Allyson Glassband, Title I Intervention and Family Involvement Teacher, Talbott Springs Elementary School

March 3rd, 2016

Allyson Glassband has a unique position in the school system combining family involvement with Title I intervention teaching at Talbott Springs Elementary School. As a Title I intervention teacher, Glassband enhances academic learning by co-teaching and working with small groups of students in several classes, as well as plans, implements or assists with targeted and schoolwide family events. Her family involvement role enables her to spend more time reaching out to parents, encouraging them to attend the events, seeking event feedback and proactively handing out targeted resources.

Family involvement was added to Glassband’s Title I work because as Talbott Springs Principal Nancy Thompson explained, “When you see a person with a passion to reach out to families in a way that promotes a love of learning skills for elementary school and beyond, it just makes sense to create a position in which this person can thrive. It takes time, energy and a person with the right spirit to find ways to empower families in a large school system. We believe that by providing programming for all families and then reaching out to specific families on a more personal level has allowed us to have a more engaged student body.”

As a Title I school, Talbott Springs receives federal funding to enhance its overall school offerings. Title I staff provide programming with the belief that the education of children is a responsibility shared by parents, families, the school system and the community. Glassband appreciates the evaluations, along with the resources, that come with the Title I program. She has discovered, she said, “the power of feedback. It gives parents the opportunity to tell us what they like, and here we use the information to do better next time. I always want to do better.”

One way Talbott Springs’ programming stands out is its incorporation of school system initiatives throughout the academic year’s events. For example, as an Elementary School Model school, Glassband helps promotes one of its key components, strengths development, through family nights and the school’s weekly newsletter. The newsletter supports at home learning by highlighting strengths on a regular basis, and Glassband said she is “really proud of the way that we give parents lots of different opportunities to really understand our message when it comes to student strengths.”

Additional Talbott Springs family program highlights include a parent lending library, with parent resources and family activities; a four-part math series developed in partnership with the math support teacher; and student participation in the Columbia Association points program, enabling qualifying students to earn free family memberships through academic achievement and event participation.

Trained to be an early childhood teacher, Glassband originally had envisioned herself completely in the classroom. She describes working with kids as her passion, particularly at the elementary age because “they’re excited about learning. They want to be here.” Over her early education career, which has spanned more than two decades in the HCPSS, her teaching positions have also included special education and third grade. Glassband believes she found the “best of both worlds” through intervention teaching because she’s in the classroom as well as part of a team.

Glassband said, “I love my job. In my position, I see the whole connection–staff, students, families. Everyone wants to do what’s best for the students. We want to support the parents, so they can support the kids. I feel like I’m making a difference in the lives of the kids and with the families.” Her appreciation extends to Talbott Springs’ administration and co-workers for their trust and collaboration.

Thompson said Glassband contributes to learning because she “…works tirelessly to provide targeted co-teaching instruction or intervention support to ensure that students are receiving the correct instruction. She also feels a very strong responsibility to provide appropriate and engaging events for all of our families, especially those with students who might be struggling to learn concepts.”

Glassband’s work has been recognized over the years with a Maryland Teacher of the Year nomination, a Jewish Federation of Howard County: Outstanding Women of Our Community recognition, a Bet Yeladim Preschool: Volunteer Service Award and a Howard County Public School System Teacher of the Year nomination.