Parent Academy
At the beginning of 2011, HEM conducted a strategic planning retreat. The idea of a Parent Academy emerged from our strategic planning retreat as the most logical next step in the development and growth of our organization. HEM was born in the unprecedented wave of energy spawned by the school furlough crisis. The result is that we became recognized as a bridge between stakeholders and a voice for families in public schools. As the fervor around the crisis died down, so too did the activist engagement of our parents and families. It is our intention to find ways to sustain and deepen active and meaningful participation for parents and families beyond the crisis du jour.
Thanks to generous support from The Learning Coalition and the Hawaii Community Foundation, HEM is collaborating with the Kailua/Kalaheo Complex Area Superintendent, principals, teachers, and families to develop a sustainable way to engage parents and families in the education process, so that families deepen their understanding of education issues and become effective partners in improving their local schools. We believe we can achieve this by the formation of a Parent Academy, and we want you to join us.
A Parent Academy is a series of education related workshops (either in person or on-line) that provide information and training on a variety of topics for families. These workshops are designed to help families and school staff become full partners in the education of all students. Workshop topics might include academic support, college readiness, health and nutrition, and safety issues. Some of the national models we looked to were San Diego Parent University, Miami-Dade County Parent Academy, and Montgomery County Parent Academy.
In partnership with families, teachers, and principals, we have developed and will pilot five workshops for the complex-wide Parent Academy to assess the effectiveness of this model in engaging parents in education. The development of the Kailua/Kalaheo Parent Academy is an open and inclusive process. It is important that principals, teachers and families are involved in every step of the development process. Parent and family input and ownership will be key to the success of the Parent Academy. Toward this end, we conducted ‘talk story sessions’ with parents and teachers at the end of 2011. The input received from our ‘talk story’ sessions was overwhelmingly positive and supportive, receiving comments from stakeholders such as: ‘I always feel an informed parent is a happy parent’, ‘A Parent Academy would help parents become more empathetic with the process and get a clearer idea of expectations and ways to support their children.’, ‘Parents who are involved feel better about the school and teachers.’, and ‘A Parent Academy could get parents to want to be involved in their child’s learning.’
A common thread that emerged from the ‘talk story’ sessions was the importance of developing relationships. Why is this important? All aspects of life are based on relationships. We cannot expect excellence in public education without first developing and investing in good relationships. The discussions at these session revealed that a strong ‘us v. them’ perception persists in schools, instead of families and schools feeling like ‘we are all in this together’. Taking the time to develop and build relationships will help shift this perception.
So how do we start to build trusting relationships? COMMUNICATION.
Communication is the single most important factor in any relationship, whether it be with our own children, our friends, our bosses, or our children’s school. From our private lives to professional relationships, we deeply and profoundly affect each other through our communication. How we communicate therefore has an enormous effect on all of our relationships.
We believe that parents are a child’s first, primary, and life-long teachers. Everything parents do at home has long-term effects on preparing a child for success in school and life. The Parent Academy pilot workshops are designed to help families apply effective communication strategies in the home that can also be translated to their child’s teacher and school. Communication will be the common denominator of the five pilot workshops for the Kailua/Kalaheo Parent Academy. Effective communication is the foundation for building trusting relationships between families and schools.
Click here to read the findings from our Fall 2011 ‘talk story sessions’.
We will pilot the following workshops in May 2012 (under each workshop topic are related links):
- MAY 3rd - Beyond Bullying: Growing Safe Schools
How to Use Social and Emotional Learning to Stop Bullying
Social and Emotional Learning and Bullying Prevention
Free Brochures for Parents on Bullying
The Beginning of the End of Bullying
- Hawaii 5210!
- Chop Chop: A Cooking Magazine for Families
- The Dramatic Link Between Sleep and Student Performance
- Expanding Breakfast: A Proven Way to Improve Student Learning
- MAY 22nd - Blast Off to Summer Reading!
Please RSVP for the May workshops by emailing us at friends@hawaiieducationmatters.org.
Help us spread the word about our upcoming workshops. Share our workshop flyer with your networks!
BRING A FRIEND! Refreshments and childcare will be provided at all of the workshops, and some very cool RAFFLE prizes will be given away.
If you are interested in learning more about these workshops and/or joining us as we develop the Kailua/Kalaheo Parent Academy please email us at anndavis@hawaiieducationmatters.org OR join our social networking site.
