Press release [May 9, 2013]

Georgia Department of Education Selects 4 Schools as Family-Friendly Partnership School Award Winners
MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org Dorie Turner Nolt, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 6565594, dnolt@gadoe.org Michelle Sandrock, Parent Engagement Program Manager, Phone: (404) 232 1148, msandrock@doe.k12.ga.us - Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
May 9, 2013 Four Georgia schools have been selected as the 2013 winners of the Georgia Department of Education's Family-Friendly Partnership School Award.
The winners were selected because they represent the best in customer service for Georgia families, whether it's on the phone, in the front office or on the Internet. The schools have welcoming staff members, comfortable waiting areas, clear signage and engaging student work throughout the building.
They have easy-to-navigate websites and are forging partnerships with parents to help improve student achievement. The schools also provide unique, engaging and innovative parent engagement programming that is successful in reaching all families in the school.
"The schools that won this award understand the importance of what welcoming environments bring to student success. Truly, they are models for the entire state on how to engage families and make parents feel welcome from the moment that they walk in the door," said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge.
The winners are: Enota Multiple Intelligence Academy in Gainesville City Shiloh Middle School in Gwinnett County St. Simons Elementary School in Glynn County Woodstock Elementary School in Cherokee County

They were chosen from a pool of nine finalists. The five other schools named finalists are: Fort Service Learning Magnet Academy in Muscogee County Hightower Trail Elementary School in Rockdale County Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary in Clarke County Shiloh High School in Gwinnett County Snellville Middle School in Gwinnett County
Each school received phone calls and visits from "parents" looking for information or assistance. They also received a walk-through by department staff, which conducted interviews with school workers, parents, students and community members as part of the selection process.
All four schools will be visited by Dr. Barge in the fall and will receive a plaque and a welcome mat for their front doors as part of the award. The award is sponsored by the GaDOE, along with the Georgia Foundation for Public Education and three Ritz-Carlton hotels in Georgia: The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta (Downtown); The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead; and The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee. Teams from each of the schools also will get the chance to learn more about providing welcoming environments during a professional learning seminar hosted by The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center. The seminars are designed to help the schools increase parent engagement to help improve the academic achievement of students.
"Through The Ritz-Carlton Succeed Through Service program, our hotels partner with schools that serve a disadvantaged community. Our goal is to instill in the students the vision of a successful future if they remain in school," said Erwin Schinnerl, general manager, The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead. "The general managers of our Ritz-Carlton hotels in downtown Atlanta and at Reynolds Plantation share the hope that the family-friendly schools program will successfully encourage academic achievement of their students."
The Family-Friendly Partnership School Award is given out annually to up to 10 schools that go above and beyond to make families feel welcome and work to engage parents in their children's education.
Schools can begin applying for next year's Family-Friendly Partnership School Awards in August. To apply, a school must be Title I - which means it receives additional federal dollars due its high percentage of low-income students to help those students meet the school's educational goals. Schools also must not be designated as Priority or Focus schools under the state's Elementary and Secondary Education Act waiver.
For more information on the Georgia Family Friendly Partnership School initiative or to apply, go to http://www.gadoe.org/School-Improvement/FederalPrograms/Pages/Georgia-Family-Friendly.aspx.
See the attached booklet for more information on the award.

The Georgia Family - Friendly
Partnership School Awards
2013 Winners

The 2013 Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Awards

Congratulatory Message

Georgia State

from Georgia's State School Superintendent Board of Education

It is a privilege and an honor to have the opportunity to announce the four Title I school winners of the 2013 Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Awards. Families, schools, and communi es working together create meaningful partnerships that ul mately lead to significant gains in student achievement and success. Yet, it is up to schools to take the lead in developing and sustaining this essen al partnership by nurturing welcoming environments throughout the en re school building and community.
The schools honored today understand the importance of what welcoming environments bring to student success. They have spent much me and effort evalua ng and refining many aspects of their physical environments, communica ons, personal contacts, and school policies and procedures to ensure that all families feel included and welcome. Truly, they are models for the en re state regarding how to engage families and make parents feel welcome from the moment that they walk in the door.
These schools represent the best in customer service for Georgia families, whether it's on the phone, in the front office or on the Internet. These schools have welcoming staff members, comfortable wai ng areas, clear signage, and engaging displays of student work on view throughout the building. They have easy-to-navigate websites that foster strong partnerships with parents to help improve student achievement. The schools also provide unique and innova ve parent engagement programming that is successful in reaching all families in the school. Most importantly, families are respected and seen as an integral part of every student's educa on.
It is my hope that other Title I schools will learn from these schools and par cipate in Georgia's Family - Friendly Partnership School ini a ve to ensure that all parents are welcomed into their schools. Through these small, but influen al changes we will begin making educa on work for all Georgians.
Congratula ons to our 2013 Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Award winners!
Best regards,

