roadmap to excellence...roadmap to excellence georgia pta (gapta) is here to support your local pta...

Roadmap to Excellence

HOW TO USE YOUR ROADMAP

The Roadmap to Excellence is a planning and consensus-building tool to support you as you take the next steps tobuild and lead your School of Excellence team, strengthen family-school partnerships and make a substantial,positive impact on your school community in the focus area you have selected.

Just like your school, this Roadmap is unique. It has been created using the answers provided in your Family- SchoolPartnership Scan. The suggestions that follow have been customized specifically to help your PTA reach the goal ofbecoming a National PTA School of Excellence.

On the following pages, you will find:

o PTA's Role in Strengthening Family-School Partnerships and About the National PTA School of ExcellenceProgram . These introductory sections will refresh your memory about the importance of family-schoolpartnerships and help you to develop a deeper understanding of the School of Excellence program and itsgoals. Throughout the year, the information in these sections and in your Getting Started Guide can be used tobrief new partners and team members, parent and school leaders, and your general PTA membership.

o Steps to a Stronger Family-School Partnership. This section includes your customized recommendationsimproving your family-school partnership. This is the core of the School of Excellence program. To foster yoursuccess, we have provided concrete steps that will move your PTA to the next level in each of these areas.Simply take these steps, and you will be on your way!

o A Family-School Partnership Focused on a Shared Objective. This section provides a brief overview sharedobjective your school selected to be its focus for the year. While the primary goal of the School of Excellenceprogram is to enhance family-school partnerships, the program objective provides your PTA and school with areal-world focus for your efforts, in the form of a common problem to address. This section also lists specificresources offered by National PTA and its partners to support you as you identify and implement effectivesolutions.

o Take Action Toward Excellence. The final section of this Roadmap points to general tips and tools availableat www.pta.org/excellencetools to help you successfully build and lead your team, develop an action plan andpromote your progress. Finally, it describes how to complete the final National PTA School of Excellenceapplication at the end of the school year.

This document is just the beginning. You will continue to hear from the National PTA School of Excellence teamthroughout the year with information, resources and support. Additional planning and implementation tools can befound on the School of Excellence area of the National PTA website: www.pta.org/excellencetools. And as always,help is only a phone call or email away: Email [email protected] or call 800-307-4PTA.


PTA'S ROLE IN STRENGTHENING FAMILY-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS

Nurturing family-school partnerships is the core of the National PTA School of Excellence program. Research showsthat family engagement supports student success. PTA's National Standards for Family-School Partnerships weredeveloped with national experts and reflect the research about how parents, schools and communities can worktogether to support student achievement. They include the following:

• Standard 1-Welcoming All Families Into the School Community.Families are active participants in the lifeof the school and feel welcomed, valued and connected to each other, to school staff and to what students arelearning and doing in class.

• Standard 2-Communicating Effectively.Families and school staff engage in regular, two-way, meaningfulcommunication about student learning.

• Standard 3-Supporting Student Success.Families and school staff continuously collaborate to supportstudents' learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and they have regular opportunitiesto strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively.

• Standard 4-Speaking Up for Every Child.Families are empowered to be advocates for their own and otherchildren, to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access to learning opportunities that will supporttheir success.

• Standard 5-Sharing Power.Families and school staff are equal partners in decisions that affect children andfamilies and together inform, influence and create policies, practices and programs.

• Standard 6-Collaborating With Community.Families and school staff collaborate with community membersto connect students, families and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services and civicparticipation.

For more information about PTA's National Standards for Family-School Partnerships, access your Getting StartedGuide at https://images.magnetmail.net/NationalPTASchoolofExcellenceGettingStartedGuide.pdf or visit theNational PTA website: www.pta.org/familyengagement


ABOUT THE NATIONAL PTA SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

National PTA's School of Excellence program supports andcelebrates partnerships between PTA and schools toenrich the educational experience and overall well-beingfor all students. Whether you are looking to step up yourPTA's involvement in school improvements or to celebrateyour already-effective PTA- school partnership, the Schoolof Excellence program offers turn-key tools to help you tomake a substantial, positive impact on school and studentsuccess, and to earn recognition for your PTA and school.

