A Comprehensive Continuous Improvement Proposal:

Increasing Community Involvement

Kelsey Hoeksema
EDL 274
Drake University
March 2017
 This plan exists to create an increase in student, family, and community
What are we trying to involvement at Brubaker Elementary by planning school-wide events,
accomplish? forming committees with all stakeholders, and sharing leadership to better
serve our students. This plan has three phases; beginning April 2017 and
continuing through the 2017-2018 school year.
 Investigation for Brubaker Elementary History of Involvement:
Met with Principal, Dean of Students, and Instructional Coach
to discuss:
o Parent Involvement Opportunities
o Current Planning & Systems
o Communication Preferences
o Community Partnerships
Interviewed Staff Members of Brubaker about Student/ Parent
Involvement Past Efforts
Reviewed DMPS School Websites to gain insight on
success/implementation of other buildings
Allocations Review Meeting with Principal
Informal Needs Assessment in reflection of conversations
School-Wide Opportunities for Parent Involvement:
Conferences: 3 Times Per Year
What is the current reality?
Title Literacy/Math Night: 2 Times Per Year
Communication with Teachers
Volunteers for Classroom
PTO Meetings
ELL Family Events
Music Programming
Systems In Place:
Tier 1 Team- BARK School Wide Expectations- BARK Student
Leader Model
SLT Team Meetings
Professional Development Schedule
Student Support Services designated roles
SIP Goals 2016-2017 (Community Involvement not a goal area)
 Current Barriers:
Limited communication outlets
Newly formed Tier 1 Team
What are the barriers for success School Improvement Plan dedicated to other initiatives
today? PTO Attendance
Staff Buy-In
Limited Events Organized

School Leadership Team Members: Grade Level Leads, Extended

Core Lead, and Support Staff Lead(s), (9 members)
Administration Team: Principal, Dean of Students, and Instructional
Coaches
Who will be involved in Tier 1 Behavior Team
implementation? BARK Student Leaders & Parents
Guidance Counselors
SUCCESS Staff
Community Liaison
PTO President
Translator
 Phase 1: Spring 2017 End of 2016-2017 School Year
What is the timeline?
Phase 2: Summer 2017
What are the action steps?
Phase 3: Fall 2017 August-October
 Phase 1: Spring 2017 End of School Year
Parent Communication:
1. Parent Communication Survey Created (Hoeksema/OLeary)
How do you prefer to communicate with Brubaker?
What means do you use to get information about school
happenings now?
What social media outlets do you use?
Do you know what community supports and services DMPS can
provide or where to get the information?
What time of day is best for you/ family to attend school hosted
events?
2. Survey Printed and Translated
3. Provided at Spring Conferences (03/2017) and in Schools Main
Office
*Optional for Parents to participate in
Phase 1: Spring 2017- End of
*Anonymous, if desired by parent
School Year
4. April 2017
Collect Surveys
Review Data
Create Summary of Results
Share Results in SLT & Tier 1 Team Meetings
Discuss Next Steps for Communication Methods and Parent
Responses
5. Meet with Principal to review survey results
6. Share results with PTO President and discuss options for
Tier 1 Team: (March 2017 Meeting)
1. Review Student Influencers for 5th Grade and Leadership Training
2. Discuss Implementation for BARK Student Leader
3. Plan Professional Development Discussion Leaders/ Facilitation of
Small Groups
4. Identify 4th Grade Student Leaders (Clark)
 Next Steps:
Leadership Training
Mentor 3rd Grade Leaders
Record BARK Morning Messages

5. Identify 3rd Grade BARK Student Leaders (Hoeksema)

Next Steps:
Leadership Training
Mentor K-2 Graders
6. Set April Meeting Date and Timeline for Roles
7. By May 2017: BARK Student Leader Contract and Parent Involvement
roles created
8. Plan developed for Parents to be volunteers in classrooms,
lunchrooms, committees, active on PTO starting with BARK Student
Leader parents first
9. Set Date for Fall 2017- BARK Student Leaders and Parent Luncheon

School-Wide Expectations BARK: Spring 2017 (Johnson/Tier 1 Team)

