Community Members: Innovation

Innovation Essential

When all stakeholders continuously evaluate current strategies and explore new approaches to engage and empower students and families, then ALL students, families, school staff, and community members will consistently improve.

A. Evaluate current strategies and apply new approaches to enhance engagement.

B. Create additional partnerships to educate the whole child resulting in healthy, safe (physically and emotionally), engaged, supported, and challenged students.

C. Effectively develop family engagement, family advocacy, and empowerment by creating new opportunities by building whole family relationships through alliances with health services, social services, judicial system, non-profit, civic, faith organizations, etc.

D. Sharing information and innovations with other stakeholders.

Resources are organized according to the order in which they are received.

Use the magnifying glass in the top right corner to search for specific tools using key words.

A. Evaluate current strategies and apply new approaches to enhance engagement.

Mobile Preschools: Supporting rural preschoolers and beyond - Rolling preschools, which travel to apartment complexes or mobile home parks a couple times per week, are seen as an innovative way to reach children who can’t access traditional bricks-and-mortar preschools. https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2018/11/12/they-started-as-an-experiment-in-rural-areas-now-mobile-preschools-are-rolling-into-metro-denver/

New Mexico Health Equity Partnership - NMHEP uses a unique, multi-stakeholder statewide approach tailored to grassroots community assets and needs. This approach draws on the collective strengths of diverse partners and allies. Cross-sector relationships foster the leveraging of expertise and resources. Decisions are made collectively and transparently. The Partnership highly values cultural knowledge and engages communities by building on their assets to advocate for policy change. http://nmhep.org/

Community-Based Service Learning - Stakeholders access community needs and opportunities for student-family-school service learning projects. Focus and scope of potential learning projects define pedagogy for teaching and learning beyond the classroom. Stakeholder support and participation creates education focus communities. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/teaching-through-community-engagement/

How Family, School, and Community Engagement Can Improve Student Achievement and Influence School Reform. 2017 report shows how to most effectively engage families, and which family engagement strategies lead to school improvement and increased student achievement. https://www.nmefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Final-Report-Family-Engagement-AIR.pdf

How to Solve the Parent Engagement Problem - This EdWeek article provides ten vetted practices to implement in your program to improve parent engagement. https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/01/10/how-to-solve-the-parent-engagement-problem.html

Community Collaborations- Wynne School District uses a number of community collaborations as strategies to engage parents and students in activities such as having the police department come in to present Safety on Social Media Night. Student assemblies are set up and night assemblies for parents only where they are free to discuss mature information, or a collaboration with AR Children's Hospital where we provide a dental clinic to students in grades K-3. The Pre-K Collaboration Committee helps transition preschool children to kindergarten by hosting parent workshops at all area preschools three times a year.

Human-Centered Design: An Innovative Tool for Professional Learning in Family Engagement - Human-centered design is a process used to create new products and services based on knowing and empathizing with people. The design process involves three overlapping steps: inspiration, ideation, implementation. https://globalfrp.org/content/download/295/3154/file/GFRP_Human-CenteredDesignGuide.pdf

Educating Our Children Together/A Sourcebook for Effective Family-School-Community Partnerships - Provides practical information for parents and families, educators and administrators, and individuals involved in programs that support partnerships between families, schools and communities. It was developed to support and promote creative solutions through the sharing of resources and information about family-school-community partnerships. High goals for educational programs and services for students with disabilities is a highlighted feature in this guidance document. (2003) http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/persprep/cadre.pdf

UA Little Rock MidSOUTH: The Center for Prevention and Training - The Center for Prevention and Training is a workforce development initiative that strives to assist prevention professionals in their efforts to plan, implement, and evaluate science-based programming around the prevention of substance abuse, violence, and other high-risk behaviors. The resources include training, technical assistance, and a resource library housed on the UALR campus. The center provides training on a variety of prevention topics reflecting the most current, science-based approaches to prevention. http://www.midsouth.ualr.edu/the-center-for-prevention-and-training/