Program Goals

National PTA's goal for the School of Excellence program isto enrich the educational experience and overall well-being of students by forming family-school partnershipsthat leverage community resources to strengthen family engagement and contribute to continuous schoolimprovement.

By participating in this program and applying the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships to a specificproblem identified by your school community, your PTA will realize the following benefits:

o Help make your school a more welcoming place for families. o Empower families to be part of school decision-making. o Demonstrate to school leaders that PTA is a key partner for continuous school improvements. o Receive recognition in your community, at the state level and nationwide for engaging families in a waythat makes a substantial, positive impact on your school and student success.

Final Steps on the Path to Excellence

Now that you've completed the family-school partnership scan, you will take action using this Roadmap toExcellence as your guide. Work with your School of Excellence team to improve the family-school partnerships atyour school and make progress toward your selected goal. Then prepare to submit the final application:

o Resend the family survey and school principal questionnaire. o Collect survey results and analyze your progress. o Write a summary of your efforts to improve family-school partnerships and work toward your selectedgoal. Include any results. o Complete the School of Excellence Application at www.PTA.org/Excellencetools or by phone (800)307-4PTA by June 1, 2015.

The final application mirrors the family-school partnership scan. It contains the same questions from the schoolprincipal and family survey. The score from this section will determine whether you become a School of Excellence.


To qualify for the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Award, whichincludes a $2,000 grant, we will ask you to summarize theefforts of your family- school partnerships and progress madetoward your selected goal. This is the summary we suggestedin the third bullet on the previous page.

During the summer, National PTA volunteers will review allapplications. In mid-August, you will be notified whether youhave been selected to be a National PTA School of Excellence.

PTA's achieving School of Excellence status will receive toolsand assistance to help you celebrate your success andannounce this honor to your local community. Schools that donot qualify for the National PTA School of Excellencedesignation will receive a National PTA Certificate of Merit and a new Roadmap to Excellence to help them continueto pursue excellence during the following school year.

How National PTA Supports You

Support from National PTA does not end with the information in the Roadmap to Excellence. Throughout the year,as you implement strategies to enhance your family-school partnership, you can expect National PTA to provide thefollowing:

o Programs and Grants. National PTA leverages its extensive network of partners to offer a number ofsponsored programs and grant opportunities throughout the year. Turn-key program tools and grants can beused to enhance your PTA's efforts to increase family engagement, ensure students' health and safety orsupport arts in education. Examples include the following:

o Take Your Family to School Week o Healthy Lifestyles: Energy Balance 101 o Family Reading Experience o Urban Family Engagement Network

Learn more about grant programs at www.PTA.org/programs. New grant opportunities will be announced at www.PTA.org/awards.

o Training: In the fall, National PTA will offer a webinar series on the National Standards for Family-SchoolPartnerships. These webinars will be promoted and archived on www.PTA.org/excellencetools, so you can findjust the information you need to support your goals, when you need it. Additional training opportunities arepromoted at www.PTA.org/training.

o Resources: Throughout the year, the School of Excellence team at National PTA will continue to send timelyemails with information and reminders about the School of Excellence program, tips regarding the NationalStandards for Family-School Partnerships, promising practices to inspire you, and links to resources thatsupport your goals for school improvement.

o www.PTA.org/excellencetools : On this page developed just for PTAs on the path to excellence, you willfind tools and templates including resources to help you plan (e.g., sample action plan, budget planningworksheet), implement (resource request letter, program announcement, event registration sheet), and wrapup (evaluation tools, thank you letters) strategies to achieve your goals.

o Technical Assistance: At any time, you can email [email protected] or call 800-307-4PTA for answers toyour questions about the program. We will connect you with a State or National volunteer leaders who canbrainstorm, problem solve and celebrate with you.

How Georgia PTA Supports You


Georgia PTA (GAPTA) is here to support your Local PTA as you work toward enhancing your family-school partnershipand making a substantial, positive impact on your school through the National PTA School of Excellence program.

GAPTA supports Local PTAs through our:

• Programs and Grants. GAPTA coordinates local, state and national PTA programs to help families and educatorsmake positive changes at their schools. GAPTA also offers awards programs and grant opportunities to recognize andenrich the work of Local PTAs in the areas of family-school partnerships, family engagement, healthy schoolenvironments, arts programs, and membership development.

