FAMILIA : Families Are Mentors: Improving. Learning, Inspiring, Achieving

1. Bill Baney Portland State University Center for Healthy Inclusive Parenting 615 SW Harrison Portland, OR 97201 503.725.4815 Baneyw@pdx.edu Chuck Smith Portland State University Early Childhood Training Center 615 SW Harrison Portland, OR 97201 503.725.4815 smithch@pdx.edu FAMILIA:Families Are Mentors: Improving. Learning, Inspiring, Achieving

2. Overview • Provide a structure and template for approaching family engagement and family skill development in 21st Century Community Learning Centers in an individualized manner.

3. Goals • Enhance grantees’ ability to engage families • Enhance grantees’ ability to facilitate family skill development

4. Desired Outcomes • Identification of individualized actionable strategies for family engagement at the program level • Create resource materials and training process • Establish peer cluster groups throughout the state

5. Who are you? • Small groups • Each person will share three things about themselves to the group: 2 should be true and 1 should be false • Group will try to identify which is the false comment

6. Format • Individual, small, large group discussions • Parent panel • Reciprocal or complimentary learning • Celebrate success and program enhancement • Sustainability

7. FAMILIA Guiding Principles • We believe families are partners of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers. • We value the diversity families bring to 21st Century Community Learning Centers. • We strive to ensure services reflect family and community identified focus areas. • We acknowledge 21st Century Community Learning Center Grantees are partners with diverse strengths to contribute.

8. What are your expectations? • Please use worksheet in the binder • Identify success story on small note cards

9. FAMILIA Framework • Awareness • Assessment • Development • Implementation • Evaluation and Revision

10. Actionable Process • Concepts- Opening Sessions and Case Study • Strategies- Opening Sessions and Case Study • Application- Case Study and Cluster Groups • Sustainability- Cluster Groups and Final Session

11. Most accurate predictor of a student’s achievement is the extent to which the student’s family is able to: • Create a home environment that encourages learning • Express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children’s achievement and future careers • Become involved in their children’s education at school and in the community. Notes from Research: Parent Involvement and Student Achievement, San Diego County Office of Education, 1997.

12. Benefits of Engaging FamiliesThrough After School Programming • Stronger connection: school, community, and program • Adult Educational Development • Improved relationship between primary caregiver (parent) and child • Improved after school program implementation / outcomes Harris, E., & Wimer, C, (2004) Engaging with Families in Out of School Learning Intercultural Center for Research in Education and National Institute on Out of School Time (2005)

13. EASY

14. Working Definitions • Family • Engagement • Community • Family Skill Development

15. Family • “Society’s definition of ‘family’ is rapidly expanding and has come to include single parents, biracial couples, blended families, unrelated individuals living cooperatively, and homosexual couples, among others.  Unfortunately, family policy has been slow to catch up to changing trends in modern lifestyles” Crawford, J.M.  (1999)  Journal of Contemporary Human Services

16. Family Engagement • Actively Connected • “Real” lationship • Mindset “Parental engagement is about relationships and building a strong school community.” Dr. James Comer, Professor of Child Psychology, Yale University

17. Community • Geographic • Self-Identified • Big C or little c

18. Family/Adult Skill Development • Specific to individual • Related to the family structure • Includes but not limited to: • Life skills • Parenting skills • Employment • Health and Safety

19. Family Engagement…Why? • Who benefits? • Children • Families • Schools • After School Programs • Communities • Others?

20. EASY

21. Awareness • What are guiding principles of 21st Century Programs in relation to family engagement? • Think about how you view this

22. 21st Century Community Learning Centers ● A school district, private school, or community-based organization using Title IV funds to operate a 21st Century Community Learning Center should meaningfully involve parents in the development and administration of the center, for example, as members of the site council or advisory council that oversees center operation. ● Schools or community-based organizations using Title IV funds to operate a 21st Century Community Learning Center must inform parents of the services available for students and family members. ● The school or organization also must inform parents about the results of evaluations of the center. (0DE Family Involvement Toolkit)

23. Consider • Addressing families’ most critical needs may be of great value • Critical needs seem to be beyond scope of program • Touch stone to the community • After School Program serves as vehicle for families to connect with school • Engagement increases performance in and out of school

24. PARTNERING WITH FAMILIES Ongoing, collaborative, and purposeful working relationships between staff and families • Knowledge of Your Role with Parents/ Children/ Families • Knowledge of the Plan • Purposeful Interaction

25. Case Study Exercise: Awareness • Individually create a list of words or brief phrases that describe what your program is and what you do (5-10 items) • As a group, compile the lists on a large sheet. Eliminate repeated items. Leave room on the left side of the page to create 2 columns • Read the case study and imagine you are that family (consider the parents view and children’s view). Discuss and rate how “valuable” each item on the list is to the parents and children (one column for each group). Use a rating of H= High, M= Medium, L= Low.