Making a Difference
There’s never been a time of more optimism and practical help for public school children in Hawaii. In the Fall of 2009 176,000 public school children and teachers were furloughed. Now, because of two moms’ tenacity, we have a law that mandates a minimum number of school hours. Thanks to a dedicated team (which includes HSTA) our State DOE has been awarded the federal grant, Race to the Top, to create and implement systemic changes within our public school system. Check back often as we share stories about our public schools that inspire, and share ideas for how each of us can make a difference.
Hawaii’s 2012 Teacher of the Year
A Mindful School for a Mindful Community
Public School Keiki Help Plant the New Day Garden at Washington Place
Catherine Payne: Creating Stability for Hawai‘i’s Teenagers
Moanalua High One of 15 Model Schools Nationwide
What our public schools CAN do. Wakiki Elementary School.
Hawai‘i’s Top Teacher Gets Shout Out from Obama
Businesses Support Public School
Farrington Water Team Scores with Perseverance
Our own Gordon Miyamoto’s son David and his senior project at Castle High School
Palolo Elementary – A Model for Improvement
Two Moms Ensure Hawaii’s Public School Children are Never Furloughed Again
Kailua Elementary School recognized by American Association of School Libraries
Healthy Families, Healthy Schools
Health Families, Healthy Schools is a program of HEM that aims to help families understand the link between a healthy lifestyle and student success. Using the pillars of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! Initiative, HEM provides resources to families to support them in their endeavor to eat healthy and be active.
About 28 percent of Hawaii’s high school students are overweight according to the Hawaii Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Although this rate is lower than the national rate of 32 percent, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation study noted that Hawaii high school obesity rate rose from 10.5 percent in 1999 to 14.5 percent in 2009. Further, the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) states that health and success in school are related, and schools cannot achieve their primary mission of education if students and staff are not healthy and fit physically, mentally, and socially. But the evidence also shows that making healthier choices can make a difference: healthy food choices and physical activity contributes to increased academic performance and a child’s ability to pay attention in class.
In response to some of these childhood health issues, the Hawaii DOE now requires all schools to have a wellness policy. How is your school implementing its wellness policy? How do you know if a snack or beverage meets the Hawaii DOE wellness guidelines? For starters, Hawaii Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) provides a list of items that meet the DOE guidelines. Here you’ll find ideas for healthy snack foods and healthy fundraising. Another excellent resource, Hawaii 5210! , is an initiative to promote healthy eating and active living and prevent childhood obesity in Hawaii through a coordinated, collaborative, locally relevant health education campaign. On their website you will find ideas for supporting a healthy school environment that can help your school meet the DOE wellness guidelines.
Doing something innovative at your school to support wellness? Let us know, we want to share your story.
ZAMZEE!
Generous support from Kaiser Permanente Hawaii has made possible the launch of our first program of the Healthy Schools, Healthy Families Initiative, Zamzee. In partnership with Hope Lab, HEM will pilot this project that aims to increase physical activity among ‘tweens’ (teens 11-14 years old) through the use of Zamzee, a technology that monitors, quantifies, and rewards physical activity in a motivating and engaging way. Zamzee is an innovative way to leverage the power and appeal of technology to encourage healthier lifestyles, showing the emerging role of technology in the promotion of physical activity among youth. In scientific studies, Zamzee increased the physical activity of tweens by as much as 30 percent.
Beginning November 2011, HEM will pilot the efficacy of Zamzee with approximately 750 youth on Oahu. For more information please contact Jennifer Dang at limiakokua@hawaii.rr.com.
Healthy School Resources
Kokua Hawaii Foundation just released its Healthy Snack and Waste-Free Classroom Celebrations Resource Guide. Encourage your school to serve healthy snacks during HSA testing. This resource contains excellent ideas to increase compliance with the DOE Wellness Policy, while reducing your environmental footprint.
Alliance for a Healthier Generation
Chop Chop: The FUN Cooking Magazine for Families
Hawaii State DOE Wellness Guidelines
National Farm to School Network
The Edible School Yard Project
School Food Focus has put together an excellent resource called, School Food 101
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HEM NewsletterKailua/Kalaheo Parent Academy – MAY WorkshopsClick on the image to read our current newsletter or download it here… |