• Training. GAPTA knows that well-trained and informed PTA leaders are more likely to be successful in achievingschool improvement goals. We convene thousands of parents, caregivers and educators each year for a variety ofnetworking and leadership development opportunities.

• Resources. GAPTA’s website offers tools and resources to help Local PTAs, families, educators and youth who arecommitted to nurturing family-school partnerships and supporting student success. Receive helpful materialsthroughout the year by subscribing to our newsletter at www.georgiapta.org.

• Technical Assistance. Targeted local assistance can be customized to meet the needs of specific schoolcommunities.

The best way to stay informed about GAPTA’s latest programs, training events, and resources is to make sure yourlocal PTA officer has entered your name and email into the WAPTA database. You contact us directly atwww.georgiapta.org, [email protected] or at 1-404-659-0214.


STEPS TO A STRONGER FAMILY-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP

The primary objective of the National PTA School of Excellence program is to help PTAs and schools strengthenfamily-school partnerships to benefit all students' academic success and general well-being. Your progress towardthis objective is what will be assessed through the final National PTA School of Excellence Application, submitted atthe end of the school year.

National PTA offers the following customized recommendations to help your school move its family-schoolpartnership to the next level. Each recommendation is based on your answers to the Family-School Partnership Scan.

Your next step is to review these recommendations with your school leaders and School of Excellence team anddetermine what you can work on first. Try to make progress by focusing on two to three recommendations perNational Standard for Family-School Partnerships. Your focused attention to making substantial progress in a fewareas per National Standard will help you to achieve the National PTA School.

If you have questions about these recommendations, email [email protected] or call us at 800-307-4PTA. Yoursuccess is ours. We want to help.

Welcoming All Families National PTA's Recommendations1. Our school has friendly signs inside and

outside to welcome families and visitors inthe multiple languages they speak.

You said, "Unknown." It is important to know! Here's why:Families feel more welcome when they see friendly signsdirecting them to locations throughout the school building. Takethe first step: Take an inventory of all signs in your schoolentrance and parking areas that direct parents and visitorsentering the school. Then, work with your school administrationand membership committee to translate key signs into thelanguages commonly spoken by families in the school. Makesure the need for school safety is balanced with family-friendlylanguage by rephrasing any messages that sound terse orintimidating. These steps will help ensure your school iswelcoming from the outside in!

2. Our school and PTA translatecommunications into the school's majorlanguages.

You said, "Unknown." It is important to know! Here's why: Youwant families from diverse backgrounds engaged in all schoolactivities. In order to achieve this, it is important to keep allfamilies informed about issues and events occurring at theschool. If your school is not translating this information intofamilies' native languages, you may be missing a greatopportunity for effective communication between school andhome. Take the first step: Work with your parent liaison, schoolsecretary or parent advisory committee to review currentcommunication practices at your school. You may need toadvocate for a more deliberate communication plan to reach allschool families.

3. Families feel encouraged tovolunteer.

You said, "Always." Excellent---keep it up!



4. Families feel our school's policies andprograms reflect, respect, and value thediversity in our school community.


5. Families feel they are treated fairlyregardless of age, gender, race, or culturalbackground.


Communicating Effectively National PTA's Recommendations1. Our school and PTA communicate with

families in multiple ways (e.g., email,phone, web site).


2. Our school provides interpreters for allmeetings and events, when needed.

You said, "Unknown." It is important to know! Here's why: Canyou imagine attending a meeting or event and not knowing whatis being said? Families who do not speak English well strugglewith this every day, and they may not be attending PTA activitiesas a result. Take the first step: Make it a priority to haveinterpreters available for families at all meetings and events.Review your volunteer pool for parents who might be qualifiedto serve as interpreters. You also may request interpretingservices and equipment from your school district.

3. Our school provides continuous staffdevelopment regarding effectivecommunication techniques and theimportance of regular, two-waycommunication between the school andfamily.

You said, "Unknown." It is important to know! Here's why:Strong communication is fundamental to an effectivefamily-school partnership and helps build a sense of communitybetween home and school. Strengthening the communicationskills of both parents and teachers will help build meaningful,two-way communication at your school. Research also suggeststhat professional development programs should activelypromote the development of communication skills for teachers.Take the first step: Work with your school administration to findout what professional development opportunities are currentlyprovided to the staff, and discuss the importance of training oneffective two-way communication with parents. Consideroffering workshops for families that explain effectivecommunication techniques and whom to contact when theyhave a problem.

