[JPI] important volunteer opportunity for you

[Cecelia Hawkins]

Friends:

One of the most exciting outcomes of the "All Means All" focus group (formed 
in response to concerns about CSISD students who failed the TAAS) is that 
school administrators and teachers have developed individual strategies to 
help these students.  But community involvement and support is essential!

Here's how you can help:

1.  serve as a mentor (cheerleader/encourager) for a single high school 
student who is working with a tutor to pass the next round of TAAS (they 
don't need academic tutors; they need people outside of the school day who 
will show interest, encourage, take extra time to support)

2.  serve as a mentor/buddy/encourager for a single elementary school 
student (during the school day or after; be involved with the student and be 
an advocate for him or her)

3.  accompany a school official into the community to meet individual 
parents/families and begin to make better personal connections.

4.  help organize and participate in a small neighborhood event after school 
designed to bring family members and school folks together, along with 
advocates/mentors/tutors and other volunteer support.

Each elementary and middle school as well as the high school have some 
pretty distinct needs outlined.  The above list really just gives you a 
superficial overview of the types of volunteer options.

The next step is for focus group leaders/community contacts to bring to the 
next meeting a list of community volunteers who would like to participate in 
one of the above ways.  Then, ISD staff will try to "match" an individual 
community volunteer with a child or an activity.  Flexibility of approach is 
the key.  Your commitment would be for about once a week, one child, one 
semester (or one event if that's what interests you, etc.).

If you are interested in this endeavor, please let me know by private e-mail 
(cecelia_hawkins at hotmail.com).  I will bring your name to the "AMA" group 
and then you'll be contacted about what to do next.

I'm impressed with the level of commitment and the determination of the 
CSISD admin staff (central and campus).  They really want to discover a 
strategy that will work for these individual students. Community members 
have expressed support, but few have stepped forward to volunteer.

Please let me know if you want to hear more.

Cecelia







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