2004 PPP Pearl Award Winners
March 05, 2008
Earlier this year, Practical Parenting Partnerships solicited applications for the seventh annual PPP Pearl competition. Each district receives a $200 coupon.
Dimension I. Providing Parenting Information
Center Elementary scores a three-peat this year - winning their third Pearl in three different categories. Center offers unique character education for parents, as well as ideas for at-home reading. Parenting information and academic pointers are shared via newsletters, through teacher’s voice mail, and over the school’s web site.
Dimension II. Planning and Providing Parent Involvement Opportunities at School
Francis Howell’s Vacation Station program sees to it that children spend out of school time wisely. But they don’t stop there. Through collaboration and PPP training, the staff insures that parent’s time is well spent at Family Nights focused on Literacy, Math, Science and Art. A typical Night sees a hundred families at each of ten Francis Howell elementary schools working with their children.
Dimension III. Building School-Community Partnerships
Fredericktown Elementary uses an entire classroom as a gathering area for community members and parents. The room hosts the school’s parent resources. It’s also a place for formal and informal tutoring by teachers and parents. Local businesses sponsor the school’s Relay for Life Team while also helping out at the Fall Festival and providing food and prizes for Family Nights.
Dimension IV. Communicating with Parents about Performance and Assessment
Windsor C-I strives to keep parents updated through quarterly inserts and with the District’s Report Card. As part of regular communication from teachers, parents receive specific data on their child’s individual test scores. Over the years, the dedicated teachers at Freer Elementary have created an open environment where teachers and parents know they are teammates.
Dimension V. Helping Parents Support Their Children’s Learning
Branson Kindergarten Center’s new HOPE program stands for Help Our Parents Educate. During workshops, teachers train parents on topics such as homework, phonemics, spelling, math, struggling learners, and summer learning loss. Parents take home materials and a host of strategies. The building’s ESL teacher is always there to assist Spanish speaking parents.
Dimension VI. Obtaining Parent Input on Curriculum and Instruction, Discipline, and School Climate
Vineland Elementary in the DeSoto School District sought parent input on ways to make their building a better learning environment. Now, areas outside and inside the building are more clearly labeled. Banners list each teacher’s name and each grade pod is easily identified. An attractive mural greets students and parents in the foyer as they enter the building.
Combining Strengths Across the Dimensions
South Iron R-I’s main objective is straightforward: their students will perform at or above the performance levels of comparable school districts in all academic areas. The district knows they need a partner to make that happen. That partner is parents. The folks at South Iron know parents have a tremendous impact on their child’s school success. One expectation is for parents to read to their child 15 minutes a day, everyday. Pre-school teachers send home Learning Backpacks. Parents of elementary students attend Family Learning Nights. High school parents tour an abbreviated version of their child’s academic day. Each year a special parent night is held to discuss MAP achievement. The entire community gets in on the act. The district and local patrons publish a joint newsletter, appropriately called The School/Community Connection. The community is also involved in activities such as the Veteran’s Day Assembly and Employee Wellness Day. The district has lofty goals for students. With the help of parents, teachers, and community members, the students at South Iron are reaching those goals.