4. Families feel they have two-wayconversations with school staff aboutstudent strengths, areas for improvement,learning styles, progress, and otherconcerns about the child.

You said, "Sometimes." Good start---but there is room forimprovement! Two-way communication occurs when teachersand families dialogue together, and it is a shared responsibility.The traditional parent-teacher conference is one strategy forbuilding effective two-way communication. Provide families withinformation about what to do to make parent-teacher


information about what to do to make parent-teacherconferences more effective. They should be prepared to discussspecific concerns or provide new information about their child.Discussion should avoid blame by taking a solution-focusedapproach. National PTA offers additional tips for what to dobefore, during and after a parent-teacher conference:http://www.pta.org/programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1710

5. Families feel schools provide informationabout student progress, including reportcards that help them understand how theycan support their children's learning.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! Take it to the next level:Families and school staff should collaborate continuously tosupport students' learning at home and at school. Teachers andparents can discuss students' individual learning styles, familycultural experiences, strengths, and academic and personalneeds regularly and develop personalized goals to supportacademic success. Consider implementing one of the followingstrategies: • At many schools, parents, students and teacherswork together to establish personal education plans (PEPs) tosupport students' education or career goals. • At Title I schools,every family signs a home-school compact. These compactsshould be discussed at parent-teacher conferences and can beindividualized if a student is not meeting standards.• This videofrom Great Schools describes a four-step process for helpingchildren set and reach goals: http://goo.gl/9DAVL7

Support Student Success National PTA's Recommendations1. Our school involves parents in planning for

transitions to elementary school, middleschool, high school, or post-secondaryeducation or careers.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! Take it to the next level:Transition planning can go beyond visiting the neighboringschool or providing orientations for new parents and students.Develop partnerships with local businesses to expandopportunities for career exploration and preparation. Plan acareer fair at your school, and invite individuals from manydifferent occupations. Allow time for older students to visitstations and learn about the education paths that individualstook to be successful in specific careers. For younger children,invite professionals to visit individual classrooms to discusscareer options.

2. Our school provides a range of options andchoices for a wide array of extracurricularactivities that reflect student interests,goals, and learning.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! Take it to the next level:Families are active participants in their children’s learning athome and at school. Host an event with your school to raisefamilies' awareness about the value of after-school orextracurricular programs. Invite teachers who sponsorextracurricular activities to show families the many opportunitiesthat currently exist at your school. Your PTA also can work withparents to advocate for the school to provide additionalextracurricular options.

3. Our school uses adequate technology tomeet the needs of 21st century learners.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! Take it to the next level:Because technology is already used Often at your school, workwith administrators to determine where it can still improve. You


with administrators to determine where it can still improve. Youmight consider response systems for classrooms to use withinteractive white boards, or e-readers for language arts classes.National PTA's proud sponsor Promethean offers opportunitiesfor matching funds to build interactive classrooms:

http://www.pta.org/about/content.cfm?ItemNumber=3201Your school also could host a Family Reading Experience,Powered by Kindle, to provide parents with strategies for usingtechnology to support their children's reading at home:http://goo.gl/Xfc4mm

4. Our school shares student achievementdata with families in ways that solicit theirideas about how to improve achievement.

You said, "Sometimes." Good start---but there is room forimprovement! Standardized test results are only one measure ofstudent achievement, but they have become increasinglyimportant in assessments of student learning. Work with yourschool's administrators, school improvement team, parentadvisory council or school leadership team to facilitate adiscussion among school staff and families about neededacademic improvements. Ask the principal to share the school'sacademic goals for the year and solicit feedback from parents.

5. Our school includes students inparent-teacher conferences as activeparticipants in discussions of expectationsand work quality.

