Parents’ CParents’ Club lub ––supporting the supporting the Primary Years Primary Years

Programme in a Programme in a global global worldworld

Session outline…Overview of the BNPS Parents’ Club and how we support the PYP

Explore opportunities: For Parent Clubs to share ideas and experiencesTo gain IB and national/state supporto ga a d a o a /s a e suppo

Group discussion

Decades of research make it clear Decades of research make it clear that...

“Where parents, teachers, students and community members continue to learn from each other and really work together, the gains in student achievement can be significant ”significant.

"Power of Partnerships." The Victorian Council of School Organisations Inc (VICCSO). 12 Jan. 2011 <http://www.viccso.org.au/content/faminfo>.

And that...“The family-school-community partnership is among the most powerful improvement levers that a school has access to.”

"Power of Partnerships." The Victorian Council of School Organisations Inc (VICCSO). 12 Jan. 2010 <http://www.viccso.org.au/content/faminfo>.

The research also suggests that...“These partnerships need to be much stronger - if partnerships are to become a source of major gains in student engagement and achievement.”

"Power of Partnerships." The Victorian Council of School Organisations Inc (VICCSO). 12 Jan. 2010 <http://www.viccso.org.au/content/faminfo>.

Parent involvement is a key feature of our schoolfeature of our school…

Our Parents’ Club…Is very active in fundraising and facilities development Provides avenues for social contact and enjoyment for families within the school Provides opportunities for parents to contribute to school/educational

li ipolicies

Our Parents’ Club…Provides information for parents to extend their understanding of school issues

Encourages participation of all parents in the life of the school and education of their children

We have also…Revised Parents’ Club ConstitutionConducted a ‘Your Say Survey’Developed a Club Plan for 2011Developed a Club Plan for 2011Created an online Business DirectoryDesigned a new logoDeveloped a website www.beaumarisnorthps.vic.edu.au/parents-club/welcome.html

We recognised the need to…Welcome parents as co-educators of the PYP and equal partners in shaping our

h l’ di tischool’s direction

Engage families from diverse backgroundsEngage families from diverse backgrounds

We have taken our Parents’ Club to the next level...

We support the PYP by…Forming a vital link between parents, teachers and the leadership team

Being compassionate, active citizens

Fundraising to support the various units of inquiry, PYP Attitudes and Learner Profile Profile

We support the PYP by…Fostering PYP Attitudes and the Learner Profile at all Club events

Providing avenues for children to demonstrate and further develop these pskills and values

Risk-takers!

2010 parents’ disco…Risk takers!

Testimonial What a night! Thanks for all your hard work and energy - you really know how to make a night so fantasticmake a night so fantastic.

We support the PYP by…Including global issues and activities into our Club plan

Embracing opportunities to encourage children/families from diverse children/families from diverse backgrounds to become involved

Cultural eventsCultural events…

Kate, Grade 2

We support the PYP by…Allowing children to manage stalls at events

Advertising our commitmentRegistration brochureRegistration brochureParents’ Club website

We support the PYP by…Compiling a music CD of songs reflecting the PYP Attitudes & Learner Profile

Learner Profile Attitudes

Open-minded Independence

We support the PYP by…Compiling an end of year book for the teacher

Maia, Grade 1

We support the PYP by…Reflecting and reporting on events/surveys and acting on the results

Being active local community participants

Working towards the IBO Programme Working towards the IBO Programme standards and practices

Example - Standard A1, #4“The beliefs and values that drive the programme are shared by all sections of the school community (including students the school community (including students, teachers, administrators, members of the governing body and others as g gappropriate.”

We have incorporated the PYP into Cl b lour Club plan

O t Our current playground…p yg

What is a natural playscape…Blends natural materials, features and vegetation with creative land forms

C t l l i t l f t l Creates purposely complex interplays of natural, environmental objects

Challenges and fascinates childrenChallenges and fascinates children

Teaches children about the wonders and intricacies of the natural world

Why a natural playscape?“With children's lives disconnected from the natural world, their experiences are predominately mediated in media, written language and visual , g gimages.”

Chawla, 1994

“The virtual is replacing the real.”Pyle, 2002

Why a natural playscape?To make optimal use of our land and reconnect our students with nature

To send calmer, more curious, better-balanced children into the classroom

Positively linked with a sense of ‘wonder’

Creates positive feelings about Creates positive feelings about each other

About the project…Initiative of the Parents’ Club

Gained support from School CouncilGained support from School Council

Parents and staff were surveyed online

Subcommittee formed

Landscape Architects & play equipment manufacturers consulted

A partnership…

Beaumaris North Primary School

Landscape Architect

Citywide Service SolutionsCitywide Service Solutions

Community Nursery

Our commitment…We are committed to ensuring our students develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live learn and work in a rapidly social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world by extending the variety of options within the school grounds

Other benefits…Create a stronger sense of community

An active involvement opportunity for parentspp y p

New curriculum connections for teachers

Increased morale and enthusiasm for teaching

Reduction in discipline and classroom t blmanagement problems

Playscape photo presentation…Hills and valleys

Boulders and rocks

Logs

Outdoor classrooms

Agility Drama, art and music

S ings and t nnelsVegetation

Sand

Swings and tunnels

Loose parts

Paths and bridges

Citizenship creativity connectivity Citizenship, creativity, connectivity and compassion…

Partnership with external organisationsParental involvementParental involvementConnecting children with the environmentEncouraging children to be creative and Encouraging children to be creative and compassionateThe list goes on…

Other ideas for supporting the Other ideas for supporting the PYP...

Fundraising plaques pertaining to units of inquiry

Issuing Attitude & Learner Profile certificates at events

PYP section on our webpage

Gl b l lk thGlobal walk-a-thon

Sharing ideas and experiences…Parent Clubs around the world can support the PYP and become active IB citizens

Strengthen communities to provide an Strengthen communities to provide an avenue for best practice

Gaining support…International Baccalaureate (IB)

Recognize Parent Clubs as ‘stakeholders’ in the Recognize Parent Clubs as stakeholders in the IB ‘Mission and Strategy’

Regional workshops to provide opportunities Regional workshops to provide opportunities to share Parent Club practices and experiences

Parent Club area in the Online Curriculum Centre

Gaining support…International Baccalaureate (IB)

Use of IB Blogosphere Facebook TwitterUse of IB Blogosphere, Facebook, Twitter

Provide initiatives and resources to support Parent Clubs in IB schoolsParent Clubs in IB schools

Actively encourage Parent Clubs to incorporate the PYP into their Club planp p

Gaining support...National and state organisations

Provide initiatives and resources to support Provide initiatives and resources to support Parent Clubs in IB schools

Encourage IB schools to incorporate the PYP Encourage IB schools to incorporate the PYP into their Parent Club plan

Group discussion...How can Parent Clubs support the PYP?

How can Parent Clubs support each How can Parent Clubs support each other?

How can the IBO and National/State How can the IBO and National/State organisations support Parent Clubs?

How can parents be welcomed as How can parents be welcomed as co-educators of the PYP?

Where to from here?Collate ideas from group discussion and disseminate as appropriate

Continue to investigate ways to support the PYP

Work towards the IBO Programme standards and practices

Where to from here?Encourage International, National and State support of Parents’ Clubs in IB schoolsschools

Become an active IB community Become an active IB community participant

P d t P d t Proud supporters Proud supporters of the Primary of the Primary

Y PY PYears PYears Programmerogramme

www.beaumarisnorthps.vic.edu.au/parents-club/welcome.html