From Good to GREAT!

On Monday, April 11th four of Piney Branch Elementary School’s leadership teams met to reflect on what each team has been doing well and to think about unifying each team’s best practices and positive attributes into a single leadership team for the future. The four teams participating were the:

* Piney Branch Action Team (PBAT)
* School Improvement Team (SIT)
* Professional Learning Community Institute (PLCI)
* Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)

This particular moment in Piney Branch’s history is significant because two of the teams (PBAT and PLCI) formed as parts of school improvement and transformation projects that will be concluding at the end of this school year. Members of those teams want to ensure that the lessons learned, relationships built, and good work started continue and grow.

There were 24 people in attendance at the meeting. In addition to the administrators, teachers and parents who comprise the four teams, the group was also joined by John Landesman and Joan Mory. John is the Program Coordinator for Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) Study Circles Program. Joan is an Instructional Specialist with MCPS’ PLCI program.

The meeting started with a check-in and continued with Principal Bertram Generlette sharing the purpose of the meeting and the agenda. He spoke of wanting to continue to work to make a very good school into a great school. He pointed out that bringing together the school’s leadership teams representing academic instruction, parent involvement, school improvement, and school transformation is a significant step in the ongoing “good to great” process.

Although the teams have some overlapping members and most in the room knew each other (at least by sight), there was still certainly room for relationship-building. John led a “speed dating” activity that encouraged people to start talking and doing some personal sharing. There was also time to get to know each other as people chatted over dinner. The attention given to helping people feel comfortable with each other helped to create a safer space for open conversation.

Time was given to each team to share their goals and accomplishments of the past year and to talk about the intangibles that make their team unique and successful. In the end, a pretty inspirational list of accomplishments and practices was compiled.

The task for this group going forward is to decide what to do with the list and then how to do it. The one certainty is that the School Improvement Team (which is mandated by MCPS) will be the container for the good practices and actions that are decided upon. Each of the teams will now go back and meet individually to process this conversation and work on developing a structure for moving forward. All of the teams will come together again on May 23rd to share their ideas.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Last Thursday’s Neighbor Corps session was split between reflecting on the past and planning for the future.  As was written about in an earlier post, many NC members participated in a Saturday leadership development session on personal power.  They wanted to share some of that energy with those unable to attend.  That sharing happened in the form of a “fish bowl” activity.  As with an actual fish bowl, those inside are insulated from those outside and thus the “insiders” have the freedom to pour out their thoughts and feelings without interruption.   And boy did they let it flow!  For Genet, Saturday’s session helped her to understand why people choose to, “nibble instead of grow.”  Victoria took away from the session that, “we can share our power without diminishing it.”  Andre noted that the session reminded him of how often he’s seen people,  “diminish others to make themselves feel better.”

In addition to sharing about the The Kernel of Power and Nibble Theory, “insiders” revealed some of the honest feelings that came up during the workshop about the PhotoVoice project.  Victoria mentioned that some NC members wanted to feel more ownership of the project.  Given the real feelings that came up about  the direction of the project and group autonomy, Thursday’s session provided an ideal moment to take a step back and examine the original framework of the Long Branch Neighbor Corps for continued resonance.

In a nutshell, the framework is:
1. Identifying times when we’ve each experienced effective community,
2. Practicing the identified “ways of being” within our group, and
3. Taking leadership to spread the practices to the larger Long Branch community.

Emiye said that the framework still worked for her and shared a story about employees at her sister’s job.  Those employees created their own edir which is an Ethiopian practice of communally pooling money to be used by community members in need.  Here was an example of an Ethiopian practice successfully transported to an American setting.  This model is at the heart of the Neighbor Corps project.

However, even with continued shared resonance around the Neighbor Corps framework, more discussion revealed other issues that Neighbor Corps members wanted to address.  Victoria and Emiye both felt like the team would greatly benefit from stronger relationships among team members.  As an example, Victoria mentioned that there were absent team members who were perhaps in need of support, but who had had no one reach out to them.  Even though Sebastian (IMPACT staffer) shared that he had been in touch with the absent members, her point wasn’t lost.

After polling the Neighbor Corps members present, it was decided that the immediate next step for the team should be to focus on relationship-building.  A small group of Corps members will meet before next session to discuss ways to strengthen relationships within the team.  Stay tuned to find out what this dedicated, innovative and powerful group comes up with!

When the School Comes to You . . .

Teacher Kristin Dunlap helps parents and their children master the MSA test practice at the TP Rec Center.

“Schools and districts can’t just sit back and expect parents to come to them.” –Pedro Noguera

Piney Branch Action Team members put Noguera’s words into practice with two recent community outreach and engagement efforts designed to deliver information and tools directly to the school families who want and need them while also building relationships with and among those families.

MSA event gets the star treatment on the Rec Center marquee.

A well attended MSA event was held at
Piney Branch Elementary School on February 3rd (see earlier blog post). But, even with the great parent and student turn-out at that event (more than 170 attendees!), Action Team members knew that there were still many families who wanted to attend, but couldn’t.

PBES students kick-off the Park Ritchie event with a cheer!

