Reaching Children Where They Are
A new school—despite the colorful whales on the wall and a smiling teacher kneeling at eye level—can terrify even the happiest five-year-old.
It can make her want to crawl on the counter and press her face against the window.
It can make a worried parent linger by the door.
It can leave a lasting first impression of fear…not good for the first day of school.
At Mary Harrison Primary School, classroom doors are seldom closed and parents are never strangers. Chances are, when kindergarten students begin school, they already have new friends. They've met the teacher, the secretary, and the custodian. They know where the bathrooms are. Parents know the ropes, too. But that doesn't happen by chance.
"We plan, meet, and work at it every day," says Principal Barbara Fields. The school, Fields notes, is a spoke in a bigger wheel that uses several programs to ease the transition from home to school and from "little" school to "bigger" school.
The transition team at Mary Harrison began as a collaborative project with the local Head Start program three years ago. The team includes staff, parents, and district and social service representatives. They meet monthly to discuss specific family and school issues, making sure teachers share insights as children move from preschool to different grade levels to the next school.
As a result of early efforts in 1993, several community businesses and agencies helped bring families in by sponsoring an immunization clinic at the school. And in 1994-95, the group received an Oregon Department of Education grant to expand services to include all new students, preschools, and daycare providers.
Mary Harrison's goal is to have knowledgeable families that feel comfortable in seeking information, and staff that is familiar with the unique needs of each incoming child and family. The process reflects months of schoolwide discussions and "learning by doing."
For instance, teachers provide a "familiar greeter" service to help parents feel comfortable entering the school. "It's amazing that when parents come in, they light up when they see a familiar face from last year," says teacher Karen Johnson. "Transition isn't easy for anyone."
The process for a newcomer begins with personal contact at the school and a questionnaire that allows the family to offer information they feel comfortable volunteering. From there, the process varies to meet the different needs of families.
Mary Harrison offers spring tours for kindergarten students, work parties for parents, an introductory video, and new- student orientations. Staff from Mary Harrison and Arcadia Intermediate also meet monthly to help families and staff bridge the gap between second and third grade.
Fields says it is important to accommodate the various lifestyles, schedules, and situations of families in creative and obliging ways. "We've learned that family involvement is different for everyone," she says. "There is no such thing as a typical family in our school."
—Shannon Priem
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