Creating Welcoming School Environments for Back to School Events Dual Capacity Tip Sheets

Transcription

1 Back to School Night Tip Sheet for Teachers Before school starts or at the beginning of the year have some form of introduction with each family in your class ( home visits, class play date, summer letter introducing yourself and asking for a response to learn about the child and family, sending getting to know you surveys, etc.). Teacher introductions prior to or in the beginning of the school year establishes a positive relationship, eliminates nervousness from families, shows professionalism, and opens lines of communication. Know the date for Back To School Night at least a month in advance and start promoting it through: Attaching flyers to HW assignments, newsletter, school messenger, face to face interactions, and personal invitation from students, etc. Get your students excited about parents attending Back to School Night by creating classroom incentives; they are your best recruiters! Create a classroom environment where all students are reminded that they are able to accomplish their goal by designing with school staff a school wide Achievement for All theme for the year. For example, Read To Succeed, Yes We Can, etc. During back to school night share with families the importance of the theme and classroom strategies to reach classroom goals and how these goals are connected to the school wide theme (Success of all students). In addition, for families to support the theme at home, have home school connection or linked to learning strategies to share with families (ex. reading at home, help with cooking, read labels, environmental print, etc.). Create an agenda that includes a community building icebreaker -this will allow families to interact and get to know each other. Also, include your vision of teaching - How will you encourage a love of learning through Social Emotional Learning? What skills and knowledge will your students gain over the year and why (Common Core Standards)? Discuss how you will create differentiated lesson plans to reach all students learning levels. Describe your commitment to making sure that every student does well and how family support is needed. Let families know when benchmark assessments will occur and when/how progress reports will be sent home. Provide this information on paper or by so families don t have to write it down. Present the effects of truancy on students and how families can support students to get to school on time every day. Give families the school support staff and services brochure. Page 1 of 6

2 You can also prepare your students to explain work areas in the classroom or have families visit work areas and learn a support strategy to use at home with their students. Include time in the agenda for Questions and Answers. Provide sign-in sheet not only to see who attended, but also to collect contact information (name of caregiver, , best phone number, best time to contact, etc). Decide on best ways to collaborate by presenting a two way communication tool. For example, create an /text group to share classroom information. Make sure the tool is accessible to all families. Provide information on how to use the tool. Quick check list before Back to School Night: Make sure to ask families ahead of time if they will need translation services. Make sure your classroom is clean and organized If possible have snacks in the classroom. Some families have more than one child, come up with a schedule that provides an opportunity for families to hear from all teachers. This can be done by staggering grade level meeting times, having Back To School week, etc. To ensure every family receive information in their home language confirm translation request (SFUSD Translation Department or on site resource) ahead of time (SFUSD requires 3 weeks in advance) Back to School Night Tip Sheet for Principals To ensure a positive interaction between families and teachers; create expectations on the importance of teacher and family partnership, provide and discuss best practices with school staff. For example, provide classroom sign in document of families best contact information. Discuss best ways and times for families to contact teachers. In addition, provide procedures for parents to create a class yahoo group. Provide Professional Development opportunities to Page 2 of 6

3 teachers on two way communication tools (written and spoken interactions between families and teachers) that they can use with their families. Prepare teachers to create talking points for discussion that provides continuity across grade level. Monthly check in regarding process and strategies have personal conversations with families to discuss what their short term and long term goals for their students are, and modifies these goals over time to ensure support for progress. Classroom goal should be presented at Back To School Night and dates for follow up, check-ins, or progress reports should be available for families. Create a school environment where all students are reminded that they are able to accomplish their goal by designing with staff a school wide achievement for all theme for the year, For example, Read To Succeed, Yes We Can, etc. The importance of the theme should be presented at Back To School Night. School should define strategies to reach goal expressed in the theme. Decorate the school and classrooms with inspiring quotes and pictures of positive role models that students can identify with. For inclusion of all families and for staff recognition, make sure there are welcome signs in different languages and directions to classrooms visible. Provide a Support Staff Brochure with names, pictures, contact information, and brief description of resource provided prepared for Back To School Night. Allow time for introduction of support staff and share their services either by resource fair or presentation. To promote family leadership participation, provide opportunities for families to learn about parent organizations and how they can get involved. Share information that includes the purpose or goals of groups such as roles, meeting times and dates, etc. Invite members to outreach through information booths, flyers, presentations, posters, etc. Do a walk through to make sure the building is clean, bulletin boards are up with appropriate student work, visible end of year goals and benchmarks are family friendly, etc. Schools find many ways to say "welcome back" : Page 3 of 6

4 Back to School Night Tip Sheet for Family Liaison/Site Staff/After school Program/Early Education Department/Out of School Time Make sure your families are aware of the Back To School Night date, well in advance. Have multiple reminders for them as the date draws near--suggestions include a countdown board visible for parents to see during pickup, information in different languages, Who s Who Wall, etc. Coordinate with your administration and other involved staff weeks in advance of the following: translation services and translation of certain materials needed for the evening, PTA and other parent groups involvement in and assistance on that evening, (if needed) childcare staff and materials, (if needed) specifics on refreshments and/or dinner and when they are to be bought/ordered. Make sure you have touched bases with Administration and attended staff meetings around preparation for Back To School Night. Be aware of all school Family Engagement goals and two way communication strategies used at the school site to inform families of them. Make sure your information is given to be included in the Support Staff Brochure. Include short bio, best contact information, office hours, and picture. Make sure your room is welcoming and resourceful. Be accessible throughout the night to answer questions. You may need to go outside of your room to reach parents, as not all of them will enter--set up a table outside in the hallway (with resources) and acknowledge/speak with the families as they pass. Based on the parent/family contacts you made on BTS Night, schedule time in the following days (and even the following weeks) to follow up with the parents--make sure they received the Page 4 of 6

5 information or service they were looking for (especially if you had to refer them to someone else), use the contact to inform them of other offerings at the school or upcoming school events. Back to School Night Prep Sheet for Families Look for information for Back to School Night in the beginning of September. Save the date and make preparations to attend. Check if child care and translation is provided if needed. Make it a family celebration and invite your whole family! We want to meet everyone who supports your child. (grandparents, aunts, cousins etc.) Write a letter to your child s teacher introducing your family. Include your child s strengths, any concerns that you might have, and any background information you feel the teacher should know to best support your child. If you have more than one child at the school, you ll need to strategize. If your younger child had the same teacher as your older child, you might decide visiting your older child s teacher. If both parents are able to attend, you can divide and conquer or take turns in the different classrooms. Ask the school if they can stagger grade level class visit times so you are able to visit both classrooms. Make sure you find the best way and time to communicate with your child s teacher. Give the teacher the best ways he/she should contact you and the person(s) who will support the student with school work at home. Be sure to bring something to take notes. Remember this night is not designed to ask individual questions pertaining to your child. You can ask questions on issues affecting the entire classroom like homework, discipline, etc. If individual questions come to mind write them down for later consultation with teacher. Make sure you receive information and understand the end of the year expectations for your child and benchmarks, what the teacher will do to help them reach it, and how you can support them at home. Ask teacher best way to communicate about your child s monthly progress. Page 5 of 6

6 Find out ways you can support the teacher and school. (Volunteer opportunities, Family organizations, information about your child s learning and social emotional learning) Families are the child s first teacher and your suggestions are important and valued. Be sure to request interpretation services in enough time to give teachers time to find someone. Find information/resources that will help your child s learning. For example, effects of attendance, additional academic support, after school programs etc Page 6 of 6