Assistant principal Kara Tymon’s words summed up the conviction of the team: “We need to step outside the walls of the school and take this information into the community to reach as many people as we can.”

A key decision was choosing the locales for the “out in the community” events. Team members chose carefully. Ultimately Park Ritchie Apartments and the Takoma Park Recreation Center were chosen. Park Ritchie because it is next to the school and home to many PBES families (and as such is an important place for teachers, administrators, and parent leaders to build connections). The Takoma Park Recreation Center because it is centrally located in the community that is home to many new families at the school.

Aunt and nephew figure out a math problem together.

Park Ritchie’s MSA event was held on February 17th. The complex’s management team was very supportive. “We’ve been looking for ways to connect to the school, so this is great,” said property manager Careese Gonzalez. Ms. Gonzalez’s team provided pizza for the event and helped with promotion.

The MSA event at the Takoma Park Rec Center was held on February 24th. The event provided an opportunity to draw even more school staff into the unique outreach and parent engagement effort. PBES paraeducator Sandra Boone runs an after-school program at the Center and already knows many of the parents. The Action Team leveraged Ms. Boone’s recognition–she promoted the event at bus stops by talking to parents and students and distributing fliers. She also was another friendly (and familiar) face greeting families on the day of the event.

Teacher Ken Allen answers the question of a Park Ritchie parent.

The attendance at both community events was smaller than at the school-wide event. This was expected and welcomed. These community-based events had a smaller targeted audience and were designed to be more intimate. The smaller groups allowed for a less structured agenda which permitted more time for questions and answers regarding the MSA.

Parent Tulu Bacha said that he had attended the MSA Night event at the school and found it useful, but added “I didn’t understand BCRs [Brief Constructed Responses] until the teacher explained it again tonight.”

Principal Generlette listens as students and parents discuss a test question at Park Ritchie.

The smaller audiences were also more conducive to relationship building. “Before tonight, I didn’t know you and you didn’t know me. Now we know each other,” said a smiling Embet Erque when asked, as a parent, what she’d enjoyed most about the evening. This kind of authentic parent engagement happens when schools step forward to meet parents where they are.

 

Women Supporting Women

Long Branch Women's Mutual Support Circle

The Long Branch Women’s Mutual Support Circle met for the first time last Thursday at the TESS Center. The group was formed to promote the exchange of information, ideas, gifts and talents, the building of supportive relationships, and the creation of opportunities for economic empowerment. The first meeting boasted 10 women representing wide-ranging countries of origin from Ethiopia to Honduras.

Victoria shares with group members her hopes for their future.

Victoria, one of the Circle’s organizers, expressed her vision for the group saying, “It’s not something that’s already there, we’re going to build it together. We will show our talents and abilities to others.” As a matter of fact, a large part of the first meeting was devoted to naming some of the gifts and talents that the women possess. Edelsa is a skilled seamstress. Haydee is a great cook. Yemny knows how to cross stitch. Ana wants to share her love of reading.

The members of the group want to meet regularly to learn from each other, be supports to each other, have fun, and perhaps have some small businesses spring up from their time together. The group will meet again on Wednesday, February 16th at the Carroll Avenue Community Center.

Awesome Turnout for MSA Night!

A great evening for the faculty, students, and parents at Piney Branch ES.

 The flyer read: Come and learn about how to help your students prepare for the upcoming MSA tests. But the more than 170 diverse parents and students who filled the Piney Branch ES all-purpose room Thursday night gained that and so much more–new awareness, connections, and power.

Check out the evening in pictures:

Dad and daughter ponder a math question.

There was a large, diverse crowd. Just about every seat in the all-purpose room was filled.

This mom receives Spanish translation via headphones.

Third grade teacher Kristen Dunlap helps a student with a practice question.

Kara Tymon (assistant principal) listens as parent Vineda Myers opens the evening with a community-building exercise.

Fifth grade student Winston shares tips for online test practice.

Test practice website is projected for everyone to see.

A young man eager to share his answer.

Parents and kids working together.

Parents wrote letters to the school board (in their native languages) requesting more school funding.

Parent volunteer Lora Dunn hands out goodies (pencils and sharpeners).

Fifth grade student Eldon solves a door prize puzzle.

MSA: It’s About Info and Empowerment!

The Action Team met last Wednesday at Piney Branch Elementary School to plan for an exciting upcoming school event. On February 3rd the school will be holding its MSA Night. The Action Team envisioned and implemented the school’s first MSA Night in 2010 and the Team is ready to pull it off again!

The MSA is the Maryland School Assessment–a standardized test given to 3rd – 8th graders for reading, math and science achievement. The test provides educators, parents, and the public valuable information about student, school, school system, and state performance. The test is important to individual students because it can influence placement.

Members of the Action Team recognize the impact (for better or worse) of MSA performance on the lives of students. The Team also knows it is essential that parents (the school’s partners in education) are informed and empowered when it comes to the MSA. The MSA Night event is about providing the communication and tools necessary for both.

Piney Branch’s PTA is partnering with the Action Team to plan and carryout the event not only at the school, but also in the community at various apartment complexes surrounding the school.

Listen to Lusetha Taylor, the NAACP Parent Council Rep for the Piney Branch PTA, talk about her first experience as part of an Action Team meeting.

