Effective parent and community involvement in a school setting does not just happen—it requires effort on the part of the school staff to first establish good relationships with parents and the community and then requires additional effort to maintain and improve these relationships. This is a necessary task for schools to attend to. Good parent and community relations make for a better school experience for everyone connected to the school.
 

For your final assignment in this course, you will create a parent and community involvement plan. Your plan should be ten to twelve pages in length, not including the title page and reference page. Be sure to include a minimum of five scholarly sources (not including your textbook), cited and referenced in APA style, that support your ideas.
 

Your plan should address the following items:

1. Describe a philosophy of the plan. Why you are creating this involvement plan?

2. Describe aims of the plan. What you intend to do?

3. Describe goals of the plan. What you intend to accomplish?

4. Describe school resources to implement the plan. Include personnel, materials, and funding.

5. Explain the student role in the plan. What will they be doing?

6. Explain the parent role in the plan. What they will be doing?

7. Explain the role of other community members/organizations in the plan. What will they be doing?

8. Explain actions to gain support for the plan. How will you create and engage support?

9. Explain events to gain support for the plan; include events to gain parent participation and community attendance.

10. Explain how you will evaluate the plan and criteria for success.

Carefully review the

Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.)

for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

See full work attached.

Week 6 Final Project Parent Involvement for the 21st Century

Effective parent and community involvement in a school setting does not just happen—it requires effort on the part of the school staff to first establish good relationships with parents and the community and then requires additional effort to maintain and improve these relationships. This is a necessary task for schools to attend to. Good parent and community relations make for a better school experience for everyone connected to the school.
For your final assignment in this course, you will create a parent and community involvement plan. Your plan should be ten to twelve pages in length, not including the title page and reference page. Be sure to include a minimum of five scholarly sources (not including your textbook), cited and referenced in APA style, that support your ideas. 
Your plan should address the following items:

1. Describe a philosophy of the plan. Why you are creating this involvement plan?

2. Describe aims of the plan. What you intend to do?

3. Describe goals of the plan. What you intend to accomplish?

4. Describe school resources to implement the plan. Include personnel, materials, and funding.

5. Explain the student role in the plan. What will they be doing?

6. Explain the parent role in the plan. What they will be doing?

7. Explain the role of other community members/organizations in the plan. What will they be doing?

8. Explain actions to gain support for the plan. How will you create and engage support?

9. Explain events to gain support for the plan; include events to gain parent participation and community attendance.

10. Explain how you will evaluate the plan and criteria for success.

Carefully review the

Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.)

for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

INSTRUCTOR GUIDANCE
WEEK FIVE

*Special thanks to Dr. Patrice Jones for sharing her original guidance in this document.
In Week Five, you read about the link between Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and parental involvement. When students do not have their basic needs met or do not feel safe in school, they are not fully prepared for academic instruction.  “It is imperative that we proactively create a climate that will support all students learning” (Hjalmarson, 2011, p.135). Partnerships are all about connection.  In this final week of the class, we will end our discussion about the need to develop partnerships among schools, families, and communities to support student success. 

Parents are the glue that helps to bring students and schools together.  For schools, it is important to gain parent support and involvement in assisting students in their educational growth. Schools must develop strategies to offer parents in establishing better support for students in their educational journey; however, in order for schools to help parents, there must be a plan in place. We learned at the start of this course that there are a variety of ways in which parents can be supportive of students in school.  Far gone are the days when the only way that parents could show support was to help with homework.  Although helping with homework is still vital, it is only a small example of the many strategies that parents can use to support the education of their children.
Think about the classroom today, beyond fundraisers and PTA meetings.  What are some of ways in which your child’s school has asked for your support or you have asked parents for support?  How does this extend to using technology as a means of academic support?  Consider the technology you use to communicate with your child’s teachers or with the parents of your students.  Research shows a strong correlation between the achievement gap and home Internet accessibility (Empowering Parents, 2010). “If, as President Obama emphasizes, parents have a responsibility to be actively involved in their children’s education, they will need the technology tools and skills to do so effectively” (The Children’s Partnership, 2010, p. 7).  Having regular communication with schools through email, blogs, and social media helps parents receive updates to their child’s performance and plan for what additional supports they might need for areas of need.
We have learned throughout the previous weeks of this course that classrooms throughout the U.S. have become increasingly diverse. Hjalmarson writes that, “when people are born into families with limited parenting skills, without some intervention or training, they will very likely be the same kind of parent that they were raised by” (2011, p. 157).  Leaders in schools today must recognize the need to become culturally literate so that students can be successful.  There have been a variety of strategies discussed that can be used to implement a strong program to support students and their families through collaboration. Members of the school must take on the needed leadership roles to address what’s most important to students and their families; however, according to the NEA, “cultural competence is a key factor in enabling educators to be effective with students from cultures other than their own” (no date, para. 2). What makes the need for cultural competence so important?  How can you contribute to building a positive relationship with your school’s community?  What can you do to provide support to parents to encourage stronger school involvement?

