System Design/Management:
Training/Professional Development:
The Project provides a variety of professional development activities. Half-day overviews introduce research and basic principles of effective partnerships. A two-day training session for school-based Action Teams supports schools that are ready to implement coordinated partnership programs. And Partnerships in Action networking workshops apply the partnership perspective to specific topics such as parent-teacher conferences, comprehensive school health, involving fathers in children’s education, or community involvement.
Technical assistance is provided to trained school teams and others through telephone and electronic communication, presentations, resources and on-site visits. The Policy Action Packet for School-Family-Community Partnerships was developed to assist schools and districts meet the requirements of Public Act 97-290 which directs school districts to institute a policy on school-family communication.
Materials/Activities:
Other resources include a library collection to help schools develop and implement partnership policies and programs, and raise awareness. An annotated bibliography is disseminated statewide, informing readers that resources are available for loan free of charge at the state’s centrally located library for special education and family support material at SERC.
In addition, the Schools and Families newsletter is mailed twice a year to over 4000 readers statewide. Each issue centers on a theme such as violence prevention, technology, or health literacy. The newsletter includes information on research, best practices from Connecticut schools, districts or communities, and a list of web, library or free resources.