You said, "Sometimes." Good start---but there is room forimprovement! Because students already attend parent-teacherconferences at your school, discuss with your principal thepossibility of allowing students to take the lead. Consistencythroughout the school is important when implementing thisprocess: Offer to help the principal and teachers develop apolicy and procedures to support student-led conferences. Youmight consider providing this information from ASCD aboutstudent-led conferences: http://goo.gl/6jKNZJ

6. Families feel they understand the academicstandards their child is expected to meetand how the curriculum is linked to thosestandards.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! Work with your school tohost an "All You Need to Know About the Common Core" event.This is an opportunity to help parents understand more aboutthe Common Core State Standards and their direct relationshipto curriculum being taught at each grade level. Here are someresources that can be shared with parents at this event: • PTAIssue Brief: http://goo.gl/BEyqaV • Common Core Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzbOc2C4-KI • ParentsGuides to Student Success: http://pta.org/parents/content.cfm?ItemNumber=2583http://pta.org/parents/content.cfm?ItemNumber=2583 If yourstate has not yet adopted the Common Core State Standards,work with your department of education to disseminateinformation about state standards and how parents can helptheir children meet them.

Speaking Up for Every Child National PTA's RecommendationsYou said, "Frequently." Great job! Take it to the next level: PTA


1. Our school informs families of the processand/or procedures to raise concerns andresolve problems (e.g. workshops,web-based materials, school handbook).

You said, "Frequently." Great job! Take it to the next level: PTAshould provide many opportunities to speak up for every child. Itsounds as if your school already has clear, written procedures forresolving problems, and parents understand the protocol foraddressing concerns. As a next step, suggest that your schoolimprovement team, parent advisory council or school leadershipteam implement an "issue bin." This might be a physical mailboxin the main hallway entrance and/or a link on the school websitewhere parents can submit issues, concerns, ideas andsuggestions to be discussed at school leadership meetings. Makesure that items placed in the issue bin are addressed promptly,so parents know that their concerns are taken seriously.

2. Our PTA fuels parent participation onschool district, state, and nationalcommittees that focus on education issues.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! Take it to the next level:Empowering families to speak up for every child is PTA's mission.Consider what issues or concerns your PTA can advocate for onthe state or federal level. You could encourage your PTAmembers to begin a letter-writing campaign on issues that affectchildren in your state, such as funding for education or arts ineducation. Check to see what issues are currently on your StatePTA's policy agenda.

3. Families feel our school treats theirconcerns with respect and demonstrates agenuine interest in developing solutions.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! Take it to the next level:Work with your school to respond publicly to suggestions fromfamilies on specific issues. Dedicate a section of your schoolnewsletter or website to responses to items from the school's"suggestion box." Your suggestion box might be a physical boxlocated in your school's main office and/or a "virtual suggestionbox" on the school or PTA website.

4. Families feel our school or PTA providesopportunities to develop relationships andraise concerns with school district leaders,public officials, and business andcommunity leaders.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! Take it to the next level: YourPTA can help mobilize school and community support aroundissues that affect student learning. Host a “Parent CafeConversation” and invite school board members, thesuperintendent or other civic leaders to provide updates onissues affecting your school community. Include an opportunityfor families to offer feedback on proposed solutions. Theseevents can be scheduled in the evening or on the weekend toaccommodate school stakeholders’ schedules.

5. Families feel PTA promotes opportunitiesto empower parents to advocate for thesuccess of their own child and otherchildren in our school.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! Take it to the next level:Work with your principal to establish school policies that supportparents as advocates. Encourage the school to include resourcesin your school's print handbook and on the school website thathelp prepare parents to advocate successfully for their own andothers' children. These might include information about parents'rights under federal and state education mandates, local districtpolicies and requirements for promotion and/or graduation.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! At your school, families are


6. Families feel the school providesinformation and opportunities to beinformed of their rights andresponsibilities under federal and statelaws.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! At your school, families areempowered to be advocates for their children, to ensure thatstudents are treated fairly and have access to learningopportunities that will support their success. Take it to the nextlevel: Explore whether your school district offers workshops forfamily members about school and district programs, policies,resources and the skills needed to access them. Distributeinformation about these opportunities to families andencourage them to participate. You also might work with yourdistrict to host a Parent University or similar training event thatoffers workshops on important information about the schooldistrict.

Sharing Power National PTA's Recommendations1. Our school includes parents with equal

representation on decision making andadvisory committees or councils.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! Family-school partnershipsrequire sharing power. At your school, families and school staffare equal partners in decisions that affect children. Take it to thenext level: Work with your school administration to make surethat the parents who serve on your parent advisory council,school improvement team or parent advisory council representthe racial, ethnic and socioeconomic diversity of yourcommunity.