26. EASY

27. Assessment • Key Points • Family assets & needs individual/collective • Program level assessment • Community capacity and accessibility • Potential Barriers - (All Levels)

28. Assessments Strategies • Suggestion Box • Formal and informal surveys • Parent forums and/or discussions groups • Informal Conversation • Children plan and host family event/activity Focus on Families: Hard Family Research Project

29. Areas of family assets • Family interests and activities • Extended family and friends • Religious, spiritual, or cultural beliefs • Family values and rules • Employment and education • Emotional/psychological well-being • Physical health and nutrition • Shelter and safety • Income/money management • Family interaction

30. Consider: Potential Barriers and Strengths • Logistical • Cultural • Psycho-social • Organizational

31. Case Study Exercise: Assessment • Groups will assess one aspect: Family, Program, or Community • Prepare to present a summary of your work to the large group.

32. Case Study Exercise: AssessmentProgram • Identify capacities your program has and things that you are able to do at this point that are helpful in engaging families similar to the one in the case study. • Identify limitations and barriers you and your program face in engaging families similar to the one in the case study.

33. Case Study Exercise: AssessmentFamily • Identify the assets of this family and similar families you have worked with in the past. • Identify the needs of this family and similar families you have worked with in the past.

34. Case Study Exercise: AssessmentCommunity • What types of community resources are available that may be relevant to families like the one in the case study? • What types of connections do you have with these community resources that might help facilitate family engagement? • What kinds of community resources and connections are not available in your area that could be valuable to families like the one in the case study?

35. EASY

36. Goals DevelopmentSMARTI • Specific • Measurable • Attainable • Relevant • Timelines • Individualized

37. SMARTI Goal Sample- Program Level Goal- Develop resources to enhance employability skill development among parents • S- Resource development, Employability skills development • M- Volume of outreach to families, Number of follow up discussions with families, Employment assistance referrals made and followed through, Collaborative service arrangements with community partners • A- Accessibility of resources, Known barriers can be addressed • R- Matches expressed family needs, Matches education level of families, Consistent with cultural values and norms of families • T- Activities are paced to maintain interest, Responsive to the other time demands on families • I- Direct family input on creating and revising the program goal

38. Case Study Exercise: Goals • Create a program goal that would be relevant to families (particularly the parents) similar to the one in the case study (you can “fill in the blanks” for any specifics not covered in the case study description) • Review your goal to see if passes the SMARTI test

39. EASY

40. Implementation • Key Points • Roles and Responsibilities • Who is doing what? • When to refer out or ask for help? • Within scope of program • Coincide with the program’s mission/objectives • When to move to next stage/step • Are we there yet? How do you know? • Integrated into larger family engagement system

41. Implementation Worksheet Who is Responsible:_______________

42. Implementation Worksheet Sample Who is Responsible: Bill

43. Case Study Exercise: Implementation • Identify action steps your program might take to implement the goal created to address the needs of families similar to that in the case study. • Which staff members might be responsible for the different action steps? • List the barriers you anticipate in being able to implement this goal in your program.

44. EASY

45. Debrief Cluster • Elements of Discussion • Key Ideas • Supports / Resources • On-going growth & development

46. Highlight • Tie in goals with the 3 identified criteria • Student Achievement • Student Attendance • Family Engagement Keep the focus within the framework Internal discussion – roles, resources, scope

47. Remember your Partners • Big P • Explicit within the grant • Little P • Some informal or developing based on community • Changes can be amended

48. Evaluations and Revisions • Methods • Surveys • Staff and Family • Interviews • Formal and Informal • Communication Logs • Points of Contact, Follow Up • Sign-In Sheets • Events, Activities, Volunteer Adapted from Harvard Family Research Project

49. Evaluations and Revisions • Key Points • Evaluation is based on the needs of: • Organization • Funding source • Stakeholders • Children • School • Families • Qualitative V. Quantitative • Process V. Content

50. Meaningful Indicators • Process • How well do we implement our efforts? • Ex. What are the strategies for getting parent input? What is the range of input we are receiving? How are we connecting with the school in a way that allows us to effectively advocate for a family/child? • Content • Benefit to the customer of the efforts and activities • Ex. Are kids maintaining their school status (not being suspended)? Are parents using effective communication skills to work within the school system to address the needs of their children?