Recognizing Excellence
Parent and Community Involvement in Schools
Bureau of Family and Community Outreach
Florida Department of Education
325 West Gaines, Room 544
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
http://www.fldoe.org/family/faminov.asp

The Florida Department of Education’s Bureau of Family and Community Outreach is proud to recognize excellence in education through the Parent Involvement Award, Five Star School Award, Outstanding School Volunteer Award, and the Golden and Silver Schools Awards.  This recognition encourages communities to become a part of the educational process, provides high quality models for schools and districts, and honors those who contribute to student success.  Award application forms are distributed and processed in each county by the school district volunteer coordinator and are forwarded to the Bureau of Family and Community Outreach.
Five Star School Award
Five Star School Award was created by the Commissioner’s Community Involvement Council and is presented annually to those schools that have shown evidence of exemplary community involvement.  In order to earn Five Star school recognition, a school must show documentation that it has achieved 100 percent of the established criteria in the categories of:
•	Business partnerships 
•	Family Involvement 
•	Volunteerism
•	Student Community Service 
•	School Advisory Councils 

Guidelines are available through the district volunteer coordinator. 
Outstanding School Volunteer Award
Outstanding School Volunteer Award is presented annually to school volunteers who have shown outstanding dedication and commitment to quality education in Florida.  A student, adult, and senior volunteer from each of the five Florida regions is honored by the Commissioner during a luncheon at the statewide 
Florida Partners in Education Conference in the spring of each year.  Volunteers are selected based on: 
•	Number of hours, 
•	Years of service, 
•	Unusual contribution, and/or
•	Characteristics of services rendered
Golden School Award
Golden School Award is given annually by the Florida Department of Education to recognize public schools with exemplary volunteer programs.  Hours donated in all forms of volunteering (i.e., mentors, tutors, advisors, and advocates) are to be included.  A Golden School must meet the following criteria: 
•	Implement staff training program on volunteerism in which a minimum of 80% of the school staff have participated during the school year. 
•	Designate a School Volunteer Coordinator to provide leadership for the school volunteer program. 
•	Fulfill a total number of hours in volunteer service that equals twice the number of students enrolled in the school.  Volunteer service is in the areas that support instruction. 

Silver School Award
Silver School Award is presented annually by the Florida Department of Education to recognize secondary schools whose students provide exemplary volunteer services to elementary and secondary schools.  The award is presented to the schools that meet the following criteria: 
•	The sending school must have a school volunteer coordinator who will provide coordination of the program, placement of students, orientation and training for the students, and student and program evaluation. 
•	The receiving school must have a volunteer coordinator who will also provide coordination of the program. 
•	Student volunteers and the receiving faculty must both receive orientation and training.  Student volunteers must receive continuous supervision. 
•	The composite student volunteer hours must equal at least one half the total number of students in the sending school.
Parent Involvement Award
Parent Involvement Award is sponsored by the Florida Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and supported through business partnerships.  School-level parent involvement programs are evaluated on their: 
•	Impact on family involvement 
•	Ability to be replicated 
•	Relationship to the goals and objectives of the school 
•	Participation of parents/families in the planning and implementation
•	Uniqueness and innovation 
•	Impact on school improvement 
•	Partnerships  

The Florida PTA recognizes the winning programs at a luncheon during their summer leadership conference.  Over 1,000 PTA members honor the ten regional program winners and attend workshops featuring the exemplary programs.  The booklet, SPARKPLUGS, is produced annually with a summary of model family involvement programs from participating districts.
Governor’s Points of Light Award
Governor’s Points of Light Award is presented weekly to a Florida resident or organization that demonstrates exemplary volunteer service to their community.  The Volunteer Florida Foundation administers the awards program.  For more information, check out the web site at: www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org.

Award application forms are processed in each county by the school district volunteer coordinator and are forwarded to the Bureau of Family and Community Outreach.