2. Our school establishes policies thatrecognize and respect families' cultural,ethnic, religious, and socioeconomicdiversity.


3. Families feel they are collaborativepartners that share in the decision makingfor areas such as policy, curricula, budget,school reform, safety, and personnel.

You said, "Sometimes." Good start---but there is room forimprovement! Work to strengthen the family voice in shareddecision making at your school. Your goal should be to havefamilies participating as full partners in making decisions thataffect the children at your school and in your community.Whenever a change is proposed, notify parents and solicit theirfeedback. Consider hosting a dialogue between families andschool personnel about current issues and policies.

4. Families feel they have input in thedevelopment of our school improvementplan.

You said, "Sometimes." Good start---but there is room forimprovement! PTA can play an important role in collecting anddisseminating information about effective advocacy for studentsuccess. Consider including a section in your monthly newsletteror on the PTA website called, “Did You Know?” This section couldbe used to provide information to parents about the schoolimprovement plan and how they can give feedback on the plan.Report parent input to your advisory council or committee toenhance family-school collaboration and help meet the needs ofall students.


Collaborating withCommunity

National PTA's Recommendations

1. Our school and/or PTA distributesinformation on community resources thatserve the cultural, recreational, academic,health, social, and other needs of familieswithin the community.

You said, "Sometimes." Good start---but there is room forimprovement! Collaborating with the community is a greatopportunity for parents and school leaders to work closely withlocal organizations and businesses to strengthen the school;expand the resources available to students, school staff andfamilies; and build a family-friendly community. You can workwith your school social worker, counselor or family engagementcoordinator to develop a survey to assess the needs of yourschool community. Based on the survey results, create a schoolbulletin board and/or resource table for parents with brochuresabout local health services, service learning opportunities andother resources that families need most.

2. Our PTA has partnerships with localbusinesses, community organizations, andservice groups to advance studentlearning, or assist the school or families.


3. Our PTA involves community members inschool volunteer programs.

You said, "Sometimes." Good start---but there is room forimprovement! PTA welcomes volunteers in many differentcapacities throughout the school. Take every opportunity toinvite community members and partners to volunteer. One wayto engage volunteers is to invite them to participate in NationalPTA's Three for Me program, by finding three opportunities tovolunteer at your school during the year. Make sure you log allvolunteer hours for your records. Find more information aboutThree for Me on the National PTA website:http://www.pta.org/programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=3274

4. Our school collaborates with communityservices and adult learning opportunities.

You said, "Unknown." It is important to know! Here's why:Parents who were not successful in school themselves often arereluctant to participate in meetings and events at theirchildren's schools because they don't want to embarrass theirchildren. Families who do not speak English well also may feeluncomfortable or shut out of the learning process. Take the firststep: Work with your school to identify local community servicesand adult learning opportunities. Share information withfamilies about how they can access these important resources.

5. Families feel the school is a central part oftheir community.

You said, "Frequently." Great job! Schools are central to theircommunities when they provide families with access tocomprehensive services or the information they need to identify


comprehensive services or the information they need to identifyand access those services, including primary care, mental healthcounseling, parent education classes or adult learningopportunities. Take it to the next level: Work with your schooland district to offer adult education, recreation or GED programsafter hours at the school, perhaps in partnership with a localrecreation center or college. For inspiration, read the followingsuccess story of a PTA that made their school the hub of theircommunity:http://www.pta.org/programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1873


FOCUSING YOUR FAMILY-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP ON A SHARED OBJECTIVE

In addition to assessing the current state of family-school partnerships through the scan, your school communityselected a shared objective for the 2014-15 school year in one of three areas:

o Improving family engagement in education o Ensuring students' health and safety o Supporting arts in education

The objective you chose will provide a focus for your PTA's efforts to engage families and build a stronger family-school partnership. While stronger partnerships will support your progress toward this shared objective, the Schoolof Excellence program's primary aim is to increase the strength of the family-school partnership itself. In otherwords, your final School of Excellence application will be assessed on the basis of how your family-schoolpartnership has improved during the year, rather than how much progress you have made toward your chosenprogrammatic objective.