Joining Together to Create a Bold Vision for Next-Generation Family Engagement: Engaging Families to Transform Education - The document looks at what we have learned over the past 50 years of research and policy as well as the need for changes in mindsets. The paper identifies five promising, high-leverage areas that can serve as “building blocks” for the next generation of family engagement strategies. https://globalfrp.org/Articles/Joining-Together-to-Create-a-Bold-Vision-for-Next-Generation-Family-Engagement-Engaging-Families-to-Transform-Education

Getting Smart Podcast: Unlocking what's new and innovative in education- https://www.gettingsmart.com/2018/10/social-emotional-learning-in-the-home/

Open House Meet The Teacher, Parent Teacher Conferences via Online Video Conference- Interested parents unable to attend a meeting in-person can attend via Zoom video chat meetings set up by the local school or school district. https://zoom.us/

B. Create additional partnerships to educate the whole child resulting in healthy, safe (physically and emotionally), engaged, supported, and challenged students.

Summer Matters - Summer Matters is a statewide network of school districts, educators, school boards, education leaders, mayors, legislators, nonprofits, funders, civic leaders and parents working collaboratively to create and expand access to high quality summer learning opportunities for all California students." The website offers tools, stories, videos, and reports to support these goals. http://www.summermatters.net/

Resources for Parents and Caregivers -The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) - Click the “Resources” tab near the top right to find links to many free resources for families in English and Spanish including age-related reactions to a traumatic event; grief resources; tips for military families; children's books related to hurricanes, earthquakes, and the death of a parent; and resources on sibling death, medical trauma/hospital stay, abuse (various types), terrorism, and natural disasters. INFORMACIÓN EN ESPAÑOL https://www.nctsn.org/audiences/families-and-caregivers

Mobile Preschools: Supporting rural preschoolers and beyond - Rolling preschools, which travel to apartment complexes or mobile home parks a couple times per week, are seen as an innovative way to reach children who can’t access traditional bricks-and-mortar preschools. https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2018/11/12/they-started-as-an-experiment-in-rural-areas-now-mobile-preschools-are-rolling-into-metro-denver/

The National Farm to School Network - An information, advocacy and networking center for communities working to bring local food sourcing, school gardens and food and agriculture education into schools. http://www.farmtoschool.org/ and Arkansas Farm to School Network http://www.farmtoschool.org/our-network/Arkansas

Nine Elements of Effective School Community Partnerships to Address Student Mental Health, Physical Health, and Overall Wellness- In order to have the most positive impact on the academic and wellness outcomes of students, it is imperative that schools and communities work together through a collaborative and comprehensive approach. https://www.nasponline.org/community-schools-white-paper

Community Collaborations- Wynne School District uses a number of community collaborations as strategies to engage parents and students in activities such as having the police department come in to present Safety on Social Media Night. Student assemblies are set up and night assemblies for parents only where they are free to discuss mature information, or a collaboration with AR Children's Hospital where we provide a dental clinic to students in grades K-3. The Pre-K Collaboration Committee helps transition preschool children to kindergarten by hosting parent workshops at all area preschools three times a year.

Promise Neighborhoods - The purpose of Promise Neighborhoods is to significantly improve the educational and developmental outcomes of children and youth in our most distressed communities, and to transform those communities. https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/school-choice-improvement-programs/promise-neighborhoods-pn/

Talking is Teaching Communities - “Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing” is a public awareness and action campaign that aims to motivate parents and caregivers to talk, read, and sing more with their young children from birth. https://talkingisteaching.org/resources/talk-read-sing-together-every-day-tips-families

Educating Our Children Together/A Sourcebook for Effective Family-School-Community Partnerships - Provides practical information for parents and families, educators and administrators, and individuals involved in programs that support partnerships between families, schools and communities. It was developed to support and promote creative solutions through the sharing of resources and information about family-school-community partnerships. High goals for educational programs and services for students with disabilities is a highlighted feature in this guidance document. (2003) http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/persprep/cadre.pdf

Community-Based Service Learning - Stakeholders access community needs and opportunities for student-family-school service learning projects. Focus and scope of potential learning projects define pedagogy for teaching and learning beyond the classroom. Stakeholder support and participation creates education focus communities. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/teaching-through-community-engagement/

