Activities at Helen Tyson

Building Early Awareness: To launch the implementation of PALMS, the Springdale Public Schools held a press conference that was attended by several local newspaper, radio, and television reporters. A number of news articles appeared as a result of this outreach. In the building, Todd Loftin, assistant principal at the school and facilitator of the PALMS process, began informing faculty about PALMS and inviting them to attend planning meetings.

The group began its work by creating a vision statement that described their hopes for school-family partnerships. This statement motivated and focused the committee’s efforts throughout the year:

In partnership with families, members of our school, and members of the community, we are committed to opening doors to continuing education for all our students regardless of ethnicity, family income, or educational background.

Learning from Data: In December 2006, the PALMS committee administered surveys to students, parents, and teachers to learn more about attitudes towards higher education, communication between teachers and parents, and perceptions of care and concern at the school. The survey showed that nearly all Helen Tyson Latino students desired to go to college. Latino parents echoed these aspirations. However, the survey showed that parents were not certain how to help their children reach their educational dreams. The committee found that only 12 percent of Latino parents surveyed answered “yes” to the statement, “I know how to help my child prepare for college,” compared to 73 percent of White parents. This was one of the most concerning issues raised by the survey data. These results were eye opening for the PALMS committee. The team developed concrete, time-framed goals for creating change and began to plan future activities and programs.

Working with Higher Education Institutions: The College Bound Club was created to give students opportunities to gain exposure to a variety of postsecondary institutions. Nearly two-thirds of Tyson students belong to College Bound, with a smaller group of students serving as club officers. Approximately three to four times a year, College Bound sponsors visits to local universities, small colleges, community colleges, and technical schools. During their visits, students wear specially designed t-shirts to identify themselves as College Bound members. In the 2006-2007 school year, students and some parents took trips to Missouri State University, University of Arkansas, and John Brown University. The campus visits gave the students to a chance to see all the aspects of college. By the end of the year, teachers noticed that many Tyson students would spontaneously hold conversations about the type of college or program that they would like to pursue after high school.

Outreach to Latino Parents: In March 2007, the PALMS committee held their first parent meeting at the Jones Center for Families, a local community center. The team provided food and set up an activity room for children which was staffed by bilingual AmeriCorps volunteers who work with the district. School administrators used an interpreter to communicate to parents their belief that all children should be prepared to attend college, and the school’s commitment to work with parents to make that happen. The parents brainstormed ideas for improving communication between home and school. Parents also expressed a desire to have more meetings between themselves and the school administration and staff.

College Night: In May 2007, representatives from local community colleges, vocational technical schools, and universities were invited to speak with Helen Tyson students and parents. Presentations were held in both English and Spanish. This activity was planned to help students to begin thinking about how to plan for college and to increase the number of parents who receive information about options for their children.

End-of-year Data Collection: At the end of the school year, the team conducted another survey among students, parents, and teachers to assess changes in attitudes towards post-secondary education, communication between teachers and parents, and perceptions of care and concern at the school. This survey showed that almost all Latino students planned to attend school after high school. More Latino parents felt better informed about post-secondary options for their children.