Week 6 Discussion Guidance

Successful models of family partnerships makes families feel welcome, include family input in multicultural curriculum, and offer workshops for parents to learn and grow with their children. One organization, Parents Reaching Out, uses the Epstein model for parental involvement by developing family leadership, connecting families throughout the community, and provide families with learning opportunities (Parents Reaching Out, 2008). They relate a supportive academic environment to weaving a blanket. “Consider the similarities between weaving blankets that stand the test of time and creating supportive environments that help our children to thrive.  The systems, services and families in our children’s lives are strands of thread” (Parents Reaching Out, 2008, p. 2).  For the first discussion, Community Involvement, reflect back to the writings of Epstein.  Respond to all of the questions being posed here.  Our communities are an important aspect of the growth of the students within them. What does it look like to have a community that is involved in the support and education of students through shared decision-making and service learning opportunities?

For the second discussion post, Los Pen, look back at the research and data surrounding the success of the Los Pen school.  What conclusions can we draw from what we have learned?  Consider their motto:  We are committed to creating a school that knows no limits to the academic success of each student.  What does this mean in relation to the school’s transformation?  Using the empirical evidence as a starting point, focus on the quantitative data and qualitative narratives, what conclusions can you draw about the efficacy of the many aspects of differentiated parent support?  Please review the discussion board rubric prior to your initial post to ensure you are fully meeting each of the set criteria to earn full credit. Your initial post should include relevant professional, personal, or other real-world experiences in a manner that is rich in thought and provides valuable insight into the topic. Additionally, all elements of the discussion board prompt should be thoroughly addressed with strong and precise connections to previous and/or current course content, or to real-life situations. When substantively replying to your peers’ post, be sure to provide a thorough and constructive analysis relating the response to relevant course concepts that incorporates pertinent follow-up thoughts or questions about the topic, and demonstrates respect for the diverse opinions of fellow learners.

Week 6 Assignment Guidance

All of the previous assignments have brought us to the preparation for the final project for this course. Last week, you developed an outline of a plan for a service learning project that involved the school, the family, and the community.  For schools to be successful in supporting students academically and emotionally, a strategic plan must be developed. Like you addressed in the discussion post, the way schools care about children is reflected in the way school’s care about the children’s families. For this final project, Parental Involvement for the 21st Century, revisit the

National Network of Partnerships Schools (Links to an external site.)

from Week Two. This organization provides sample plans and templates to get you started.  Be sure that your plan is supported by research and resources for a successful outcome.  Thoroughly read the instructions for the final project to gain a better idea of what is expected. Please use the assignment rubric to assist with the development of your paper. Finally, make sure to use the grading rubric as a self-checklist before submitting the final copy of your assignment to confirm you have met or exceeded each required expectation. The highest level of achievement on the rubric is “distinguished,” which is only earned through exceeding posted expectations at the proficiency level. Please remember you are in a masters-level program. Therefore, your writing, research, and content are held to graduate-level expectations.

References and Resources

Hjalmarson, F. (2011). Differentiated parent support: Engaging parents in unique ways to increase their involvement in School. San Diego, CA: TurnAround Schools Publishing.

Jeltovski. (2011).

mf692 (Links to an external site.)

[photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/786542

Learning Leaders. (2011, March 11).

Family engagement = student success (Links to an external site.)

. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embeddedv=gwEPv2ob_QI

National Network of Partnership Schools. (2010).

One-year action plan for partnership (Links to an external site.)

. Retrieved from http://sowashco.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=333&meta_id=10524

NEA. (n.d.).

Why cultural competence? (Links to an external site.)

Retrieved from: http://www.nea.org/home/39783.htm

Parents Reaching Out. (2008).

Family involvement building community partnerships (Links to an external site.)

. Retrieved from http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/parent/artifacts/PRO-NM-3%20Family%20Involvment%20Building%20Partnerships2008

The Children’s Partnership. (2010, October 7).