A Night of Support and Exchange!

More than 20 Long Branch residents participate in Network Night!

More than 20 residents (representing more than 9 countries of origin!) were in attendance at the Long Branch Network Night held at the TESS Center on January 13th. Newcomers and regulars came together for another evening of getting to know one another and practicing how to care for each other through mutual support.

Network Night kicks off with greetings in the "Hello Circle."

In the mutual support circle, people are given an opportunity to either request support, make an offer, or share an announcement. It is a moment of authentic exchange that works best when everyone puts energy into brainstorming for those requesting support and effort into finding opportunities to utilize and share offers and announcements.

Viviana shares into the mutual support circle.

In the circle, Viviana (originally from the Dominican Republic) shared that she and her family are in need of affordable housing. They are currently renting a home that is more than $2000 a month. They would like to buy a home, but the expensive real estate market and the need for large down payments make this a difficult dream to realize. Yemny, a Community Connector at the TESS Center, provided information on a program with the Housing Opportunities Commission that might be helpful. Brian, a Takoma Park resident, suggested that she consider buying a home that would also have space for her to take in a boarder and generate rental income. Genet, originally from Ethiopia, requested support around helping a friend secure a much-needed winter coat. Viviana offered that Progress Place has a Clothes Closet that provides winter clothing to men, women and children.

Participants browse info on available jobs and apartments.

Carol, a Takoma Park resident, had an offer and a request. She is a volunteer at the Electric Maid which bills itself as a community storefront. She shared that the venue would like to provide space for community meetings like the Long Branch Network Night, but is in need of more volunteers.

All of the mutual support moments provided opportunities for residents to receive from the pool of collective community knowledge and to give to that pool as well. El Salvador native Mario said, “I’ve lived here for 10 years and I’ve never been to a meeting like this!”

PhotoVoice: Pictures Will Tell the Story

Solomon studies a picture from an Atlanta photo project.

Long Branch Neighbor Corps met on January 6th after a two-week hiatus. Even without formal meetings, members managed to stay in touch over the holidays through, of all things, CAMERAS.

LB Neighbor Corps is in the first phase of a PhotoVoice project. PhotoVoice is a method of storytelling using participatory photography. PhotoVoice projects have been conducted throughout the world to help community members represent themselves and achieve positive social change.

Corps members discuss the potential power of a PhotoVoice project in Long Branch.

During the holiday break, Corps members worked together to document their lives in Long Branch. Pairs of Corps members shared cameras and experiences over a two week period. At this evening’s meeting they brought their cameras (full of pictures to be printed) and an eagerness to learn more about the possibilities of photo-documentation.

Ronnie closes his eyes and listens as a picture is being described.

Ronnie told the group about a PhotoVoice project that he participated in in Atlanta, Georgia called Dirty Truth. That project had downtown Atlanta residents document the city’s vacant property challenges through pictures. Ultimately, the photo exhibit was the catalyst for $35 million dollars in investment in those same challenged neighborhoods.

The next step for the LB Neighbor Corps PhotoVoice project will be to have each member choose a single significant photo from among the pictures they’ve taken and tell the story behind it. As more and more stories are told, emerging themes will be identified. Those themes will be used to shape the targeted issues of the Long Branch PhotoVoice exhibit.

Keep checking this blog to follow the progess of the Long Branch PhotoVoice project and to see some of the pictures taken by Neighbor Corps members!

Chilly Weather Doesn’t Stop Door Knockers!

Sebastian caught up with Long Branch Neighbor Corps members Victoria Hall, Lynne Harris, and Annick Yehouessi after door knocking at Flower Branch apartments. Victoria, Lynne, and Annick spent the morning getting to know their neighbors by knocking on their doors, engaging them, and listening to their concerns and interests. They also shared with residents info on the Neighborhood Opportunity Network, assistance available at the TESS Center, and an upcoming Neighbors Exchange.

Check out what Victoria and Lynne had to say about the experience.

Weave to Achieve?!

The Action Team met on Wednesday, December 15th in the Media Center at Piney Branch Elementary School. The diverse team of parents, teachers, and school administrators continues to meet twice monthly to practice a collaborative approach to supporting their vision for a thriving, multicultural school.

The team is at a pivotal moment as it strategizes ways to weave its collaborative approach and guiding principles into the fabric of school life.

ESOL Teach Rachna Rikhye shares her drawing of a symbolic jigsaw puzzle.

During a creative exercise, ESOL teacher Rachna Rikhye shared a picture which illustrated the co-dependent relationship that she feels exists between acting collaboratively and achieving equity and empowerment for students and families.

Principal Generlette offers his ideas.

Piney Branch principal Bertram Generlette helped to sharpen the focus of the conversation by restating the bottom line, “Everything that we [PBES] do has to be working towards ensuring that students are successful, achieving, and doing well.”

Participants share into the circle.

The meeting closed with Team members discussing their next IMPACT-ful project which will focus on parent engagement and development through school-wide and community-based forums on the Maryland State Assessments (a standardized test given to students in March).

Stay tuned for updates on the next project and the progress of the “weaving” process!