THE KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL-FAMILY-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
EPSTEIN'S SIX TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT
Last year the Francis Howell School District established a focus on parent involvement. The district became a part of the National Network for Partnership schools, a parent involvement organization founded by Joyce Epstein through Johns Hopkins University. Epstein has identified 6 types of parent involvement. They are described below, with the two Castlio has chosen to focus on being underlined.
** The two underlined types are the focus for Castlio this year.
Type 1- PARENTING: Assist families with parenting and child-rearing skills,understanding child and adolescent development, and setting home conditions that support children as students at each age and grade level. Assist schools in understanding families
Type 2- COMMUNICATING: Communicate with families about school programs and student progress through effective school-to-home and home-to-school communications.
Type 3- VOLUNTEERING: Improve recruitment, training, work, and schedules to involve families as volunteers and audiences at school or in other locations to support students and school programs.
Type 4- LEARNING AT HOME: Involve families with their children in learning activities at home, including homework and other curriculum-related activites and decisions.
Type 5- DECISION MAKING: Include families as participants in school decisions, governance, and advocacy through PTA/PTO, school councils, committees, action teams, and other parent organizations
Type 6- COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY: Coordinate resources and services for students, families, and the school with businesses, agencies, and other groups, and provide services to the community
** The two underlined types are the focus for Castlio this year.