A Practical Guide to Engaging the Community
Vanessa Eichman, MSSW
Kelli Staples, MEd.
In September of 2011, a report from the U.S.
Census Bureau announced that the official
poverty rate in the U.S. had risen to 15.1
percent of the population, representing
approximately 46 million people, more than
1/3 (over 15 million) are children.
(Shields, 2011)
Transformative Leadership
 Focuses on the relationships among the inequities
and material differences in the lived experiences of
students and how they play out in educational
settings
 Emphasizes the need to follow understanding with
action
 Attending to issues of equity is a necessary precursor
to providing a climate that will promote student
learning
(Shields & Warke, 2010)
School Snap Shot
350 students
Title 1 School
School of Progress; met
Expected Growth
Teacher Experience:
24% 0-4 years; 41% 4-10
years; 35% 10+ years
70 % Students receive
Free and Reduced
Lunch
School snapshot
Staff members to coordinate committee
Administrative support
Staff Parent Involvement Survey
Parent Involvement Team
Parent Involvement Plan
Maintenance Plan
1.
What is your own personal definition of parental
involvement?
1.
What is your role (as a teacher, assistant, office staff, etc.) in
the parent involvement process?
1.
Based on the results from this survey, we will be creating a
team at Johnson Street to help come up with new ideas,
strategies, and plans to increase parent involvement on a
school-wide level. If you are interested in serving on this
team, please provide your name below.
EXPECTATIONS OF PARENTS
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Showing support for
the school
Being present in the
building
Following up with
behavior concerns
Working on and/or
reviewing homework
with their children
EXPECTATIONS OF TEACHERS
Informing parents of
student progress
 Listening to parents
 Building relationships
with families
 Advocating for
students
 Learning from parents

Strategy
Description
Staff Member(s)
Time Line
Help Wanted bulletin
board
Pockets with teacher names & room numbers. Projects, jobs, and
volunteer tasks needed/available within each classroom.
All staff provide information. Ashley
Clark and Ashley Morgan to head up the
bulletin board.
Initially for Open House & then
throughout the year.
Parent Involvement
Team Task List
A list of ideas for teachers to use when requesting volunteers.
Included in this list will be suggestions for tasks, jobs, and hours.
Parent Involvement Team
Completed by 6/18/10 and Re-distributed
by 8/2/10
Volunteer Day
Having a set day once a month (for example: 3rd Wednesday of
every month) and ask parents to come volunteer that day.
Parent Involvement Team
Present it at the opening staff meeting &
implement starting in September.
Grateful Gentlemen
Male community and family members who want to actively show
support for our school by greeting students during arrival (main
entrances, classroom doors, etc.)
Vanessa Eichman & Hunter Yancey
Recruitment during August. Start date
comes in September (or following
months)
Frequent Flyers
Bulletin board with parents who frequently volunteer. Star added
on card for PTA members. Additional incentives (gift certificates,
etc) for multiple hours.
Courtney Romaine, Cynthia Green, &
Parent Involvement Team
Provide information at Open House with
ongoing updates
Volunteer Table
Open House letter includes information about new volunteer
program. Information about the help wanted board, frequent flyers,
and classroom competition.
Phyllis Lissner, Vanessa Eichman,
&Parent Involvement Team
Open House
HELP WANTED
Teacher: ____________________
To be completed at: Home
School
Day: _______________________
Time(s): ____________________
Task Description
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Volunteer Name: _______________
Phone ______________________
Email ________________________
Please see Ms. Eichman with any questions.
Thank you for Volunteering !!!
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Lunch buddies
Story time readers
Guest readers (Read Aloud)
Center helpers
Clerical tasks (coloring, cutting, stapling,
etc.)
Stuffing weekly folders
Morning greeters
Help from home (craft preparation,
clerical, etc.)
Field trip chaperone
Assistance with clubs/extra-curricular
activities
Teacher luncheon preparation
Small group instruction
Tutoring
Craft projects
Global Activities/Presentations
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Making file folder games, projects, cards,
etc.
Changing bulletin boards
Supervising JAG PRIDE store
Proctoring for tests/activities
Organizing classroom materials
LAB assistant (Science, Social Studies,
etc.)
Recess game coordinator
Classroom pet caretaker
Parent photographer
Guided reading helper
Calendar helper
Guest speakers (on specific topics/trades)
Library helper
Computer lab helper
Spelling word helper (put list on website)
2009-2010
2010-2011
2011-2012
Attendance
96.22%
Attendance
96.77%
Attendance
97.42%
Office
Referrals 174
Office
Referrals 160
Office
Referrals 81
Volunteer
Hours 1024
Volunteer
Hours 1017
Volunteer
Hours 2099
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Light breakfast
I’m proud of you
because…
Character Education
Video
Small group discussion
Large group sharing
Door prizes
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Maintenance of current programs
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Continued community outreach
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High Point Enterprise
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Senior Resources of Guilford
High Point University
Chamber of Commerce
YWCA
Young Peacemakers
Small focus groups for parents
▪ English as a Second Language
▪ Exceptional Children

Shields, C. (2011). An educational leadership
response to the crisis on poverty: An urgent
appeal. The Social Justice Leader, 111, 2-5.

Shields, C. M. & Warke, A. (2010), The
invisible crisis: Connecting schools with
homeless families. Journal of School
Leadership, 20, 789-819.