Indicator #8:
Changing Perceptions
Workshop Handouts

First Day of School America 2010

The North Dakota State PIRC is offering the First Day Award of $200 to up to 40 of ND schools and districts.

First Day of School America is a national program that brings together schools, families, and communities in joyful celebrations of education.

The First Day of School is the one day each year when it is simultaneously most important and easiest to enlist family involvement in education and community support for schools.

North Dakota State PIRC would also like to encourage North Dakota schools to plan First Day of School programs in their community. North Dakota State PIRC is offering a $200 award contract to schools that apply for their First Day 2010 initiatives.

To qualify for this award contract, please e-mail Kendra Bartholomew at the North Dakota State at nnps@ndstatepirc.org.

In your application:

Complete a one-page narrative answering the following points:

a brief summary of your planned event, including date, time, and location

explain how you plan to include parents and other significant adults in the event;

explain how you plan to include or collaborate with North Dakota State PIRC in the event;

explain how First Day will be sustained as an annual school-community tradition;

explain how First Day will kick off year-round parent involvement activities;

describe collaborations with other agencies or organizations in the community; and

describe how you will evaluate the program's effectiveness.

At your event (IMPORTANT):

1. Take 5 minutes at the event to give a brief review of the key elements of NCLB and hand out a PIRC booklet or fact sheet on NCLB to parents attending the event.

2. Collect signatures of parents who review the book with you and/or listen to the NCLB presentation.

Application deadline: AUGUST 15, 2010 and activity must be completed on the First Day of School.