Barbara Hampton, Chair Helen Odom Rice, Vice - Chair
Linda M. Zechmann Elizabeth J. Ragsdale
Lisa Kinnemore Kenneth Mason
Mike Royal Sandra Reed Brian K. Burde e Sco Johnson Allen C. Rice Mary Sue Murray Larry E. Winter

John D. Barge, Ed.D

The 2013 Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Awards

The Georgia Family Friendly Partnership School Awards are annual
awards that recognize Title I schools for their
excep onal commitment to
fostering welcoming environments that encourage families to become ac ve partners in improving student achievement and
success.

About the Georgia Family-Friendly Partnership School Awards
The Georgia Department of Educa on (GaDOE) launched the Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School ini a ve in the summer of 2010 to assist Title I schools, families and communi es in working together to create welcoming environments that lead to increased student achievement. A welcoming environment increases family engagement which, in turn, helps students earn be er grades, graduate from high school and enroll in post secondary educa on. This award takes the ini a ve a step further by recognizing Title I schools that have gone above and beyond to create an environment where families and community members feel that they belong and now play an important role in suppor ng their school's student success.
All Title I schoolwide schools that have not received the Family - Friendly Partnership School Award within the last five years are invited to apply for the award by submi ng a wri en applica on. A panel of respected educators, parents, and community members from across the state evaluate the applica ons and select up to twenty finalists.
School principals are no fied of their finalist selec on and then judges conduct school site visits over a period of three months. Site visits are not announced in advance. During the site visits, judges conduct surprise walk-throughs and interview school staff and visitors to assess each school's welcoming environment. Following the school visits, the judges select the Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Award winners. Up to ten schools may be honored with the award each year.
Each school that is honored with the Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Award is designated as a Family - Friendly School by the GaDOE for five years from the date that the award is announced. The school receives a special visit from the State School Superintendent to celebrate and honor its designa on, a welcome mat to display at the school's front entrance iden fying its family - friendly award status, and a special professional learning opportunity provided by the Ritz - Carlton. This opportunity is designed to further enhance the winning schools' ability to provide welcoming environments to increase parent engagement throughout the schools to improve the academic achievement of their students.

The 2013 Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Awards

About the Georgia Family-Friendly Partnership School Awards
The following four factors are considered when assessing a school's welcoming environment:
1. Physical Environment The physical appearance of the school building and surrounding areas such as the main entrance, halls, parking lots, signage and landscaping
2. Personal Contact The visible interac ons between school staff and families and/or community members, such as acknowledging parents or guests in the school, friendly gree ngs from front office staff, or public recogni on for parents and community members who volunteer and contribute to school and student success
3. Communica on The way that the school keeps families and the community informed through sources such as a welcome le er, up-to-date school calendar of events and holidays, a staff directory, announcements on social media websites or a school map for visitors. Informa on for parents should be provided in various languages and should be easy to understand.
4. School Prac ces and Policies The opportunity for families and community members to provide feedback, ac vely contribute by serving on commi ees that address policies and procedures, or par cipate in parent organiza ons that are inclusive of the en re school community
In addi on, schools also must address how they are implemen ng the six Na onal PTA Standards for Family - School Partnerships by crea ng welcoming environments to increase parent engagement throughout the school. Prior to applying for the award, schools are encouraged to examine their welcoming environments through the Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School ini a ve materials which include a self assessment, parent survey, walk-through, and virtual module. Comple ng the ini a ve in advance of comple ng the award applica on provides a more complete picture of what is expected to be an award winning Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School.

