PIRCs in Action

Interested in reading about ways PIRCs are helping parents and schools work together to help children succeed at school?

Indiana Partnerships Center and Center for Excellence in Leadership of Learning Public Forum on Parent Engagement

For two days in May, parent involvement in the Hoosier state was celebrated. On May 18th, The Indiana Partnerships Center and the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) at the University of Indianapolis co-hosted a public forum on parent engagement. The following day, a celebration was held to honor participants of The Indiana Partnerships Center’s 2005 – 2006 Indiana Academy for Parent Leadership. The celebration also featured an awards ceremony for two school corporations and two organizations that have worked to promote family and community engagement in education. Both the public forum and the celebration were held at the Gene B. Glick Junior Achievement Education Center in Indianapolis and featured Anne Henderson as the keynote speaker. Mrs. Henderson is a long-time champion of parent involvement and is the author and co-author of several published works on the topic, including A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement. Her public forum and celebration presentations focused on the benefits of parent involvement for students and the ways in which schools across the nation are effectively engaging parents.

Now in its fourth year, the Indiana Academy for Parent Leadership is a training series that is funded in part by The Indiana Partnership Center’s U.S. Department of Education Parent Information and Resource Center (PIRC) grant. It is supported by Twenty-first Century Scholars, United Water, and the Gene B. Glick Junior Achievement Education Center. Through the Academy, an array of parents, educators, and community members learn more about state and federal accountability laws (Indiana Public Law 221 and No Child Left Behind), standards and assessments, school achievement data, and effective communication between home and school. As part of their training, Academy participants create and carry out a leadership project that will address an area of priority academic need, such as enhancing the math or literacy skills of students, while increasing parent involvement in the school and encouraging more parents to take leadership roles in the school.

Of the 45 participants who “graduated” from this year’s Academy, three were selected to speak about their experiences. Letty Hubbard, from Northeast Elementary in Greenwood, Jerry Rairdon, from Hazelwood Middle School in New Albany, and William West, a County Parent Leader for Twenty-first Century Scholars, told an audience of approximately 100 educators, community members, and parents that the Academy has helped to increase participants’ confidence in involving other parents in children’s learning. From their perspective, the Academy has enhanced the communication skills of participants and provided a better understanding of parents’ rights and responsibilities. They added that the Academy creates a learning environment where adults of all backgrounds can really focus on what is important – our students.

As a part of the Academy celebration, Promising Practices in Family and Community Engagement awards were presented to the following schools and organizations for outstanding efforts to promote family and community engagement: The Indiana State Improvement Grant - award received by Julie Havill (Family Coordinator); Elkhart Community Schools - award received by Cindy O’Brien (ENL Program Coordinator). The award also recognized the efforts of Ellen Krulewitch (ENL Program Assistant); Indianapolis Public Schools - award received by Dr. Eugene White (Superintendent) and Minetta Richardson (Director, Title I); and Madison County CAPE for its Parent Academy for Leadership in Schools (PALS) initiative. PALS is led by Mary Lee Ewald (Director, CAPE Young Readers for Success), Joanne Hadley (Coordinator), and Bobbette Snyder (Executive Director, Leadership Academy of Madison County).

Indiana Partnerships Center and Indiana State PTA Celebration of Men in Education, 2006

On March 18, the Indiana Partnerships Center and the Indiana State Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) co-hosted the Celebration of Men in Education, 2006. This event honored men who, by participating in father/male involvement programs, are making a positive impact on the lives of Hoosier students. The event included special addresses by Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, Dr. Eugene White, Superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools, Linsey Davis, WTHR Channel 13 news anchor, Dr. Tim Long, Superintendent of the Anderson Community School Corporation, and Jeff Swensson, Metropolitan School District of Warren Township Schools Associate Superintendent. Event sponsors included: Schmidt and Associates; Baker and Daniels, LLP; Bose, McKinney & Evans, LLP; Dads of Warren Central; Security Dads of Arlington High School; Site Technologies; Marsh Supermarkets, Store #6; Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis, University College; Yats, in Broad Ripple; United Water; Regal Printing; and Panera Bread, Store #1078.

At Celebration of Men in Education, 2006, more than 100 participants from approximately 20 father and male involvement programs were recognized and given an opportunity to share ideas about innovations in beginning and maintaining father/male involvement programs. Dennis Woodard, from Dads of Warren Central in Indianapolis, said, “I was able to talk to one group of young dads who were just getting a program started. I explained the importance of things I’ve done through Warren Township, and I hope I was able to give them some great ideas to get started.” Similarly, Larry Bilbrey, from Security Dads at Wilson Middle School in Muncie, said, “I just started a Security Dads program. I got a lot of good information at the Celebration. Several of the other Security Dads offered their information and phone numbers if I have questions down the road.” He added, “I wish we could do this more than once a year. It would be great to get more dads involved. I thought it was nice that they honored the dads who are involved.”

According to Linda Wallace, Associate Director of The Indiana Partnerships Center, “The men who attended were excited to be able to make contacts with other groups. Everyone thinks they are a ‘lone ranger’ when they’re trying to make a positive impact on their schools, especially when they’re just starting out. These men were able to exchange phone numbers with other groups and support and encourage one another.” Dee Jones, Indiana State PTA President, said of the event, “It is so rare that we get to, as a community, thank the men who are volunteering their time to our children. It is an honor to be able to do so today.”

Partners in Learning Enews

The Indiana Partnerships Center has published a special E-version of their newsletter Partners-In-Learning.