Empowering parents through technology (Links to an external site.)

. Retrieved from http://www.childrenspartnership.org/research-list/empowering-parents-through-technology/

Required Resources

1. Read from your text, Differentiated Parent Support: Engaging Parents in Unique Ways to Increase Their Involvement in School:

· Chapter Eleven – Home to School Connection

· Chapter Twelve – Full Circle

2. Abravanel, S.A. (2003). Building community through service-learning: The role of the community partner. Links to an external site.
University of Nebraska Digital Commons.. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=slcepartnerships/ 

1. With the community partner in mind, from the school perspective, what can be done to encourage and support the emergence of the agency or organization as a partner? From the agency or organization perspective, what are the significant considerations involved in establishing successful service-learning partnerships?

Recommended Resources

1. Marshall, L. & Swan, P. (2010). Parents as Participating Partners. Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom, 15(3), 25-32. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

1. This article highlights some key pedagogical strategies that assisted classroom teachers to improve indigenous students’ understanding of mathematics, particularly in the area of numbers.
 

· School/ Family/ Community Partnerships: Caring for the Children We Share. (2010). Phi Delta Kappan, 92(3), 81-96. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

1. Epstein discusses the need to develop partnerships between schools, families, and communities to support student success.

Week 6 Unedited example of the final assignment

Below is an unedited example of the final assignment. Please pay particular attention to the subheadings. They follow the criteria in the scoring rubric. I hope you will find this example useful as you prepare your own final paper.

TITLE PAGE

Introduction

Research studies usually drive the perceptions about a topic like parental participation in school because numbers are solid data points that offer an inside look at subject dynamics. Even so, newer studies may discover underlying elements that seem minuscule, yet they have a pivotal influence on research outcomes. It is a common practice to view parental participation through the lens of time spent at the school, at events and membership in the Parent-Teacher Association. However, studies show that parental expectations, disciplinary practices, and attitudes conveyed to offspring about education in the home counts as parent involvement (Jeynes, 2011). When educators build relationships with parents it offers insight into how parents rule their households and what they expect from their children. When parents and teachers agree about expectations and goals students are presented with a solid plan that encourages academic and behavioral success. Educating students is a lofty task that requires participation and cooperation by all immediate stakeholders and that includes parents, teachers, schools, counselors, and community centered outreach programs.

 Philosophy: Purpose

The purpose of the parent involvement plan is to create opportunities for families and students to foster collaborations with community groups through volunteerism. Secondary objectives include building stronger family relationships and peer interactions through a commitment to a common goal. Creativity and communication are important when dealing with young students. Service learning projects and volunteerism are great ways to re-enforce the four C’s associated with the 21st-century skills mandate. The four C’s are collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking (P21, n.d). Parental involvement plans are necessary because parents and schools need to work together to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education. Teachers do not blindly enter the classroom and hope that things go well. They plan and strategize to engage students in a manner that will encourage them to reach their academic goals. In the process of dealing with parents, organization and planning are needed just like in the classroom. The involvement plan will create activities that help teachers and parents get to know each other better. The students will practice working with their peers and communicating with members of their community.

Some of the best strategies for getting parents involved in school include having a welcoming school environment and an open door policy (Hjalmarson, 2011). Educators are encouraged to adapt to the needs of the parents in the same manner that they cater to the needs of their students (Hjalmarson, 2011). Consistency, communication, and mutual respect are qualities that enhance situations that require relationship building. Another way to build connections with families is to practice cultural relevance and engage family funds of knowledge. Each student in a class is a representative of knowledge that passes from one generation to next generation (Lopez, n.d). Oral histories, traditions, and cultural elements are naturally present in every home environment. Educators have the option to tap into these funds of knowledge and incorporate them into the classroom. Doing so creates opportunities for parents to get involved and it shows students that their history and their presence in society add value to the world.

Plan Aims

Goals of the Plan

There are three goals in the involvement plan.

1.
Get parents involved
– the project manager will share research information with parents that shows them how their children benefit when they participate and build relationships with schools, educators and the community.

2.
Teach students about volunteerism- The goal is to teach the students that they are a part of something that reaches beyond their block and inspire them to take action. If education can stretch student vision beyond their immediate surroundings, it increases the chances of pushing their vision and ideas about where they fit into the scheme of things beyond their state to the nation and ultimately to the world.

3.
Increase community awareness about hunger- The purpose is to present information that debunks myths about hunger and lack in this country. Awareness is the key component to changing public opinion.

