COMMUNITY LINKAGES STUDENT FORUMS

The Board of Education Community Linkages Committee sent out a survey to obtain ideas for themes for linkage events/forums for the 2010 year. At the top of the list was “Ways parents could promote student achievement.” The Community Linkages Committee is bringing forth a proposal to hold two forums (one at Apollo and one at Tech) on the topic of “Exploring Student ‘Success’: A Dialogue with Students of Color. Students of color and their parents/mentors will be invited to the dialogue sessions. Dr. Les Green and Eddah Mutua-Kombo will be the moderators for the forums.

The questions to be discussed within the dialogue groups (guided by the SCSU moderators) will include:

1. What is student ‘success’ and how is it determined, measured, valued and celebrated in terms of scholarship, leadership, service, and character?
2. What is the role of the student in achieving his/her success?
3. What is the role of a student’s parent(s) or adult mentor in their child’s success?
4. What is the role of the teacher and the building administrator in the student’s success?
5. What is the role of the community in the success of students in the school district?
6. How can the qualities and traits of success of some students (values, behaviors, practices and commitments) be exported to other students?

As follow-up to the forums, it was suggested that talking points be created and shared. Information obtained could be incorporated into the District’s Strategic Plan/VisionCards, as well as building improvement plans.

Superintendent’s Cabinet and Principals are very supportive of the forums and indicated the information obtained will be valuable.

The tentative dates for the Community Linkages Forums are:

Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Apollo High School – Learning Resource Center (North End)
6:00-8:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 22, 2010
Tech High School – Learning Resource Center
6:00-8:00 p.m.

Principals will identify and invite Apollo/North students and their parent(s) to participate in the forum at Apollo. Principals Ziemann and Williams will identify and invite Tech/South students and their parent(s) to participate in the forum at Tech. Principal Ray will identify students and their parents to represent the ALC. A suggestion is to have approximately five students from each school; an attempt will be made to have balanced representation (grade levels, gender).

Invitations to the families will include the list of questions in preparation for the forums. The forums will be taped for future use at the elementary level. The forums will be publicly noticed with invitations to attend going out to all District staff, as well as community representatives.