1999 PPP Pearl Award Winners

By Vickie Dickneite

March 05, 2008

1999 PPP Pearls

Dimension I. Providing Parenting Information

Col. John B. Wyman Elementary in Rolla has supplied parenting information for almost five hundred families. From four year olds to fourth graders, PPP is ever present. As school begins, parents are furnished with helpful tips on school readiness. Throughout the school year, families receive personalized invitations to workshops such as Hassle-Free Homework and Healthy Families. Wyman Elementary has enhanced parent involvement by becoming an integral part of functions such as Title I Family Reading Night and the Thanksgiving Family Luncheon. Parents keep abreast of activities and upcoming events through articles in the Wyman Times Newsletter. A companion publication, Home School Connections, is packed with useful parenting tips and greatly appreciated by busy families.

Dimension II. Planning and Providing Parent Involvement Opportunities at School

James E. Freer Elementary in the Windsor C-1 district offers monthly meetings to involve parents. Events include family picnics, dances, reading adventures, guest speakers, storytellers, math nights and holiday-themed activities. Using parent surveys has led to offering multiple workshops of interest to parents. Homework, self-esteem, responsibility, and child development are just a few of the issues explored by Freer staff and parents. Freer staff and parents work together in organizing each activity, ensuring a direct benefit to students and families.

Dimension III. Building School-Community Partnerships

At Clearwater Elementary, school and community partnerships extend from area daycare centers to the town's nursing home. The district maintains cooperative relationships with the local health and mental health departments and is a driving force in plans to establish the Wayne County Youth Center. The PPP coordinator works closely with area businesses to provide information to parents on school activities, parenting, and child development. Businesses have been active participants in PPP events such as ReadyFest, at the start of school and at special Parent Nights at each grade level. The district works closely with the area Ministerial Alliance, Rotary Club, Eagles, and Chamber of Commerce in providing child-rearing information and publicizing community events.

Dimension IV. Communication to Parents about Performance and Assessment

At Scott County R-IV, parents are invited to visit classrooms and see first-hand what students are working on. Parents also have opportunities to read a book and take a computerized Accelerated Reading test. Parents go to the Parent Lending Library for demonstrations on educational software programs covering math, language, geography, and reading. Grade level meetings on topics such as motivating students to do homework are well received. School counselors meet with parents to discuss curriculum requirements for graduation and college admission. With this information, parents and students are able to develop long range plans for middle school and high school enrollment.

Dimension V. Helping Parents Support Their Children's Learning

Study Middle School in Springfield provides learning opportunities for parents at each grade level. The sixth grade team activity consists of an open house and a study of "How to Help Your 6th Grader Be Successful." The seventh grade team activity involves parents following the class schedule of their student for ten minutes in each class to really experience a day-in-the-life of a seventh grader. Eighth grade teams organized a presentation on "Building Blocks for Healthy Families." In addition to these parent/student activities, over 100 families received home visits. GED classes are provided three nights each week in the Study Library, while the Parent Resource Center is available every day, as well as two evenings per week for families.

Dimension VI. Obtaining Parent Input on Curriculum and Instruction, Discipline, and School Climate

Branson Kindergarten Center encourages parent input via quarterly Parent Advisory Meetings and monthly meetings of the PPP Steering Committee, comprised of parents, faculty, and community members. Through the building's telephone tree program, parents receive individual contact. The phone network provides an excellent forum for obtaining feedback from concerned parents. An intensive summer Home Visit program affords teachers and parents an opportunity to discuss the Kindergarten curriculum. Knowing curriculum and other school policies before the start of class is valued by parents and students. Parents have provided insight on safety issues, resulting in a better child pick-up solution. The school sought parent input when moving to a new handwriting policy and when making the transition from a half-day to full-day kindergarten.

Overall PPP Site
Finally, we give special recognition to Lake Contrary Elementary School for combining each of the six Dimensions. As an overall PPP Pearl site, Lake Contrary involves parents and community organizations as full partners. An impressive Family Resource Center boasts computers, a variety of print materials for parents and children, video tapes; and, most importantly, an inviting atmosphere. There are guest lectures on student achievement, workshops on computer skills, Wiggle & Giggles programs on child development; but, regardless of the activity - the goal is always the same - involving parents to benefit children.

Another demonstration of reaching out to parents is The Kindergarten Club. The Club is an early intervention parent involvement program. The Club features an educational environment where reading to children and positive interactions are modeled. Make-It/Take-It workshops, once held in the resource center, now occur in the gymnasium due to overwhelming parent response. And earlier this winter the gym was transformed into an elegant holiday eatery with linen tablecloths, poinsettias and candles to house the Christmas By Candlelight program. Staff members, dressed in tuxedo shirts, served as waiters- while the principal (in full tuxedo) served as host. After dinner, families toured classroom displays of holiday traditions in foreign countries.

Since the dinner ticket was a can of food, the school was able to donate over 500 pounds of canned goods to the local food bank. Giving back to the community. Building partnerships. These type of activities drive Lake Contrary's PPP efforts. The Biozyme Corporation and the Nestle's Corporation are business partners who provide volunteers and financial assistance. Nestle's also donates three free books for each Lake Contrary student as part of the Reading Is Fundamental project. Other initiatives, such as the extended day child care program; home visiting efforts; and the Southside Family Learning Center are indicative of a real concern for students, their parents, and the community.