4.
Build a relationship with a local food bank- Local initiatives such as homeless shelters, soup kitchens and food banks need volunteers. Realistically, regardless of how technologically advanced a nation may become there will always be people who need help and the way to ensure future participation is to instill volunteerism into students through education and community partnerships.

Resources: School, Funding, & Materials

The materials needed for the project include printing paper, ink, and a t-shirt and project planner for each student. The t-shirts will make our students visible in the community and serve as an advertisement for the cause. We will need poster boards, pushpins for hanging flyers, and a spot in the morning announcements, envelopes and postage stamps. Many of the items may be purchased at the local dollar store, building a website is free, and a few parents and myself may donate postage stamps for our community mailing list. The goal as it relates to finances is not to spend a lot of money to complete this project.

Students Role

The students will be responsible for the flyer, the theme, and the website design. As the facilitator, the plan is to mediate the decision-making process of the students and provide materials. The intended purpose is for the students to be able to look back at the experience and realize that they were instrumental in reaching the goal. Students will also distribute the flyers and participate in donation pickup and delivery. The students will be challenged to take on the role of a reporter to complete their final paper for the unit. The students will need to use their critical thinking and communication skills to reach an agreement on how to move forward with each step of the plan. It is possible that they may not always agree on how to proceed and that will create opportunities for them to practice problem-solving skills. The students will need to be outspoken and give their input to find solutions and enhance their experience. The students will be responsible for keeping in touch with each other outside of school and delegating tasks within their group. The activities will develop leadership skills and community mindedness. Students must be informed and ready to answer questions from potential donors and explain why they are seeking donations.

Parents Role

For this project, parents are expected to participate by driving or being present when the students are distributing their flyers and talking to local businesses. Parents may also donate printing paper and ink for printing the flyers. We want the parents to ask their employers to be sponsors or donate non-perishable food items to the student food drive. We want parents to know that volunteering time for the project is just as important as giving money or goods. We need parents to assist with storage and delivery of the goods. Parents will also be expected to provide motivation and encouragement for their children to embrace the project if they feel uncomfortable stepping out of their comfort zone. We will also need parents to take leadership roles in negotiating the price for our ad in the local paper and t-shirt prices. The project manager is well aware that parents may not participate and she is ready to step up and make sure that the students have a valuable experience. She is prepared to enlist volunteers from the community and the PTA to help her students reach their goal.

Community & Organization Roles

The local food bank chosen for this endeavor must be willing to form partnerships with our students and trust them to represent their mission and brand in the community. The relationship building process will include sharing information. The students will need access to information such as how many families does the food bank serve in a week, what is the most trying time of year for local families, and what products are needed the most. It is our goal not to create any financial burden for the food bank. However, the operators may already have connections that will assist the students in some way, or they may have containers or receptacles with their logo on them to place at local businesses. The role of residents (community) is to give, even if it is just one item and support our students and future leaders of the town.

Gaining Support for the Plan

The facilitator of the project will be responsible for the newspaper ad, acquiring a free or reasonably priced spot on the local radio, and enlisting other teachers to ask students to bring an item. The project manager will also be responsible for mailing flyers to local churches soliciting their participation in the food drive.

Soliciting Support for Events & Parent Participation

1.
Local Newspaper
– the project manager will meet with a local reporter to see if he/she would like to do a story about the project.

2.
Social Media
– If parental consent is given; students will live stream pivotal moments and requests throughout the process.

3.
Class Website
– parents will also be able to learn details about the project on the site.

4.
Challenge to other schools
– students will invite their friends from other schools to donate.

5. Challenge to local businesses- local businesses will receive a flyer and a challenge to donate directly to the food bank.

6.
Call to Action for Parents
– students will create a short video that will be sent out to all parents via phone messages and emails.

Plan Evaluation & Criterion for Success

Successful completion of the project is a reflection of the level of parent participation; the amount of food collected, and student reflections on their volunteerism experience. The most important measurements of success are parent involvement and student experience because any amount of food raised will help needy families in the community. Parental support is critical because the project is trying to build bridges between family-school and community. The greatest challenge is trying to get people to look beyond their circumstances to help someone who may be going through something more difficult. If the students walk away with a sense of community, concern for others, gratefulness for what they have and a willingness to volunteer again then the project is a success. There are no guarantees that the goals for this project will happen, even so, the students deserve to have the experience because the problem that we are trying to address is a real-life issue. A survey will be provided for the students, parents, and other volunteers to gauge individual experiences and to determine what went well and improvements that need to be made.

