Los Angeles Unified School District Transitional Kindergarten Family Engagement

1. Los Angeles Unified School DistrictTransitional Kindergarten Family Engagement Early Childhood Education November 8, 2011

2. TTK Family Engagement The goal of LAUSD’s family engagement is to provide educational information to families so that they may partner with schools and support their child’s learning. • Family events • Home lending library • Bring Me a Book Foundation • AbriendoPuertas/Opening Doors

3. Family Events Family Literacy • Teacher lead family workshops • Interactive activities • Free children's books Family Math • Math parent workshops • Hands-on activities • Free math concept books

4. Home Lending Library Purpose: • To promote reading at home • Home to school connection Description: • One backpack per student • A weekly rotational system • Access to over 150 book titles • Books in English & Spanish in a variety of genres

5. Bring Me a Book Foundation Classroom Library • Engages students and teachers in reading • Provides a book shelf and children books to each classroom • Consists of fiction and non-fiction titles Parents as First Teachers Workshop • Parents learn and practice literacy strategies to help develop their child’s love of reading • Parents receive a free photo and book

6. Kingsley Elementary • http://newamericamedia.org/2011/02/transitional-kindergarten-gives-kids-a-leg-up.php

7. What is AbriendoPuertas? Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors is a program, developed by and for Latino parents who have children 0-5 years of age. It aims to improve the outcomes of the nation’s Latino children by building the capacity and confidence of parents to be strong and powerful advocates in the lives of their children.

8. AbriendoPuertas Curriculum • Available in English and Spanish • Comprehensive curriculum addresses best practices in the following areas: language development, bilingualism, early literacy, health, socio-emotional wellness, parent leadership and planning for family success • The AP curriculum consists of 10, 2-hour sessions • Centered on the cultural values, strengths, and experiences of Latino families • Engages parents at a very personal level and results in transformative learning • The program is based on the premise that enhancing parenting skills early in a child’s life leads to economic and societal benefits.

9. AbriendoPuertas Curriculum • Session 1 - Soy el Primer maestro de mis hijos, nuestro hogar su primera escuela - I am My Child’s First Teacher “De tal palo tal astilla” - “Chip off the old block” • Session 2 – Alcanzando el éxito familiar - Reaching Family Success “Del dicho al hecho, hay un gran trecho” - “Actions speak louder than words” • Session 3 – Mi niño crece - My Child Grows “Lo que bien empieza, bien acaba” - “What begins well, ends well”

10. AbriendoPuertas Curriculum • Session 4 – Mi niño habla - My Child Talks “Lo que bien se aprende, nunca se olvida” - “You never forget what you learn well” • Session 5 – Sigamos abriendo puertas - Let’s Continue Opening Doors “Saber es poder” - “ Knowledge is power” • Session 6 – Nuestra Salud primero: Parte I - Our Health is First: Part I “Más vale prevenir que lamentar” - “Better safe than sorry”

11. AbriendoPuertas Curriculum • Session 7 – Nuestrasaludprimero: Parte II - Our Health is First: Part II “Cada cabeza es un mundo” -“Each mind is a universe onto itself” • Session 8 – Vamos a la escuela - Let’s Go to School “Quien adelante no mira, atrás se queda” - “If you don’t look forward, you stay behind” • Session 9 – Abogandopornuestrofuturo - Advocating for our Future “No hay peor lucha, que la que no se hace” -“There is no worse struggle than the one never waged” • Session 10 – ¡Sí se puede! - Yes We Can! “A la determinación de triunfar, el fracaso no la puede alcanzar” -“Success knows no bounds”

12. Evidence-based Curriculum • Abriendo Puertas isanevidence-basedprogram, evaluated by leading researchers from UC Berkeley • AbriendoPuertas was carefully developed • and field-tested over a five-year period • Evaluated through pre and post surveys and focus groups with more than 1,000 parents • AbriendoPuertas program was highlighted by the Harvard Family Research Project as one of the nation’s leading innovations in family engagement • AbriendoPuertas has grown rapidly throughout the United States

13. Abriendo Puertas Evaluation Results • Significant increases in participants’: • Daily home activities that promote children’s school • readiness • Confidence about parenting skills • Knowledge and access to available health services • Social support and connections in the community • Community involvement • Los Angeles Unified School District parent comments: • “I feel that coming to the AbriendoPuertas/Opening Doors has helped me a great deal. I am a better mother to my child.” -Parent, San Jose Elementary School • “More than anything I have improved my own self-esteem. I can help my children in the way I speak to them and in being more patient and understanding. -Parent, Cahuenga Elementary School

14. Having an informed and engaged parent is one of life’s greatest advantages Parents – as leaders of their family – arepowerful agents of change

15. The Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors Training Institute The three-day training Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors fully prepares school personnel and community leaders to become facilitators in delivering the program to parents in their school and neighborhood and to train others in the use of the curriculum.

16. Contact Abriendo Puertas For more information about how you can incorporate the Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors Program in your city, please contact: Sandra Gutierrez, National Program Director Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors 1545 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 700 Los Angeles, CA 90017 (213) 201 3908 abriendopuertas@familiesinschools.org http://www.familiesinschools.org/site/content/view/228/71/

17. Los Los Angeles Unified School District Early Childhood Education Contact Information: Ruth Yoon - Administrator ruth.yoon@lausd.net 213.241.4713