Orchard Elementary Nationally Recognized For Connecting With Community

For the third straight year, Orchard Elementary is being recognized by the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) at Johns Hopkins University for its efforts to build connections between the school and its community.

Details about Orchard’s One Book-One School program organized by the school’s Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) made it into the NNPS’ annual book, “Promising Partnership Practices,” which highlights activities led by ATPs in schools across the country.

Last year’s book was “The Bee Tree” by Patricia Polacco and students were encouraged to read the book with their families so they could discuss at home and at school. The result was students being encouraged to read and build literacy, families being included in their children’s education and teachers coming together across the school in a common goal.

ATP leaders and kindergarten teachers Marta Jisa and Kathy Preszler say they are already planning for this year’s program and are looking forward to it being just as successful and engaging as past years.

“We’ve got to keep the tradition going,” Jisa says.