UMS Action Plan 2010

Goal: Parent and community collaboration that will result in student achievement.


Action Step
1. Collection of sign-in sheets of parent participation in school functions for two previous years.

Persons Responsible
S.Thompson and C. Briones, UMS Counselors

Timeline: Start/End
Sept. 2010 – October 2010

Needed Resources
2008-2009 and 2009-2010 parent sign-in sheets binders

Evaluation
Chart/ Graph findings

Action Step
2. Survey sent to parents regarding school/home communication (includes, teacher conferences, newsletters, flyers, e-mails, or post mail).

Persons Responsible
C. Romanelli, UISD/UMS Technology Coordinator
UMS CTE department

Timeline: Start/End
August 2010 – September 2010
and April 2010 - May 2010

Needed Resources
Computer survey creation software

Evaluation
Analysis of surveys returned

Action Step
3. Meet with different school departments and/or teams to figure out what types of activities would or could require parent involvement.

Persons Responsibility
UMS CTE department,
M. Villarreal, R. Rodriguez, Ma.A.Guerra, B.Crockett
and A. Garcia, Academic Coordinator

Timeline: Start/End
August 2010 – November 2010

Needed Resources
Planning Time, and
Substitute Teacher

Evaluation
List of ideas with materials and resources needed


Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools Sandra Harris, Stacey Edmonson, Julie Combs
© Eye On Education

Research Wonderings and Questions

Chapter 2 of Nancy Fitchman Dana's Leading with Passion and Knowledge covers 9 areas of wonder. Although all are linked, they each work independently to problem solve a school concern. These nine passions are as follows: staff development, curriculum development, individual teacher(s), individual student(s), school culture/community, leadership, management, school performance, and social justice. Researching one of these will lead to finding a solution for 2 or 3 more.

On my campus school culture/community is the passion that is in the works. With this, my campus plans to incorporate parent activities that will increase parent collaboration and student performance. As suggested by Dr. Johnny Briseno, Principal of Rancho Isabella Elementary in Angleton, Texas, frequent research will help teachers understand and find a solution to a problem that someone else already dealt with. We can all learn from eachothers mistakes and successes.

We have a lot to assimilate and we will be able to satisfy our wondering. Asking ourselves the correct questions that serve our students, staff, and community will lead us to find the answers that will increase student achievement.

BLOGS - Educational Leaders and Communication

Parent collaboration has been a topic of interest at most campuses. How do we get parent involvement in our schools? This new generation is called a digital era because of the constant need for technology. In creating blog sites, groups formed within the school can share their ideas and findings on any given subject. The blog creation will be open for all stakeholders to read. Having the ideas floating in cyberspace will allow a flow of comments and concerns that may arise to be taken into consideration.

What is ACTION RESEARCH?

Action Research allows specific issues to be addressed. This research is related to a specific district, school, or classroom. Teachers are motivated to perform their investigation and document their findings. This act enables educators to achieve a sense of belonging and empowers them to study thier own work. Collaboration takes place amongst teachers and administrators. This collaboration turns into a widespread professionalism that nourishes and aides in problem solving.

Ferrance also goes on to believe that Action Research is not a library project. It is not the idea of learning more about a topic of interest. This type of research does not limit oneself to problem solve but rather it helps in the realization on how to improve. It is not a race to finding all available information in search of the right answers. It is not to learn from ourselves how things are done but rather to learn how situations can be improved.

You can never say that a research was useless. Any information gathered by any school related party will have contributed great knowledge to the cause. The school's mission encompasses everything that the school wants to accomplish in that year. With the use of action research, a school's mission will be fulfilled. With the help of leaders within the staff, different leadership committees can best work within its group while providing great insight and problem solving to student-teacher-school-administration-school concerns.

Ferrance, E. (2000). Action research. Providene, RI: Northeast and Islands Regional Laboratory at Brown University. Retrieved April 3, 2007 from http://www. alliance.brown, edu/pubs/themes_ed/act_research.pdf