Request for Comments on Agenda for Discussion of Outreach at Shearn Elementary
Exploring Additional Outreach At and Around Shearn Elementary School
Invitees and Agenda for Meeting at Shearn, Friday, January 29, 2016 at 9:30 AM
Shearn ES: Bill Buck, Principal, Sherry Walker & Hester Fleeks (Staff)
- Weekley YMCA: Alex Taylor, Executive Director, Shaun McGowan, Outreach Director, Dave Agerton, Member Board and Kids Hope Mentor
- Greater Houston YMCA: Doug Waddill, Director of Education (former elementary school teacher and principal), Heidi Brasher, Director of Development
- Willow Meadows Baptist: Matt Vandagriff, Sr. Pastor, Lisa Robinson, Deacon, Shearn librarian
- Grace Episcopal: Mitzi Coleman, LMSW, Connection Coordinator
- Family and Community Engagement Specialists: Robert Rivera
- Loving Houston: Michael Kraxberger, Operations Manager
- Others:
Draft Discussion Agenda: Lead:
- Introductions: All
- Additions and changes to the agenda, if any All
- Shearn strengths, aspirations and opportunities (needs): Bill Buck
- Quick Review of Summary, List on Pg. 2 and Any Additions Dave
- Thoughts and Perspective of Participants
- Greater Houston YMCA Doug and Heidi
- Weekley YMCA Alex and Shaun
- Loving Houston Michael
- Churches Matt, Lisa, Mitzi
- F.A.C.E. Specialists Robert
- Further Discussion and Next Steps
- Community Workshop in early April?
- Action Items
Summary: A stated focus area for all Houston YMCAs is “youth development” with a specific goal to help improve their academic achievement at schools like Shearn. At Weekley Family YMCA, our membership is large and diverse and our community outreach programs are sustained and growing. We provide scholarships to many families and children and some of our staff live and provide programs at nearby Section 8 apartments. We fund Outreach through our Annual Campaign and from membership and program revenues we provide financial support to the Greater Houston YMCA for other Y branches.
Last year our member board led strategic planning workshops with participation by members, a demographer and a wide range of community and organizational leaders. As a result, we are exploring how we can further engage the community to serve nearby children and families, particularly at and around Shearn ES which is profiled on page 2. Many of our Y members live, play or worship near Shearn. Plus, the students advance to Pershing Middle School next to Weekley Y where we offer a range of programs suited to them.
We are in conversations to understand the strengths, aspirations and needs of the school and community. We are exploring potential alignments, collaborations & complimentary programs with other organizations, including neighborhood churches, that will work for the health, wholeness, development and well-being of children and their families. We are thinking about how to initially fund programs with foundation grants and then how transition to long-term support from our annual campaign and area volunteers.
We see a range of potential programs and initiatives which we would like to explore and prioritize. The list below is preliminary while we await review and input from the school Principal.
- Mentoring During School: Adult volunteers from churches and the Y and a coordinator / trainer from our Y. Area churches are small and not all are self-supporting, but they have older adults who’d like to serve as mentors. The Y has some volunteers as well and our staff is excellent at coordination, training and accountability. We’ve started a discussion with Kids Hope USA about the feasibility of the Y supporting and coordinating a hybrid Kids Hope mentoring program at Shearn.
- Summer School: A combination of fun academics, field trips, sports and swimming. Last summer, the Greater Houston YMCA sponsored a pilot “Power Scholars Academy” along these lines in Aldine in partnership with a foundation and a charity. The Y operates summer camps for children at branch Ys like Weekley as well as at a facility on a lake north of town.
- Reading & Book Programs: Expanding the use of adults to encourage reading in elementary school. This is complimented by a book distribution program. Weekley Y volunteers include reading specialists and principal in a book charity.
- School Garden: Assistance to revitalize and sustain the gardens at Shearn. This would require a commitment of teachers to involve students in operating gardens, like at Pershing MS.
- Expanded After School Care: Weekley operates many after school care programs, both remote and onsite with using vans for transport where needed. This after-school care can involve both academics and sports. One volunteer with a long career in nursing would like to mentor Hispanic children in activities related to nursing – something she enjoyed when she attended Shearn Elementary many years ago.
- Apartment Outreach: Currently, Weekley sponsors outreach staff at 3 apartment complexes, one very close to Shearn. Other Section 8 apartments are nearby where such outreach may be welcome. However, ownership of Section 8 apartments tends to change every 5 years or and not all owners want to allocate several units to the Y. So, in some cases, basing additional outreach activities at churches and schools may help insure sustainability.
- Family and Community Engagement Consultants: Several programs are available to help align families with schools and to provide parents with the tools and insights to help their children succeed.
- Fall Festival: An annual festival at the school which offers the opportunity to engage the community and supporters. EG: last year, a church arranged for Walgreens to provide flu shots.
Potential Participants:
- Shearn Elementary, a public school in Houston Independent School District (HISD)
- YMCA: Weekley Family YMCA and The Greater Houston YMCA Association
- Churches, eg: Willow Meadows Baptist, Grace Episcopal, Southwest Central Church of Christ, Houston Chinese Church, Corpus Christi Catholic
- Other Organizations, eg
- Kids Hope USA
- Family and Community Engagement Specialists (consultants outside of HISD)
- Loving Houston (encouraging churches to serve in local schools)
- Westwood Civic Club
- Foundations interested in funding the start up costs over several years, as the programs are transitioned to being fully supported by the Y and partners.
Shearn Elementary School Profile
- Leadership: Bill Buck, Principal, Katherine Kaefer, Ass’t. Principal
- Profile: 650 students: 75-80% Hispanic, 16-20% African Am., 2% Asian, 2% White. 61% w/ limited English, 74% at-risk, 93% qualify for free/reduced lunch. 11% served in Neighborhood Vanguard Program. 55% in Bilingual Classroom.
- Gov’t: HISD District IV Trustee: Paula Harris. City Council District K: Larry Green
- Location: 9802 Stella Link, 1.7 miles fm Weekley Y. Children graduate to Pershing Middle School next door to Weekley Y.
- School Programs for Children: Subject to update / confirmation by Principal
- Cub Scout Pack 1472 (Michael Sampson)
- 21st Century After-School Center of Education (ACE): small group tutors focus on reading, math & enrichment activities.
- Head Start
- School Programs for Parents: Subject to update / confirmation by Principal
- Home Instruction For Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)
- The Family Learning Academy: workshops, resources & strategies to connect families w/ tools & info for parents to help their child succeed.
- Family And Community Engagement Specialist:
- 7 Habits Training for Parents
- Adult Computer Classes: parents & community members learn computer skills.
- Current Volunteers: Subject to update / confirmation by Principal
- Mission Southwest: 2-4 from area churches, down from as high as 30
- PTO: Recently restarted.
- Idle Kids Hope program: sponsored by St. Vincent de Paul Catholic for 2 years in 2010
- Weekley YMCA: occasional projects, a few after-school readers / tutors. Volunteers mostly involved nearby at Ashford Santa Fe apartments and in sports programs.