UA Little Rock MidSOUTH: The Center for Prevention and Training - The Center for Prevention and Training is a workforce development initiative that strives to assist prevention professionals in their efforts to plan, implement, and evaluate science-based programming around the prevention of substance abuse, violence, and other high-risk behaviors. The resources include training, technical assistance, and a resource library housed on the UALR campus. The center provides training on a variety of prevention topics reflecting the most current, science-based approaches to prevention. http://www.midsouth.ualr.edu/the-center-for-prevention-and-training/

Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators - Provides school administrators, teachers, staff, and concerned parents with basic information about working with traumatized children in the school system. A guide for parents on understanding child traumatic stress is included in the last pages of this resource. https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//child_trauma_toolkit_educators.pdf Spanish Version: https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//child_trauma_toolkit_educators_sp.pdf View full list of National Child Traumatic Stress Network resources here: https://www.nctsn.org/resources

2019 Prevention Resource Guide - The 2019 Prevention Resource Guide is designed to help individuals and organizations in every community strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect. The Resource Guide focuses on protective factors that build on family strengths to foster healthy child and youth development. https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/preventionmonth/resources/resource-guide/

Be Mighty Little Rock is a campaign connecting kids and teens to after school and summer meal programs. The Be Mighty METRO pass, which is good for June 1-July 31, is only available to participants age 18 and younger. Riders 11 and younger will be provided a pass for themselves and a guardian. Passes may be reserved starting May 13 and picked up at any Central Arkansas Library System branch.

Eudora Residents lead Literacy Initiative for their students - This is a story with embedded links to the partners used by Eudora Reads. http://ruralschoolscollaborative.org/news/partnerships-supports-exemplary-literacy-program-in-eudora-arkansas

C. Effectively develop family engagement, family advocacy, and empowerment by creating new opportunities by building whole family relationships through alliances with health services, social services, judicial system, non-profit, civic, faith organizations, etc.

Summer Matters - Summer Matters is a statewide network of school districts, educators, school boards, education leaders, mayors, legislators, nonprofits, funders, civic leaders and parents working collaboratively to create and expand access to high quality summer learning opportunities for all California students." The website offers tools, stories, videos, and reports to support these goals. http://www.summermatters.net/

ParentCamps - ParentCamps are designed to bring home and school together. The following links provide information on how they work and a step-by-step action plan. https://www.ed.gov/family-and-community-engagement/bulletin-board/what-is-parentcamp and https://www.ed.gov/family-and-community-engagement/parentcamp-tool-kit#about

Webinar Series: Achieving Excellence & Innovation in Family, School, & Community Engagement - 9 different webinars from transforming schools to actually engaging all stakeholders; https://www.sedl.org/connections/engagement_webinars

Independence County Workforce Partnerships - See how Independence County is using partnerships to transform workforce readiness. https://impact.batesvilleareaalliance.com/blog/page/13/the-new-career-and-technical-education

How Family, School, and Community Engagement Can Improve Student Achievement and Influence School Reform. 2017 report shows how to most effectively engage families, and which family engagement strategies lead to school improvement and increased student achievement. https://www.nmefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Final-Report-Family-Engagement-AIR.pdf

Mental Health Services Family Nights - The families that receive mental health services in our building filled out a survey of parenting strategies they need in their life. Once a month, all the families get together to watch a funny parenting video that has been created by the MH team, and then they split up into small groups to discuss parenting strategies. The kids have an activity like Karate or building with Legos while the parents learn. https://youtu.be/Jok6UAjqsP0

Community-Based Service Learning - Stakeholders access community needs and opportunities for student-family-school service learning projects. Focus and scope of potential learning projects define pedagogy for teaching and learning beyond the classroom. Stakeholder support and participation creates education focus communities. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/teaching-through-community-engagement/

Bryant School District Hornet Health Center - Read about the services available at the Bryant School District Hornet Health Center. The Hornet Health Center was made possible by a grant from Arkansas Department of Education–Office of Coordinated School Health. https://www.bryantschools.org/page/school-based-health-center

Webinar Series: Achieving Excellence & Innovation in Family, School, & Community Engagement - 9 different webinars from transforming schools to actually engaging all stakeholders; https://www.sedl.org/connections/engagement_webinars

Promise Neighborhoods - The purpose of Promise Neighborhoods is to significantly improve the educational and developmental outcomes of children and youth in our most distressed communities, and to transform those communities. https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/school-choice-improvement-programs/promise-neighborhoods-pn/

Community Collaborations- Wynne School District uses a number of community collaborations as strategies to engage parents and students in activities such as having the police department come in to present Safety on Social Media Night. Student assemblies are set up and night assemblies for parents only where they are free to discuss mature information, or a collaboration with AR Children's Hospital where we provide a dental clinic to students in grades K-3. The Pre-K Collaboration Committee helps transition preschool children to kindergarten by hosting parent workshops at all area preschools three times a year.

