetings to share information and resources with ATP chairs.  At one meeting, an Associate Professor of Bilingual Education for Washington State University discussed ways to reach out, intentionally, to all families.  Chairs worked in small groups to write a one-minute “elevator pitch” to explain the purpose and responsibilities of an ATP.  At other Cluster Meetings, leaders of various district offices (e.g., STEM, Public Affairs, Community Connections) discussed how they could support all schools’ ATPs with materials flyers, translations and childcare.

District leaders for partnerships provided other support.  They introduced five chairpersons at a School Board meeting to celebrate their activities that were published in the NNPS book, Promising Partnership Practices 2017.  These chairs also described their activities at a Cluster Meetings.  All ATP chairs were given applications to submit a best practice to the next NNPS book and to apply for a Partnership School Award in the next cycle.

This activity is featured in Promising Partnership Practices 2018.