Theory: Identity Role Model & Epstein’s Six

The role identity theory teaches that experiences such as volunteering become identity markers that are filed away for later use in life to inspire a repeat of the previous experience (Henri & Stefanik, 2014). Example 1: the knowledge gained during Certified Nursing Assistant training emerges in the presence of those needing care. Techniques such as pillow placement to ease pain and pressure points, positioning to lift or assist with mobility, changing elaborate bandages, recognition of infection and perception of fever and dehydration through mere observance occur without much effort. Even though the pursuit of higher education ventured down the path of Psychology and Education, the actions mentioned above distinctly define a personal characteristic acknowledged as the caregiver. Example 2: Giving, sharing, and collaborating are also experiences that create identity markers that encourage future participation in the practices. In a previous experience, lack encouraged sharing. Four friends (including me) found themselves hungry, and none of them had any money or the ingredients to make a complete meal. One friend had eggs, another had bread, and the third had luncheon meat and ketchup. The fourth friend had nothing to offer, and that did not matter. The friends combined what they had, and everyone departed nourished. The activities discussed above precisely explain a personal characteristic confirmed as the collaborator and the contributor. These examples may seem simple; even so, they are real-life encounters that add validity to the premise that supports the identity theory role model. If schools are seeking to inspire future events of volunteerism and community mindedness, they must first provide student experiences that open the door to the concept and service learning projects are the way to accomplish that goal.

Epstein’s theory contains six components that are needed to influence student success. The six components are “parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, and collaborating with the community (Griffin & Steen, 2010, p. 1).” Parenting refers to how parents relate to their children. Psychology constructs place parents in one of four categories; authoritative, agreeable, inattentive, and tyrannical (Mgbmere & Telles, n.d). Psychology suggests that parenting styles directly affect children’s ability to adapt to new situations and how they interact with others. Communication skills can make or break any relationship. The home environment is the first place of learning for all students. Since children learn from their environment through natural observances, the ability to communicate is shaped by those experiences. Volunteer activities make room for social, emotional, and academic growth. Learning at home encourages students to be responsible for their role in the education process, prepares them for future learning, and solidifies what they are learning in school. Decision-making entails developing skills that foster the ability to weigh actions, choices, and their consequences. Collaborating with the community is important because it creates expanding support systems that expose students and families to a diverse group of people with different levels of knowledge, expertise, and wisdom.

Conclusion

The purpose of this discourse was to discuss a plan to get parents involved in a service learning project with their children. Educators are charged with the task to reach out to parents in a way that appeal to them and to continue the process even if parents do not respond. In this plan, the students and the project facilitator develop creative ways to get the parents attention via text messages, emails, flyers, and word of mouth. A marketing strategy to advertise the project is in place, and donation solicitation methods are present. Schools and educators need the support of parents, and the research supports the idea that children have a better educational encounter when their parents are available shareholders. Some parents will meet the challenge to participate with enthusiasm and others will remain uninterested, and in that case, the focus shifts to the well-being of the student (Hjalmarson, 2011). As this dialogue comes to a close please remember: Educating students is a high task that requires participation and cooperation by all immediate stakeholders; that includes parents, teachers, schools, counselors, and community centered outreach programs, however, the omission of involvement on the part of parents does not negate the fact that all children deserve a proper education.

 References

Cleary, B. & Simons, L. (2006).THE INFLUENCE OF SERVICE LEARNING ON STUDENTS’ PERSONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. Retrieved from 

http://stgwww.stjohns.edu/sites/default/files/documents/adminoffices/asl-influence-on-development  (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Common Core Standard Initiative (2017). English Language Arts Standards >> Writing >> Grade 8. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/8/

Griffin, D., & Steen, S. (2010). School-Family-Community Partnerships: Applying Epstein’s Theory of the Six Types of Involvement to School Counselor Practice. Professional School Counseling, 13(4), 218-226.

Henri C. & Stefanik, G. (2014).VOLUNTEERING: THEORETICAL APPROACHES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS. Retrieved from http://www.afahc.ro/ro/afases/2014/socio/Andronic,%20Razvan-Lucian_%20Volunteering

Hjalmarson, F. (2011). Differentiated parent support: Engaging parents in unique ways to increase their involvement in School. San Diego, CA: TurnAround Schools Publishing.

Jeynes, W. (2011). 

