Partnerships—An Important Factor in Student Learning
Washougal School District is committed to partnerships with parents, business leaders, community members, and leaders in other governmental agencies who have an interest or stake in the enterprise of teaching students. The practice of developing partnerships is grounded in educational research.
Educational Research
Dr. Robert Marzano, highly regarded for extensive research on effective practices in schools, summarizes the research in a book entitled What Works in Schools: Translating Research Into Action (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2003). In this book, Marzano explores the most current thinking on five factors that increase student achievement. Marzano lists the five factors in the order of their impact on student achievement:
1. Clearly Defined Curriculum
2. Clearly Defined Student Learning Targets with Feedback to Students On Their Progress
3. Parent and Community Involvement
4. Safe and Orderly Environment
5. Staff Collegiality and Professionalism
In this hierarchy of research findings, parent and community involvement ranks as the third most important factor in improving student achievement. Marzano found that a greater percentage of students do well in school based on the extent to which parents and the community at large are both supportive of and involved in schools. Marzano recommends that schools establish good communication with parents and community members and find multiple ways for parents and community members to be involved in schools. In addition, Marzano recommends that schools involve parents on teams for planning and coordinating school activities and discussing curriculum and the overall school environment.
Another recommended practice in Marzano's research is mentoring of students by qualified, trained community members. Adult mentors from the community can assist youth by being another positive adult who is a steady and consistent presence in the student's life, guiding the student in decisions about how time is spent relative to school, getting to know the student's family, honoring the student's viewppoints, and recognizing the student's need for fun. Students who participated in mentoring programs were found to have a higher GPA in school, higher likelihood to enroll in college, and high likelihood to persist in college.
Washougal District's Strategic Focus on Partnerships
To maintain good communication with all patrons in the district, a quarterly district newletter is mailed to all patrons within the school district boundaries.
In addition, Washougal schools send parent newsletters and use other means of communicating with parents. At Washougal High School, parents may go to the school office and request a parent access code that will allow internet access to student attendance and grade informatiion.
To involve parents, some schools have Parent Advisory Committes (PAC) or Booster Clubs. Some schools have volunteer programs where adults can be involved working in the school. Some schools have student-led parent conferences for informing parents of student progress. Business and community leaders serve on the advisory committees of the Career and Technical Education program at Washougal High School. In addition, the superintendent and other administrators work collaboratively with the Washougal City officials, police and fire chiefs, as well as Skamania sheriffs, fire, and environmental officials. The superintendent and other administrators belong to community service clubs such as Rotary, Lions, and the Chamber of Commerce.
Currently, Washougal School District has the following business partnerships with these entitiees:
-Washougal Schools Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting the goals of Washougal School District, providing "funds and fun" for teachers
and students
-Mentoring Advanced Placement Physics, providing engineers as mentors from nLight Corporation to students in Advanced Placement physics class
-Community Foundation for Southwest Washington, representing benefactor Norm Danielson, a collaboration to provide new soccer fields
-City of Washougal and George Schmid Excavating, a collaboration to provide new baseball fields
-Malfait Family, a collaboration to provide a new community park
During the 2006-07 school year, Washougal School District will begin a high school mentoring program in collaboration with the Camas School District and the Camas-Washougal Rotary. More information will be available as that project unfolds.
The Washougal Board of Directors meet monthly and parents and patrons are welcome to attend these business meetings which are held at 6:30 p.m. at the district office at 4855 Evergreen Way, Washougal. A complete calendar of School Board meetings is listed on this website under School Board on the home page.
Interested parents and community members are invited to call the principal at any school for more information on becoming involved in Washougal schools.
Washougal High School Missy Hallead, principal, 954-3100
Excelsior High School Jill Anderson, principal, 954-3300
Canyon Creek Middle School Sandi Christensen, principal, 954-3500
Jemtegaard Middle School Doug Bright, principal, 954-3400
Cape Horn-Skye Elementary MaryLou Woody, principal, 954-3600
Gause Elementary Rex Larson, principal, 954-3700
Hathaway Elementary Laura Bolt, principal, 954-3800