The following section provides some brief background information about the objective you selected and informationabout resources offered by National PTA and our partners to support you as you work toward making a substantial,positive impact on your school in this area.

Focus area: GOAL: Improve Family Engagement in Education

Objective: To facilitate consistent meaningful two-way communication between families and school

Communicating effectively is the second of the six National PTA Standards for Family-School Partnerships. The mosteffective way to build a real partnership is to create regular opportunities for open, honest dialogue. All familiesshould feel that the school keeps them informed about important issues and that it is easy to communicate feedbackto teachers, the principal and other staff. Many schools deliver information through handouts, newsletters,handbooks and websites, but these vehicles do not provide an easy and routine way for families to respond. EvenPTA/parent group meetings often are viewed by school leaders merely as a way to get messages out to families.Creating a perception that a dominant group of parents is “in the know,” while everyone else is in the dark, reducestrust and stifles the free flow of ideas to improve student learning.PTAs can help by creating a wider pathway and a more expansive menu of opportunities for families and schools toengage in two-way communication. The lifeblood of any relationship and any organization is communication. PTA canassist families with routine ways to communicate with all members of the school community.National PTA offers the following resource to support you:• National PTA Standards for Family-School Partnerships Implementation Guide, Action Steps – Standard 2. Stepsthat PTAs, parents and schools can take to support frequent, effective, two-way communication. This tool can assistwith implementing programs and policies that encourage family-school partnerships. Used with the supportingresources, it can help PTAs educate their communities about the importance of family involvement and direct thedevelopment of effective partnerships by focusing on how to communicate effectively.http://www.pta.org/programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1848• Family Reading Experience, Powered by Kindle. The PTA Family Reading Experience, Powered by Kindle is a set offree activities that engage the entire family. The activities focus on improving the reading skills of children betweenkindergarten and fifth grade. http://www.pta.org/familyreading • Parents’ Guide to Student Success. National PTA partnered with experts on the Common Core State Standards tocreate grade by grade guides that reflect the Common Core State Standards. PTA leaders can use the guides as a toolto help parents better understand the Common Core State Standards and build relationships with their children’steachers. http://www.pta.org/parents/content.cfm?ItemNumber=2583&navItemNumber=3363


TAKE ACTION TOWARD EXCELLENCE

With your team members, use the recommendations in this Roadmap to develop an action plan for the year that isinformed by the Family-School Partnership Scan and what you have discovered about the needs and desires ofstudents, family members, school leaders and the community. National PTA has created several resources to helpyour team develop effective program plans. You can find the following at www.PTA.org/excellencetools :

o Effective Leadership Tips o Program Planning Guide and Checklist o Template Action Plan o Tips for Promoting Your Progress o Sample Budget o And more!

Complete the National PTA School of Excellence Application by June 1, 2015

Your final step during this school year will be to conduct a second Family-School Partnership Scan to evaluate yourprogress. As you did this fall, you will collect information from school leaders and survey families to assess theprogress you have made toward the six National Standards.

Using the scan results, you will then complete the Final National PTA School of Excellence Application online atwww.pta.org/excellencetools or by phone at 800-307-4PTA (4782). As mentioned above, this application mirrorsthe original Family-School Partnership Scan, with the addition of a brief narrative describing how your school andPTA have strengthened family-school partnerships and achieved progress toward your selected program goal.

A team of National PTA volunteers will review applications and narratives. The review process will take into accountthe fact that PTAs and schools are starting at different levels of existing family engagement and have varyingresources. This approach helps to even the playing field and ensure that all PTAs have the opportunity to participateand achieve excellence.

Schools that do not qualify for the National PTA School of Excellence designation this year will receive a NationalPTA Certificate of Merit and a new Roadmap to Excellence to help them continue to pursue excellence during thefollowing school year. They will build on the momentum they started, and National PTA will provide even moresupport to help them overcome barriers along the way.

Schools that do meet a certain threshold or make marked improvements in strengthening their family-schoolpartnership will be notified of their School of Excellence designation by August 1, 2015. They will receive a bannerto hang prominently at their school, along with other tools to support local recognition and acknowledgement at thestate and national levels.

We look forward to supporting you and celebrating with you!


roadmap to excellence...roadmap to excellence georgia pta (gapta) is here to support your local pta...

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