The School Community Journal
 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

, 21(1), 9-18. Retrieved from http://www.adi.org/journal/resources/2011ss_SCJ

Lopez, J. (n.d). Funds of Knowledge. http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/939

Mgbmere, B. & Telles, R. (n.d). Types of Parenting Styles and How to Identify Yours. Retrieved from https://my.vanderbilt.edu/developmentalpsychologyblog/2013/12/types-of-parenting-styles-and-how-to-identify-yours/

Partnership for 21st Century Learning (n.d). The 4C Research Series. Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/our-work/4cs-research-series

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Week 6 unedited example final paper v1doc

I really want you to do an amazing job on your final paper. Therefore I have posted another

unedited example below. Please, please, please use subheadings as shown in the example. This makes it much easier for you to write your paper and remain on track with the assignment’s grading criteria. 

Parent Involvement for the 21st Century

EDU 617 School, Family & Community Partnerships

Instructor: Joyce Johnson

Student’s Name

Date

Introduction

 Active community and parent involvement in a school is not automatic.  It involves energy and labor on the part of the school, its staff and establishing relationship with parents and the community.  The relationship must also be sustained and continued nurture and support must be established to improve the relationships.  This task is imperative for the growth and development of the school.  Parents and the community should come together and by joining forces to ensure that each child receives the necessary resources, continued support and opportunity they need to be successful in their learning.  A strong parent and community relationship make for a great school experience for all that is associated to the school.

 In an effort to provide support and opportunities for students, they should be provided opportunities to participate in community service and internships; that will develop the skills.  By being provided these opportunities, students will be able to apply these skills not only to the classroom but also their daily lives.  The students will participate and be actively involved in the community and the parents will support and encourage these students in doing their best.  Community and parent support is a wonderful source of inspiration for students.

Philosophy

The internship and community service projects goal is to recover and advance the community through student, parent and community contribution (Kielsmeier, 2010).  The concept is to get the parents and community involved in giving students the support they need when actively involved in their projects within the community and their class assignments.  The purpose is to help produce a deeper understanding of classroom learning and a chance for improvement in the community.  The classroom abilities and skills attained by students will be converted into improvements within their local community.

Objectives

There are certain objectives that I will like to meet in the course of the service project.  These objectives are:

1. To increase parent involvement in the community.

The majority of community projects involves the child and the parent.  This means, in order for the child to participate, the parent must be actively involved; when this happens, the number of parents that participate will increase.  It is imperative for school staff and teachers to acquire and maintain a good relationship with parents and school staff.  Creating these relationships encourages parents and motivates them in wanting to be involved in school activities.  Parents should be assigned positions and tasks to take part in school projects to enhance the success and comfort of the relationship.

1. Students will enhance skills through community projects participation

Involving students in school and community activities will provide them the opportunity to enhance the skills the already possess or obtain new skills (Marshall & Swan, 2010).  When students become involved in community projects, they can take the skills and knowledge that they have learned and use it for real life settings.  Through this realistic project, student’s skills will expand and be more significant.

· To create successful, effective, confident skillful 21st century students.

Students acquire needed support when parents and community are involved.  The assistance given to the students by the parents, teachers and community encourages students to one to improve and become better.  The outcome is great in allowing them to gain the necessary skills while learning and practicing in the field through real life events.  Community projects where the community and parents work together can provide finances for students in helping to support projects; posing real world opportunities and practices for a job.  Students will be provided the opportunity to obtain skills and become successful learners; while becoming more involved in the community.

Goals

To ensure the project’s success, there must be goals set.  Goals act as instigators to the people actively involved in the project.  For this particular service project, the goals that are included are:

1. Increase in student involvement for project participation.

This project’s ultimate goal is to increase student involvement.  Through the development of teacher and parent relationships, school activity participation will increase and the number of student participation.  Parents that are involved in school activities will give the necessary support and persuade students to become actively involved in projects.  At the end of the service project, it will be visible the amount of student increase by 80%.

1. Entice more parent participation in service projects.

When parents become actively involved in school activities, every aspect relating to the school and community will grow.  Increased school family relationships and involvement with parents in school activities will encourage other families in wanting to become involved.  At the end of the project, parent involvement will increase by 60%.

· Increase in community clean up.

Incorporating a tree service project in planting trees around the community will rise.  Expanding the number of trees will be great in preventing soil erosion and better air quality.  The community will also be enhanced by adding more trees.

