JOINING HANDS FOR KELLETT'S KIDS

Contact Name: Linda Crew

College/Department: HEHD/Joseph F. Sullivan Center
Address: 101 Edwards, Clemson, SC 29634

Phone/email: 656.3076/ lcrew@clemson.edu

Name of Program: Joining Hands for Kellett's Kids

Age Group of program participants: 5-12

Is this program __X___ in school, or _____ nonformal

Brief description of program:
Please include: program purpose(s); goals and objectives; internal and external partners; intended outcomes; accomplishments; and funding source(s)

Joining Hands for Kellett's Kids (JHKK) is a partnership that was initiated in August, 1998 between Clemson University’s College of Health, Education, and Human Development; J.N. Kellett Elementary School; and numerous community agencies. The partnership was formed to improve student performance at Kellett through increased community and parental involvement. Kellett is a Title I School with 71% of its enrollment on free or reduced lunch status. The school serves eight housing projects and six low-rent trailer parks. Fifty percent of the children come from single-parent homes. There is a 29 percent turnover of the student body every year. The original goals were to improve community acceptance, increase parental involvement, improve student performance, identify health-related issues and provide health services, and provide enhanced learning opportunities for Clemson students.

The current JHKK team includes representatives from Kellett, Joseph F. Sullivan Center, School of Education, National Dropout Prevention Center, Tri-County Technical College, Oconee Memorial Hospital, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Oconee County Health Department, Seneca Police Department, Communities in Schools, New Promiseland Baptist Church, City of Seneca Recreation Department, and OVIS (Oconee Volunteer and Information Service). The JHKK team has been a catalyst for community and parental involvement that has energized the school and the community. The efforts of the team led to recognition of Kellett as a Flagship School of Promise in 2001, the only elementary school in Oconee County and one of only 10% of schools in South Carolina to achieve this distinction. Kellett was also recognized with the Exemplary Writing Award from the State Department of Education's Writing Improvement Network. Kellett's volunteer program won the Oconee County Volunteer Group of the Year Award. Evidence of change at Kellett Elementary is manifested in the following ways: This past year Kellett’s Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test (PACT) scores in English Language Arts were very good, higher than the district and state averages in third and fifth grades. Kellett’s morale is high as evidenced by the many collaborative meetings with teachers on curricula issues. The students’ social skills have improved as evidenced by a decrease in discipline referrals each of the past three years. Enrollment has increased and according to Peggy Moore, Principal, Kellett’s overall growth in every way has been significant since the partnership began. Every member of the partnership brings excitement and a spirit of “let’s roll up our sleeves and work together for this school”.

Funding for JHKK has been from a variety of grants and private gifts.