Presented by Pamdora Williams LaSPDG Staff

1. From Expected to Effective: Strategies to assess and modify communication efforts that support partnerships with families Presented by Pamdora Williams LaSPDG Staff @laspdg www.laspdg.org

2. Considerations • This webinar is being recorded and will be available for viewing at www.laspdg.orgunder Family Engagement Webinars 2013-2014 • If you need to ask a question, please use the Chat Pod on your screen (NOTE: everyone can see your question) • You can download all of today’s materials in the FILES 2 Pod on your screen at any time during the presentation • Click on the selected file • Choose “SAVE TO MY COMPUTER” • Select the destination where you would like to save the file

3. Roll Call • If you have not already done so, please use your chat pod and type your district/LEA that you are representing • If multiple people are in the room with you viewing this webinar, please type their names as well

4. People First Language “People First Language puts the person before the disability and describes what a person has, not who a person is.” Kathie Snow. (n.d.) A few words about People First Language. Disability is Natural. Retrieved August 1, 2012 from http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pfl-sh09.pdf

5. Family Engagement: New Perspectives, New Definition The research is abundantly clear: nothing motivates a child more than when learning is valued by schools and families/community working together in partnership…These forms of [parent] involvement do not happen by accident or even by invitation. They happen by explicit strategic intervention” -Michael Fullan (1997 a, pp.42-43)

6. Shifts in Perceptions about Family Engagement Current Lens Old Lens One-Time Project Add-On Shared Responsibility Random Acts Systemic Strength-Based/Collaborative Sustained Deficit-Based/Adversarial Compliance Ownership & Continuous Improvement Integrated Events Driven Outcome Driven Individual Responsibility

7. Se a r c h family engagement – transformation definition Web Search I’m Feeling Lucky Family Engagement Transformation Definition Family engagement is a shared responsibility of families, schools and communities for student learning and achievement; it is continuous from birth to young adulthood; and it occurs across multiple settings where children learn. Family Engagement definition www.laspdg.org A well thought out process involving the entire school community, NOT a series of eventsto involve families…. Family Engagement definition www.laspdg.org Family Engagement is the interaction between schools and families and the degree to which families are engaged in the educational lives of their children. • Family Engagement definition • www.laspdg.org • A set of day-to-day practices, attitudes, beliefs and interactions that support learning at home as well as at school, NOT a one-time program

8. Family Engagement

9. Stating a Case for Investing in Strategic Home - School Communication Communication

10. Parent/Teacher Conferences New Discipline Procedures Conversations in the community Behavior School diversity Inclusion Anti-Bullying Policies PTO/PTA Newsletters Notes home Flyers Formal & Informal Communication Crisis Response Open House Grades & Student Progress Achievement Gaps Back-to-School Night RtI Testing Conversations during arrival and dismissal Conversations in the office lobby Emails and text messages School Calendar School Websites Safe-Schools

11. Goal & Objectives Goal: Identify effective strategies to assess and modify communication efforts with families Objectives: • Gain knowledge of the components of an effective communication plan for families • Gain knowledge of strategies and resources in order to assess and modify current communication efforts with families Also, tools, resources & promising practices to support your work!

12. What is Communication? Communication is a message sent and a message received • When communicating messages about school programs and student progress, ensure that the communication: • is two-way • is multi-layered • uses multiple channels • connects schools, families, students and the community. • is an ongoing process

13. Poll Which is the largest contributor to the communication gap for your families? • Work schedule • Child Care • Language • Do not understand the system • Negative past experiences with schools

14. Contributors to Communication Gap Families • Work schedule • Transportation • Child care • Language barriers • School viewed as an unwelcoming place • Lack of outreach • Not understanding the system

15. Contributors to Communication Gap Schools/Teachers • Teacher time limitations • Negative stereotypes • Lack of teacher preparation

16. Benefits of school-home communication • Increases trust between schools and families • Encourages higher and realistic parental expectations • Serves as the foundation to other types of family engagement • Leads to higher degree of family commitment • Puts everyone on the “same page”

17. “We have always maintained that you never see our best work: it is what we do ahead of time to prevent the firestorm. Use good communication to keep yourself out of trouble, so you don’t have to use it to mop up the mess!” Why School Communication Matters, pg. 59

18. Strategy 1 A Communication Plan

19. What is a communication plan? A communication plan is a framework of goals, strategies and activities. Schools/districts would use a communication plan when it’s time to disseminate information about a program or procedures and/or influence the behavior/practices of families and community on the behalf of the school.