1. Develop and increase student’s skills through real life experiences.

By participating in the service projects, students will be able to increase their knowledge and skills they have learned inside the classroom and outside of the classroom (Ferlazzo & Hammond, 2009).  Students will be able to enhance those skills they have learned and also acquire new skills.  Development of students’ skills will be reviewed by monitoring how the student performs in the specialization.  The goal is at least an 80% increased performance.

Resources

            There are targeted resources that should be applied for a successful service project completion.  These resources that are included are those materials needed, the personnel needed for effectiveness and the funding needed for the project.  If the project does not gain enough resources in the application process, it will be hard for the students to reach the targeted goals.  For an example, a project that require funding may slower the application progress and create a challenge; leaving some goals unfinished.

            The qualified personnel that are need for a successful service project are: Treasurer, project manager, environmental scientist, community members, school staff, students and parents.  These are the people that will motivate and direct in the service project development.  They will assign duties to the group based on their interest and experience in the designated areas.  Personnel are imperative for a successful application and completion because of their diverse background and expertise.

            There are also materials needed for the success of the project.  These materials are: transportation, shovels, rope, trees and manure.  These materials are important because they are used when planting trees.  Funds are also needed for the purchasing of materials and to achieve the goals for the service project.  The sources of these funds will come from parents, donations, contributions and fund raisers.  These funds will be collected by the secretary who assign and budget where the money goes.

Student Role

Roles are assigned based on knowledge and experience in a service project.  Students will be assigned different roles than parents and school staff.  One role for the students will be to encourage other students to participate in the service project.  Students will talk to other students about the importance of being actively involved in the project and how it will help them in the future.

Students will also assist in carrying the materials that will be used for the project.  This means that they will carry the shovels and etc.  With the help of the project manager, the students will know what they are supposed to do when they are needed.  The energy displayed by the student in the community as they participate will help them not only gain skills bur also become active citizens in society (Kielsmeier, 2010).  Their participation will show them how they can become actively involved in the community and society.

Parent Role

The parent’s role will be different that the staff and students while participating in the service project.  Parents will donate materials needed or provide financial donations.  Through these donations, implementation will take place for the project.  The resources generated from the parents will guarantee that the project goals will be met.

The parents will also be part of the planning development.  Before the start of any project, one must be reminded of the importance of holding an informational meeting with all parties involved; so everyone can come together as a group not only for informational purposes but to also plan and share ideas.  This is the time when parents are able to voice their ideas.  The more people that are involved, the greater the creative ideas are; which will help the project run easier.

Parents will also be the voice in encouraging other community people in participating and supporting the project.  They can help increase the community involvement.  The more people that are involved in the community, the more they become informed; which will help them understand the importance of supporting their community school.  Community participation will also help in bringing students together to learn obtain many life skills that will be of help to them during school and outside of school.

 Lastly, parents will assist the students on the day of the project.  These roles will be assigned accordingly by the project manager.  These roles may also include helping with utilizing tools, planting and etc.

Community Members / Organizations Role

Community members’ participation is imperative in every organization.  Community organizations gives support to projects; such as this.  Without the support of the community, it can be very hard to accomplish targeted goal.  In this service project, community support is significant since community members have their designated roles to play.

One of the roles for the community and organizations is financial support.  When the need is known, many organizations support on another.  One of the roles of the organizations and community members within this project is to be that financial support.  Community members and organizations will give their donations as a support system for the project.  The funds that are received will be used for the sole purpose of the project in ensuring the materials and all items needed are purchased; to ensure that the project runs smoothly and as expected.

The community members and organizations should ensure that the community understands the importance of working as a team towards one shared goal.  They will do this by educating people in the community on the importance of team work and helping one another when there is a need.  Educating people will not only bring them together as a group but also encourage others to support the cause.  Many others will be encourage and understand the benefits of supporting each other for the benefit of the community.  If there were no support for the project, the community members and organizations can fail to understand the projected goals (Bryan & Griffin, 2010).

The last way that community members and organizations will have a role is by offering recommendations on what can be completed for the improvement of the project.  Through their guidance, management and assessments, community members and organizations will help in directing in areas that need improvement by sharing what they know and see.  Through this community participation, the project will proceed in reaching the targeted goal.

Actions Gaining Support

For the project to be successful, it is of most importance to gain the support from the organization and people alike.  The support that is need can be financial, resource support or physical.  In terms of physical support, there are some in the group that may volunteer to carry out the work; then there may be some who would prefer to support financially by donating money and then there are those that support by way of resources (purchasing needed items) for the project.  All of these types of support are of great need and serves its own role and purpose.  There is not one greater than the other.  You cannot skip and peace and still expect the project to be a success. 

