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Middle School Offers Family Engagement Open House

Persell Middle School families visited the Chautauqua Children’s Safety Village booth during a recent Open House. Seventeen local organizations and businesses gave out information in the school’s gym. Submitted photos

Learning to set academic goals was just one activity that Persell Middle School families and their children participated in together during the school’s recent Open House. Homeroom teachers shared individual student literacy data from the fall administration of the MAP assessments, which are computerized adaptive tests offered in Reading, Language Use, and Mathematics. Teachers shared data with parents, explained what the data represents, how it used (measures child’s progress or growth in school and provides info for differentiation), and used that fall scores to help parents and students set individual smart goals during the Open House. Parents were also taught how to analyze the data and provided with tips, strategies, and resources to assist their children with their reading at home. The goal-setting activity was just one way the school helped better engage parents, families and their community.

“We decided to change the original Open House format this year due to learning acquired during our summer FaCE (Family & Community Engagement) training,” said Persell Open House committee leaders, Lisa Stahlman-Colby and Marcy Miller. “The training taught us that effective engagement should include all stakeholders; staff, students, families and community. To achieve effective engagement, we are working to find ways to get families interested in their child’s learning so that we may clearly help to engage them with the skills for success.”

The “new” Persell’s Family and Community Engagement Evening was very well-attended and included 17 community organizations that handed out information to families and students. A big thank you is extended to all of the community organizations that participated in the Open House: All American Karate, Anytime Fitness, Boy Scouts — Allegheny Highlands Council, Boys and Girls Club, Chautauqua Children’s Safety Education Village, Chautauqua Striders, Family Table Food Ministries, Hispanic Community Council, Infinity Visual & Performing Arts, Jamestown Community Learning Council, Northwest Arena, Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, Prendergast Library, Resource Center — Health Services, St. Susan Center, Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union and UB Dental.

Persell teachers also set-up booths by grade level, content area, United Arts and physical education throughout the hallways. Teachers shared samples of curriculum, student work, math exemplars, samples of text students will be reading, and tools for success.

All of the different clubs offered at Persell Middle School were also showcased including: Honor Society, Student Council, Band, Orchestra, Choir, Winter Guard, Persell Reads Book Club, Persell’s Produce Patch, Running Club, Art Club and Ski Club.

The staff felt very positive about the Open House experience and believed that the parents walked away with valuable information. The school also conducted a parent survey at the conclusion of the event with 76 percent indicating that they felt that is was a worthwhile experience.

“It’s so beneficial to be here because children cannot always come home and reiterate what the expectations are in school,” said Persell Middle School parent, Kim Hagelin who attended the Open House with her daughter, Ava. “This type of a night gives us an opportunity to have face-to-face time with teachers. But, I was also was very impressed to find out all of the different ways we can communicate with teachers at Persell including the Remind app, emails, and texts. If you need to communicate with someone at Persell, there is a way for everyone.”

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