Opening the Schoolhouse Door for Patrons
Opening the Schoolhouse Door for Patrons
Support your public schools even if you don't have children there.
With voting in the next couple days, do citizens still support their local public schools?
I found this article and like the ideas in it. I am a supporter of public schools, and I am a supporter of school choice. After I finished my doctoral work, I applied to be a school principal and had four final interviews. One of the things I promoted was doing more with the district’s patrons. Basically, get “buy-in” from those who have the ability to not only vote for school referendums, but those who could make a financial difference themselves. The parents on the hiring committee were not on board with that idea, although the district’s superintendent supported me as a candidate because of some of my unique (perhaps) ideas. I didn’t get any of the jobs and saw that maybe I didn’t want to be a principal at the point. My true interests lay elsewhere. Writing, explaining, and working more directly with groups whose needs were more up my alley.
One of the things I have yet to make clear to my readers is why I am also for School Choice. I will do that soon.
So, with that introduction, enjoy this article from a retired superintendent who is on the board of the Horace Mann League. I will introduce my readers to more pieces like this over time.
by Jack McKay of the Horace Mann League, October 2024
The Patron’s Tour.
How do we attract people from our local community into their public schools during the school day? One successful method is the “Superintendent’s Patrons Tour.” The tour is based on ideas:
1. People support the activity in direct ratio to their understanding and appreciation of the activity’s purpose and complexities.
2. The operation of a school district’s delivery system for educating children is an activity that requires public understanding and support; and
3. Most adult’s knowledge of the school experience is based on the schools they attended as students.
4. The “Superintendent Patrons’ Tour” helps citizens become more aware of their schools' purposes, responsibilities, and operations. The tour brings a representative group of citizens into the schools for a half day to look at the inner workings of the supportive and instructional activities during a typical school day.
Who to invite: The tour group could include representatives of the business community, e.g., real estate, banks, merchants, chamber of commerce staff, parent groups, and booster clubs. You might also consider inviting a school secretary or other support staff within the district.
Welcome: The Patron’s Tour has a basic format that can be easily tailored to the size and complexity of most school systems. The format has been successfully used in school districts ranging from 1,000 to 30,000 students.
Size of Group: The touring group size generally is about 25. This size allows for the entire group to be comfortable on a school bus transporting people from one school to the next. Also, the group can be divided into smaller groups when visiting classrooms.
Agenda: The suggested agenda starts with guest gathering in the district’s board room for refreshments. Either the board president or the superintendent, welcome the group and provide a printed brochure and itinerary.
Itinerary: At around 8:45 am, the group is randomly divided into two groups of about 12 each. These smaller groups then visit the offices of the central office administrators, (e.g., instruction, maintenance, transportation, finance, etc.) for a brief presentation on what their responsibilities are in supporting teachers and staff in carrying out the day-to-day functions of a major community employer.
Traveling: Around 9:00 am, guests take a drive or walk-through tour of the bus maintenance and warehouse facilities. Guests then travel by bus to three schools; an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The purpose of visiting three levels of instruction is to show how a curriculum strand, for example math or reading, is organized from the elementary grades through high school.
Visiting the Schools: At each school, the building principal greets the tour group as they come off the bus. He or she explains the general information about the school, grades, size, etc. Usually, two students also greet the guests and present the group with a brochure about their school and what they will visit during the tour. The principal leads the tour and explains the general activities that are taking place in the classrooms. The teacher will welcome the visitors and briefly explain what the learning activity being observed. The visitors are also encouraged to visit with the students to find out what they are doing. Guests visit two or three different classrooms for about 10 to 15 minutes each, with the school visit lasting about one hour.
Different Grade Levels: Since the tour group will be visiting three different grade level schools and seeing one curriculum strand, for example, math, the classroom visited should illustration what is being taught and how it relates to the instructional activities of the district-wide math curriculum.
After visiting an elementary school, the tour group will visit a middle school. Again the building principal will lead the tour and encourage group members to visit with the teachers and students while in the classrooms. Again the guests will be transported by school bus to a high school.
Luncheon and Q and A session: After the tour group visited the high school classrooms, we had a luncheon hosted by the school administrators. School board members, building principals, and central office administrators are invited to be available to answer questions and thank the guests for taking the time to visit the schools. Sometimes, students cater the luncheon. The tour ends with a bus ride back to the district administration building around noon.
Role of the Administrators and Board: The superintendent sets the tone and accompanies the guests during the entire tour. The logistics (busing, classroom visits, lunch arrangements, etc.) need to be well-planned. Although the tour format is structured, it must be credible. Building principals and teachers must be prepared for the visitors, but they are encouraged not to alter the classroom and school schedule of normal activities.
As the superintendent, I would use this special opportunity to showcase what we are so proud of doing daily – working with young people. Equally rewarding are the comments from our administrators and teachers about parents and business people being in their classrooms and seeing what they do as professional educators every day.
Benefits of the Tour: The Patron’s Tour provides citizens with an opportunity to see their public schools in action, see the youth of their community actively learning, and get a glimpse of the complexity of organizing their school system to operate effectively every day. Even more important is the opportunity for school administrators, teachers, and support staff to strengthen their personal bonds with the citizens.
A typical itinerary of a Patron’s Tour
8:00 am: Set up for coffee and pastries in the school board room
8:30 to 8:45: Welcome and introductions of administrators
8:45 to 9:00: Tour of the Central Office with visits to offices
9:00 to 9:20: Tour maintenance, bus and warehouse facilities
9:20 to 9:30: Travel to elementary school
9:30 to 10:10: Tour the school and visit classrooms
10:15 to 10:25: Travel to middle school
10:25 to 11:05: Tour the middle school and visit classrooms
11:05 to 10:15: Travel to high school
11:20 to 11:45: Tour the high school and visit classrooms
11:45 to 12:05: Working lunch at high school with board members and administrators. (This is an opportunity to answer questions and thank the people for taking the time to visit their schools.
12:05 to 12:15: Travel to the Central Office
My current published and coming books about the gifted:
The Five Levels of Gifted Children Grown Up: What They Tell Us (2023). https://www.amazon.com/Levels-Gifted-Children-Grown-Up/dp/B0C9SHFRLH or https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-5-levels-of-gifted-children-grown-up-phd-deborah-l-ruf/1143719859?ean=9798988323709. This is an 18 year longitudinal study follow-up about the original gifted child subjects in 5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options (2005, 2009).
Keys to Successfully Parenting the Gifted Child (2023). Keys to Successfully Parenting Gifted Children (2022, 2023)
5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options in 2009. Here are links to the 5 Levels of Gifted book on Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/5-levels-of-gifted-deborah-ruf/1126358834 and Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Levels-Gifted-School-Educational-Options/dp/0910707987 or directly from the publisher: https://www.giftedunlimitedllc.com/store/p12/5_Levels_of_Gifted.html
Environmental, Familial, and Personal Factors That Affect the Self-Actualization of Highly Gifted Adults: Case Studies (D. Ruf, 1998) doctoral dissertation. Free PDF https://dabrowskicenter.org/ruf
Losing Our Minds: Too Many Gifted Children Left Behind (Oct. 2024). Available now on both Amazon and B&N.
Follow this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DL3BSC9X or this link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/losing-our-minds-deborah-ruf/1146410968?ean=2940185888872
Dr. Ruf is available for the following services.
Click for details and to schedule:
One-Hour Test Interpretation
Gifted Child Test Interpretation & Guidance
20-Minute Consultation
45-Minute Consultation
One-Hour Consultation
Podcast Interview