20. A communication plan can…. • Be simple or complex • Be a road map • Help anticipate and solve for problems

21. Is communication planning necessary? • Helps to identify and close any communication gaps • Keeps families on the same page and knowledgeable • Improves transparency

22. Elements of a Communication Plan Four areas to addressin a plan • Topic & Frequency • Various Approaches • Two-Way/Feedback • Analysis & Evaluation

23. Communication Planning

24. Method Written Communication • Includes important information • Is clear and detailed • Standard written language • Invites response and feedback

25. Method Verbal Communication • Instructing • Following up • Asking for help • Revealing • Informally exchanging • Active Listening

26. Varied Approaches Home visits, “each one, take one”, communication system that fits the families’ needs Intensive Strategies (for some students and families) Individual conferences as needed, written communications addressing specific concerns, communication in families everyday language,… Selective Strategies Teachers plan for all families Newsletters, website, parent teacher conferences, grade book Universal Strategies http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Other-Resources/Family-and-Community-Engagement/Framework-for-Building-Partnerships-Among-Schools/Communicating-with-Families.pdf.aspx

27. Feedback Two-Way Communication • Feedback loop makes communication two-way • Feedback and response system should be embedded in communication efforts

28. Feedback from families… “We appreciate knowing that there are adequate opportunities for us to express our concerns and opinionsabout important issues impacting school.” “Whenever I express my concerns and opinions, I know that they are seriously consideredby school and district leaders.”

29. Feedback Reminders about two-way Communication • Be consistent • Multiple opportunities to contact and/or respond • Consideration given to feedbackand possible adjustments made • Two-way communication honors family opinions, builds trust, and invites family partnerships!

30. Let’s Chat! Using the Chat Pod… share how you think the following written communication could be transformed from expected to effective?

31. Are your famlies fluent in “Education-ese”? “At Child-First Elementary, we hold attendance and punctuality to class as a fundamental priority in providing a sound educational experience for all inhabitants of our school. The OAT is responsible for processing all attendance and tardiness issues. Students parents, and guardians are responsible for directing such issues to OAT. Both habitual and unusual or catastrophic circumstances can all be effectively monitored and processed through OAT….”

33. POLL:Are your families aware of ways they can support their child at home? Yes or No

34. Helpful Resources and Tools http://www.laspdg.org/content.cfm?id=308&schoolyearID=5 • Common Core Road Maps for Families • Communication Planning Template • Written Communication Rubric • Quick Tips: Verbal and Electronic Communication

35. Use a planning framework for communicating almost any topic with families!

36. Strategy 2: Assess Families’ Perceptions & Preferences About Communication Assess

37. Will be discussed during February 5, 2014 webinar

38. You Are Here!!!

39. Focus: • On three levels of communication: • School building to home • Classroom to home • School district to community • On communication content, delivery systems, and frequency of communication

40. Assessing Communication Assessing communication efforts will: • measure effectiveness of communicationefforts • provide information about families’ perceptions and feelings • Serve as a baseline for developing a communication plan • Protect against attitudes of complacency

41. Communication Survey

42. A communication survey can address… • The school’s current communication patterns • Overall effectiveness • Opportunities to make-up for parents who didn’t attend an event • Enough support for support child with academics • Timeliness of notification • Adequate ways to give feedback • A person to contact for questions • The families’ communication preferences • Preferred methods of communicating information • Suggestions for improvement

43. Poll Which is the preferred method of communication according to families? • Newsletters • Social media • Parent portal • Email from the school/district • Phone calls

44. Parents’ preferred methods of communication How parents want to communicate with school http://www.nspra.org/ Increasing Preference Increasing Preference

45. Consider Results From Existing Surveys to Families Examples: • Title One parent survey • Survey during district/school accreditation process • State Performance Plan (SPP) Indicator 8 survey • Event evaluation survey Communicate feedback with the stakeholders!

46. Other ways to assess perceptions • Organize feedback forums • Administer a quick communication survey after a workshop or meeting • Generate a survey using Survey Monkey (www.surveymonkey.com)

47. Helpful Tools and Practices!http://www.laspdg.org/content.cfm?id=418 • Survey Toolkit: • assess 4 domains • 3 Surveys • scoring guide • promising practices To view example questions/stems visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/harvard-education-surveys/

48. Strategy 3: Modify Existing Communication Structures Modify

49. Not Harder Work Smarter • Link to student learning • Individualized • Two way • Incorporate follow-up

50. Open House or Conferences to Conversations about Learning