jackiedoherty.org

I finally watched the broadcast of the Mary Bacigalupo Forum (schedule) and have taken some time to read over the materials that were given out at the forum as well as to visit the NNPS website.  I am still trying to figure out how the ideas of Dr. Epstein can be applied to Lowell, how they fit in with ongoing work, including that of the Forum subgroups, and what steps can be taken immediately.  Dr. Epstein’s model is to “develop, nurture and sustain partnerhips to make a difference for all students” and is contingent on a school or district joining the National Network of Partnership Schools (for a modest fee) and taking advantage of resources, sharing of best practices and other assistance.    What I like about her method is the constant collection of data from members and reporting back what works and what doesn’t. (At last year’s forum, Dr. Howard stressed the need to constantly refer to the data to figure out what to do and how to do it – one of the subgroups created at last year’s forum is the Data Assessment Committee.)  The other aspect of the NNPS model is the Action Team for partnerships (ATP) that is tailor-made to fit in with existing school site councils and school improvement plans.  The ideal application of the ATP would bring PTO parents, school staff, district and community partners together to focus on one or more specific problems, such as attendance or behavior.  This kind of results-oriented approach has been a proven success for many NNPS schools.  In short, I think the Epstein model could work for Lowell, either on the school, or maybe later on at the district level.