Newton Elementary and Friends of Children of Mississippi Inc. Crossroads Head Start
Duration of partnership: 2 years
10 volunteers
Impacts 225 students
Newton Elementary School has a partnership with Friends of Children of Mississippi Inc. Crossroads Head Start. Our district purchased a reading program and we have allowed Crossroads to send some of their teachers to us and become trained on implementing this program at the Head Start as we implement it within our curriculum.
We meet from time to time at their center as well as at our school and invite community members to attend. These meeting are held to inform and encourage all stakeholders to become involved in the education process. Our special education department provides a part-time teacher to teach a few students for three days per week who are experiencing significant delays in two or more of the five developmental areas.
We invite the students from Crossroads to come and tour our campus and become familiar with the way we do things. We have attended professional development activities together to become better trained in working as partners.
We implemented a kindergarten academy last summer for Head Start students who were going to be our kindergarten students. The purpose of the academy was to assist Head Start students with their adjustment to the elementary school before school actually started in August. Another purpose was to assess the readiness of some Head Start children so that we could adjust our instruction and/or match teachers and students.
Activities
PTO meetings and activities; Fall Festival, dances, parties, parent training, award days, partnership lunches held on campus. Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist and other related services staff work with students at Crossroads on a weekly basis. Meetings held to promote male involvement within our community and schools.
Results
Headstart students entering kindergarten better prepared in reading and socialization. Parents becoming more aware of importance of education and reading. 16 teachers have benefitted from partnership with Crossroads Headstart. Number of students reaching Accelerated Reader goals during first semester of 2011-12 school year more than doubled from prior year. At least 10% increase in attendance at parent meetings and trainings. Parent participation and attendance at Headstart activities has increased.