Father Effect – Infographic on the impact of fathers being more involved as caretakers and being more nurturing as well as fatherhood challenges, solutions and next steps. http://sites.nationalacademies.org/cs/groups/dbassesite/documents/webpage/dbasse_179262.pdf

Talking is Teaching Communities - “Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing” is a public awareness and action campaign that aims to motivate parents and caregivers to talk, read, and sing more with their young children from birth. https://talkingisteaching.org/resources/talk-read-sing-together-every-day-tips-families

Communities for Education and Action - This video highlights importance of developing leadership among parents as a key path to strengthening the community through advocacy and family leadership. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Is4sykEWxg&feature=youtu.be

Educating Our Children Together/A Sourcebook for Effective Family-School-Community Partnerships - Provides practical information for parents and families, educators and administrators, and individuals involved in programs that support partnerships between families, schools and communities. It was developed to support and promote creative solutions through the sharing of resources and information about family-school-community partnerships. High goals for educational programs and services for students with disabilities is a highlighted feature in this guidance document. (2003) http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/persprep/cadre.pdf

ACH Center for Effective Parenting - The Center for Effective Parenting positively impacts children by helping parents and those who work with parents enhance their knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding parenting. The Center focuses on training, service, and research in order to have a broad impact in facilitating the healthy growth and development of children. https://parenting-ed.org

UA Little Rock MidSOUTH: The Center for Prevention and Training - The Center for Prevention and Training is a workforce development initiative that strives to assist prevention professionals in their efforts to plan, implement, and evaluate science-based programming around the prevention of substance abuse, violence, and other high-risk behaviors. The resources include training, technical assistance, and a resource library housed on the UALR campus. The center provides training on a variety of prevention topics reflecting the most current, science-based approaches to prevention. http://www.midsouth.ualr.edu/the-center-for-prevention-and-training/

Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators - Provides school administrators, teachers, staff, and concerned parents with basic information about working with traumatized children in the school system. A guide for parents on understanding child traumatic stress is included in the last pages of this resource. https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//child_trauma_toolkit_educators.pdf Spanish Version: https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//child_trauma_toolkit_educators_sp.pdf View full list of National Child Traumatic Stress Network resources here: https://www.nctsn.org/resources

2019 Prevention Resource Guide - The 2019 Prevention Resource Guide is designed to help individuals and organizations in every community strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect. The Resource Guide focuses on protective factors that build on family strengths to foster healthy child and youth development. https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/preventionmonth/resources/resource-guide/

Be Mighty Little Rock is a campaign connecting kids and teens to after school and summer meal programs. The Be Mighty METRO pass, which is good for June 1-July 31, is only available to participants age 18 and younger. Riders 11 and younger will be provided a pass for themselves and a guardian. Passes may be reserved starting May 13 and picked up at any Central Arkansas Library System branch.

D. Sharing information and innovations with other stakeholders.

Routes to Teacher Licensure- Learn about various routes to licensure, including parapro to teacher routes and alternative licensure programs http://www.arkansased.gov/divisions/educator%20effectiveness/becoming-a-teacher-or-school-leader/routes-to-teacher-licensurepreparation

Financial Aid and Incentives for Teachers- Scholarship, reimbursement, and bonus opportunities for educators http://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/public/userfiles/Educator_Effectiveness/Becoming_a_Teacher_or_School_Leader/Financial_Aid.pdf

Technical Permits- Professionals in the community interested in teaching can learn about what career or technical content area permits are available. http://www.arkansased.gov/public/userfiles/Educator_Effectiveness/Becoming_a_Teacher_or_School_Leader/Technical_Permits.pdf