The Georgia Family Friendly Partnership School Awards are part of a larger ini a ve throughout the
state to foster welcoming
environments in Georgia's Title I schools. Schools are encouraged to complete the
Georgia Family - Friendly
Partnership ini a ve process before applying for
the award.

The 2013 Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Awards

Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy
Gainesville City Schools

WINNER

AG P

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Outstanding customer service with families - whether by phone, email, or face - to - face. The schools went above and beyond to make all families feel welcome and to equip them with the informa on needed.
Overwhelming feeling of a posi ve school climate immediately upon entering the school building
Engaging displays of student work throughout all parts of the school

Enota Mul ple Intelligences Academy knows the importance of developing a strong school community which is why they have created their own family-friendly town within the school called Smartville, USA. Charged with suppor ng a diverse popula on of 800 students and a free or reduced meal rate of 65%, the school's unique, easy to navigate learning atmosphere is not the only crea ve prac ce used to engage families, their innova ve programing and posi ve a tudes are also the key to success!
When speaking about family engagement, Principal Dr. Ma Maynor describes the school's philosophy as "we accommodate parents, not ourselves." Parents are welcomed into the school building at any me and do not need an appointment. Individual parent tours of the school are scheduled throughout the year at various mes to accommodate parent schedules. The school holds mul ple parent events and workshops, usually once in the morning and once in the evening to ensure that all parents have the opportunity to a end and receive informa on that will help them to support their children's success in the classroom. Most notably, the school has partnered with an apartment complex in its school a endance zone where teachers and administrators deliver the Scholas c Read and Rise program curriculum to foster sustainable and systema c literacy engagement with families in their own community.
Teachers and school staff foster a sense of community in the school building by saying hello and engaging in regular conversa on with family and community members alike. Parents are spo ed throughout the day par cipa ng in school ac vi es, volunteering in classrooms, mentoring children, or helping the school's parent involvement coordinator. The school's parent resource center also provides online English classes to parents, which many families u lize regularly. Congratula ons to Enota Mul ple Intelligences Academy!

The 2013 Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Awards

Shiloh Middle School
Gwinnett County Schools

WINNER

(C

)

Displaying welcome desks and signage, as well as a comfortable living room type environment for visitor sea ng in the front office or in the school foyer
Showcasing the school's diverse student and family popula on through pictures, artwork, and murals in foyers, classrooms, and hallways
Forging non-financial partnerships with community and faith-based organiza ons to impact student achievement and success

Shiloh Middle School strives to find authen c ways to bring parents to the school, to work with them in the community, and to support them at home. With about 1,800 students and a 67% free or reduced meal popula on, Principal Dr. Eli Welch, III relies on consistent communica on to ensure that families know that they are wanted and needed in all aspects of their children's educa on!
Once a month, the school hosts parent observa on days where parents are able to drop in at any me throughout the day to observe their children's classes. Parents are welcome to stay as long or as li le as their schedules permit, and of course, if they are unable to a end on parent observa on day, they are welcome to come and visit at another me. Parents have responded very posi vely to these opportuni es as a way to help them understand what their children are learning in class. These opportuni es have fostered be er communica on among school faculty and staff, as well.
The parent center serves as a hub of ac vity for families at the school. Parents have the ability to complete an online or hard copy form called a "Parent Prescrip on" to get resources and materials sent home with their children to help them in academic subjects. School counselors partner with teachers of English learners (EL) to host special EL family nights where parents share their favorite cultural dishes and discuss topics of academic interest regarding their students.
The school strongly believes that it can not con nuously improve, academically, unless families help in the process; therefore, school programming is driven by parent feedback. Teacher teams also contact parents through a rota on schedule to touch base with them about student progress. They send good news postcards home to families, and the principal regularly invites parents to par cipate in informal chats regarding school issues. Finally, to ensure that all faculty and staff con nue to nurture a welcoming environment, the school has worked with a few of its local partners in educa on to deliver professional learning on customer service. Congratula ons to Shiloh Middle School!

