As the school year approaches, City Schools staff actively engage with their communities to ensure that students and families are prepared for a successful year ahead.
Last week, the dedicated team at Maree G. Farring Elementary/Middle School (Farring) took to their neighborhood on foot to greet enrolled students and share essential resources with their families. Kendra Summers, Community School Site Specialist at Farring, highlighted the significance of starting the year positively: "Ensuring that your student is present and prepared during the first week of school sets a positive tone for attendance throughout the year. We want our community to know how excited we are to welcome their students and look forward to seeing them daily." 
Despite starting their day before 9 a.m., the team faced the challenge of walking under the hot sun. Educators, community partners, and even the school principal gathered for coffee and conversation before heading out. Each group received a list of student names, addresses, and maps to guide their journey. Whether or not families were home, each household received a personalized door knocker with information on open house dates, the "Sneak a Peek at Your Seat" event, and contact details for the school in both English and Spanish. For those families who were present, staff took the opportunity to connect, discuss their summer, and discuss expectations for the upcoming year.
Effective family engagement is not only about school staff reaching out to the community; it's also about fostering an environment where our community can engage back. Dr. Karen Map's family engagement framework emphasizes that a successful relationship between schools and communities is built on partnership. Student achievement should be viewed as a shared responsibility, achieved through trust and mutual respect between home and school.
Face-to-face interactions, like the neighborhood walk at Farring, significantly impact school improvement on a personal level. By addressing challenges and building relationships directly, Farring and City Schools continue to enhance community and family engagement, making meaningful connections on a one-on-one level.
📸: Kendra Summers poses with two mentors, the district's Community School Specialist (Kelly Emmett)on the left and the Community Schools Manager (Sheila Drummond Cam)on the right.
Please visit our Family and Community Engagement webpage for more information on current initiatives.