One way to get support for the project is by organizing community meetings to educate the local community on the significance of the project.  In these meetings the people will gain knowledge on the importance of the project and how it will benefit the community.  Leaders will be advised to be at the forefront to unify people in the community to participate, come together and support the project.  Through the assistance and aid from community leaders and members, the project will be advertised.  Local leaders will notify the government agencies all government agencies of the project to gain their support also.

Another way of gaining support is through student education.  Each child should be educated on the task at hand, once the child is educated and understands the importance of the project, they will then be encouraged to share this knowledge with their parents.  The parents will be motivated by the students to join in on the project and give their help where needed.  Projects in the community are destined to improve the community and people will take an active role through their contributions and support.  People know and appreciate the fact that their participating in the project will strengthen and improve their community and perhaps produce more resources for the community.

The last way to gain support for the project is through writing grants and proposals to the government about the project.  The requests will address the resources needed, the benefits that the project will bring to the community and the budget.  By proposing these proposals, the government officials will have the opportunity to assess the proposal and decide on if this is something they will support.  Government officials have the authority to send specialists for help or support financially to increase community involvement.  Governments are normally concerned with the success of the community and would support of the benefits that the project will offer and bring the community as a whole.

Events Gaining Support

Events are an actual way of obtaining support, community attendance and participation.  These events has a chance of motivating people to join and support the project or discouraging one not to participate.  People work better when they feel appreciated and are acknowledged for their work.  The project will provide times that will offer recognition of those members who participated and exceeded the expectations in the work that they fulfilled. 

Events that will aid in gaining parent participation and community attendance is through community forums.  These forums when the organizations, parents and community members will have the chance to offer their opinions and suggestions about the project.  These ideas will be used when making decisions.  These decisions are important because they determine the direction the project will go in and ensures that the goal is reached.  Many people attend community forums; whether it is to hear the thoughts and opinions of others or simply be in the know of upcoming projects.  In such forums, active families are able to voice their views about the project; expanding community attendance and participation.

Another hosted event can be an awards ceremony after the completion of a project.  This ceremony will bring recognition to all who contributed or participated in the project.  The community, parents and students will be motivated to participate and offer their support to receive this recognition award.  This will increase community attendance and participation.  This will also encourage those parents who may have not participated in this project to partake in the next.

Evaluation

To know if the project is moving in the direction planned, it is vital to have a way of monitoring and assessing the project for targeted success.  Without evaluation benchmarks for determining success, it may be hard in knowing if the project is actually progressing.

A way in evaluating the success of the project’s success is the collection of data.  Data displays information from prior projects.  If the data shows participants increase, then it is a sign that the project is making progress and reaching targeted goals.  On the other hand, if the data displays the amount of participants has decreased and made no growth, it is a clear signal that the project is not meeting the target goals.

 Another way of measuring progression of the project is monitoring and making notes of how fast or slow the goals are being met.  When more goals are being met at a short period of time, it is a clear sign that the project is moving at not only a good pace but also on task in the direction it should go.  However, if the goal reached are less than the target amount or no goal has been met after a long time period, it is a sign that the project is not doing well and it is a possibility that it will not succeed without making proper changes. 

Lastly, another way for project evaluation is an overview of community approval.  After the service project, all participants will receive a survey to complete.  The survey will show if the community has made enhancements to the communities natural beauty from the service project.  

Conclusion

Parent and community involvement in a school setting does not just happen.  It takes effort from each part of the school staff to create positive relationships with parents and the community; and work to every effort in continued nurture of the relationship to maintain it.  Good community and parent relationships establishes a good school experience for all that are associated with the school.  By being provided these opportunities, students will be able to not only apply this to classroom learning but also their daily life experiences.  Students will continue to succeed within the community as long as the parents and community come together and be actively involved.

References

Bryan, J.A. & Griffin, D. (2010). A Multidimensional Study of School Family Community Partnership Involvement: School, School Counselor and Training Factors. Professional School Counseling. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.com

Epstein, J.L. (2011). School, family and community partnership: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Ferlazzo, L., & Hammond, L.A. (2009). Building Parent Engagement in Schools. Columbus, Ohio: Linworth Books/Libraries Unlimited.

Kielsmeier, J.C. (2010). Build a Bridge Between Service and Learning. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.com

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