The 2013 Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Awards

St. Simons Elementary School
Glynn County Schools

WINNER

(C

)

Displaying direc onal and informa onal signage in mul ple languages aligned to the school's student and family popula on
Providing parent and student informa on in easily accessible areas in the school office or at the school entrance
Showcasing fun themes in the lunchroom, gym, and other common areas
Showing evidence of parent support, parent pictures, and thanks to parents and community partners throughout the building

St. Simons Elementary School knows that it is the impact of the family that makes the biggest difference in a child's life. That is why, in a school of about 500 students with a 55% free or reduced meal rate, a sense of community is key to ensuring that all students reach their maximum academic poten al!
Walking through the halls of St. Simons there is a shared vision of friendliness that among teachers, school staff, students, parents and community volunteers. Everyone is valued as important and everyone is focused on helping students succeed. Faculty and staff go the extra mile to ensure that families feel welcome, are informed, and are engaged in opportuni es to enhance their children's learning. About 50% of the students who a end the school are bused or driven to the island from the mainland each day. To ensure that these families have regular opportuni es to interact with the school staff and par cipate in ac vi es, the school goes to the mainland to host parent workshops, parent-teacher conferences, and family fun nights. They set up shop in local parks, churches, and other community buildings.
The school's principal, Suzanne Clements, values two-way communica on with the families. She listens to the needs of her families and is transparent in her efforts to be informa ve and responsive to their needs. For example, when parents par cipate in surveys throughout the year a summary of the results is shared with all families, along with how the school is addressing any issues that may have been iden fied. This type of ongoing communica on between the school and families has built trust and increased parent par cipa on in school events, ul mately benefi ng the students.
The school also has an ac ve parent center that hosts a grandparent connec on group, a growing Hispanic outreach program and a thriving mentor program for at-risk students. Congratula ons to St. Simons Elementary School!

The 2013 Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Awards

Woodstock Elementary School
Cherokee County Schools

WINNER

(C

)

Providing a designated, comfortable space for parents to meet with each other, as well as with staff, to discuss or receive informa on regarding student achievement and success
Ensuring school grounds are well-kept and the school's name is easily recognizable from the road, as well as at the entrance of the building
Providing an engaging, easy to navigate, up-to-date and relevant website with necessary and important school informa on

Woodstock Elementary strives to make everyone who enters the school feel comfortable and valued the minute they walk through the doors. With families from thirty-seven countries represented among its 1,000 students and a 49% free or reduced meal rate, assessing the needs of all families and exploring new ways to reach and support their involvement is crucial!

The principal, Dr. Christy Bowling, describes the school as proac ve, not reac ve when it comes to working with families for the success of all students. It is common to see the school leadership, as well as its faculty and staff, out in the community visi ng and working with families at local churches, community centers, or even at students' homes. Faculty and staff receive professional development from the administra on on effec ve parent engagement strategies, and during common planning me teachers discuss the best ways to engage families in the educa onal process of the school. Home-school communica on remains a strong part of the school's success, with parents receiving weekly emails and phone messages from the school.

WOODSTOCK ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL

The school has a robust tutoring/mentoring program called "Camp Learnalo a" where parents can volunteer or request services for their children. The program consists of over thirty regular volunteers who spend at least thirty minutes a week working one-on-one or in small groups with students to remediate, accelerate, or maintain their academic skills. Parents also u lize the academic resources of the well stocked parent resource center called "The Co age" and the media center, which is open late to accommodate working parents' schedules.

To ensure that new parents to the school feel welcome, a new families' coffee is held at the beginning of the school year to introduce them to school staff in an informal se ng. The event allows staff to share ways in which families can be involved and can become familiar with the school's educa onal program. In addi on, a welcome commi ee, staffed by parent volunteers, personally calls new families to welcome them to the school and to share valuable informa on about how to become involved and stay connected. Congratula ons Woodstock Elementary School!

The 2013 Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Awards FINALISTS

Fort Middle School
Muscogee County Schools

Hightower Trail Elementary School
Rockdale County Schools

Fort Middle School strives to meet the diverse needs of its families and students. Walking through the building, it is clear that one way that they accomplish this is by honoring the unique history of the school and the community in which it resides, as well as highligh ng the school's dedicated parent and community volunteers. Other family - friendly highlights are:
The school provides each family with a parent involvement guide every nine weeks that contains strategies to help them support and share in their child's educa onal success.
The school sends a message from the principal, by phone and email, to all parents each Sunday night to ensure that parents are engaged in the life of the school and the academic success of their child.
The school holds community job fairs with local employers to help meet the needs of students' families and members of the local community.
The school ensures that 90% of all its families are contacted at least five mes during the school year to ensure posi ve home-school communica ons.