1. Professional Development with Brubaker Staff
Guide Discussion Groups- Current Reality of BARK and BARK
implementation
Introduce BARK Student Leader Initiative / Student Influencers
Gather Feedback / Answer Questions
Exit Slip: Name BARK Expectations
2. Begin Implementation of BARK Student Leader Model with Grades 3-
5
3. Review Implementation Plan, make adjustments, continue
communication with whole staff
 Phase 2: Summer 2017 (Principal & Dean of Students)
1. Form Brubaker Community Committees
Create Committee Sub-Category Purposes (10-12 Committees)
Leaders of Committees will be from the School Leadership
Team
Set Dates for Training about community involvement with SLT
Members to set purpose, brainstorm ideas, get staff input, etc.
Committees will start on first contract date back for 2017-2018
as part of back to school meeting all staff members will be on
a committee
2. 2017-2018 School Improvement Plan (SIP Review Team)
Create Goal Area in Parent and Community Involvement
Staffing/Allocations
2 (1.0 FTE) Guidance Counselors : 0.5FTE allocated as
Community Liaison
Phase 2: Summer 2017 Community Liaison would connect with families, organize
volunteers, work with Teammates Mentoring, lead
workshops/give information to staff as point person for
family needs, have information about community
resources, work with students and families, plan
events/meetings to increase family involvement, and
increase strength of community partnerships
Review DMPS buildings with this position for
implementation model
Funding
Look over school budget to create Brubaker Community
Budget
Review Community Partnerships
Look into other streams of funding for increasing
involvement for parents
3. Collaborate with Elementary Principals with Community School
Model in place
4. Meet with SLT Team and Tier 1 Teams end of summer
 Phase 3: Fall 2017 August October
1. Brubaker Community Committees (SLT and Admin Team)
Staff members will sign up for a committee of interest or be
assigned by Administration to a committee
Throughout the school year, first 10 minutes of Building Directed
PD will be set aside to get into committees to plan for and
update on their topic
Committees will be prepared to share out and update on
plan/progress
All Committee topics will be one small focus of community
involvement- Examples:
Academics
Extended Core
Family Resources
Technology
Phase 3: Fall 2017 August- Social/Emotional
October Home Visits
Community Partners
Student Showcase
New Family
PTO
Family Entertainment Events
Diversity
Fitness/Healthy Lifestyle
2. PTO
PTO members meet with Community Committee to voice
opinions on next steps, interests, changes that could be made,
and events planned
3. Back-to-School Night
Parent Volunteer Sign Ups
Flyers for Upcoming Events
Add in New Family Orientation Times to the open house format
School Wide Raffle for Attendance
 Kick-Off for BARK School Wide Expectations
Ask parents to fill our communication preference survey
4. Begin Planning & Hosting Monthly Family/Community Events by
October 2017
5. Communication and Evaluation of Events from staff to parents and
parents to staff is a needed component
Survey Parent Involvement:
-worthwhile events and meetings?
-value, purpose, support?
-ask for improvement suggestions

Teacher/Staff Survey:
-worthwhile events and meetings?
-value, purpose, support?
-ask for improvement suggestions

Administrative Team- Community Support Team

-Review attendance procedures for events to ensure numbers are
accurate
-Study attendance of events
-review business partners and other stakeholder involvement

Dependent on results of study component proceed in changing elements of the plan

or moving forward with committees and events.

If Parent and Staff Surveys show low responses or results in purpose, value, and support
in the process- create PDSA cycle to promote clarity and buy-in for parents and staff in
partnering for community involvement.

If Administrative Team sees low attendance, poor procedures, or limited stakeholder

involvement create plan to increase these elements and continue to improve cycle
in this regard.
FBLA Hours Breakdown:
Total: 18 Hours
Meetings for Background information: 2 hours
Research of DMPS History: 1 hour
Creating Proposal: 4 Hours
Researching Parent Involvement and Student Achievement: 2 Hours
Formatting, Editing, and Preparing PDSA: 5 Hours
Presentation: 4 Hours
Resources:
http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Public-education/Parent-Involvement/Parent-Involvement.html

What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Action, Robert Marzano