Hightower Trail Elementary School makes parents feel welcome immediately upon entering the school. Colorful artwork and posi ve, family - friendly signage throughout the school make it easy for families and visitors to find and access various classrooms or popular school areas. Other family - friendly highlights are:
The school's faculty and staff make "happy calls" twice a week to different families to report good news.
The school provides a well-equipped parent center that is easily accessible to parents at the very front of the building.
The school holds four to six ice cream socials in the neighborhoods surrounding the school at the beginning of the school year to build trust and rapport among families and school faculty and staff members outside of the tradi onal school environment.
The school collaborates with over fi y ac ve business, community-based, and faith-based organiza ons to provide a variety of services and supports to students and families.

The 2013 Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Awards FINALISTS

Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School Snellville Middle School

Clarke County Schools

Gwinnett County Schools

Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School staff works hard to engage families, and what they are doing works! The school regularly holds family-fun events such as parent breakfasts, family science nights, culture nights, and other workshops focused on student achievement that result in high par cipa on from parents. Other family - friendly highlights are:
The school hosts a monthly "Principal's Coffee" to talk with parents and share academic informa on.
The school u lizes various forms of communica on to reach its families such as phone calls, flyers, social media, email, text messages, and a bilingual newsle er.
The school holds Parent and Children Together (PACT) me once a month at the school. PACT me is composed of interac ve learning sessions for parents and children in the classroom. Instruc onal ac vi es are modeled by homeroom teachers and are delivered in English and Spanish.
The school holds a "Seeing is Believing Tour" each year during which members of the community are invited to tour the school, experience day - to - day ac vi es, and learn how engage in a partnership with the school.

Snellville Middle School knows the meaning of customer service. Its front office provides a welcoming environment with top notch, professional staff. Directly next door is its parent resource center where the excellent service and invi ng atmosphere con nue. Other family - friendly highlights are:
The school holds parent focus groups to ensure that the school is constantly improving school-home communica ons.
The school has a model parent resource center with convenient hours of opera on. It is a comfortable environment for parents to meet and there are academic learning resources for families to check out, computers for parents to use, and all kinds of informa on to educate and inform families about school and community events.
The school celebrates Na onal Parent Involvement Day by invi ng parents in for classroom observa ons. Parents are able to schedule other classroom observa ons throughout the year.
The school has a Volunteer of the Month program. Each volunteer is recognized in the school newsle er to encourage other parents to get involved.

The 2013 Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Awards FINALISTS

Shiloh High School
Gwinnett County Schools

Sponsors
Thank You for Your Support

Shiloh High School ensures that its website is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and up-to-date with relevant content and informa on. For many high school parents this is their first stop for informa on, and it is easy to see why. The school also ensures that parents, without easy access to technology are well informed by providing a welcome desk and parent center conveniently located at the entrance of the building. Other family - friendly highlights are:
The school's parent resource center is located adjacent to the counseling office. The center has extended hours to meet the needs of working families and provides past parent workshop materials as well as audio/visual workshop recordings for parents to view if they were unable to a end.
The school partners with community organiza ons to regularly offer mul cultural, ar s c, academic, spor ng, health and safety type classes, workshops, and other events at the school for students, families, and others in the community.
The school requires all teachers to update their class webpages weekly with homework assignments and other informa on to ensure that parents can monitor their child's academic work.
The school highlights and honors its cultural diversity throughout the building by using pictures, murals, and other art forms to create a welcoming environment.

The Georgia Department of Educa on would like to recognize and thank its sponsors for their dedica on to improving the welcoming environments of Georgia's Title I schools. Their support of this award program helps to promote the important responsibility schools have to engage families in becoming ac ve partners in improving student achievement and success.

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For more informa on about the Georgia Family - Friendly Partnership School Awards ,please visit the Georgia Department of Educa on's Parent Engagement Website at: h p://public.doe.k12.ga.us/tss_ tle.aspx?PageReq=ParentEngagement
The Georgia Department of Educa on Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
"Making Educa on Work for All Georgians"