Parent and Family Engagement Policy

At our most recent Board meeting, we updated our District-wide Parent and Family Engagement Policy.  Changes based on family feedback include flexible scheduling, streamline communication, two weeks advance notice of major events, translation and interpretation services, increased academic support for families, and a promise to provide timely responses to parent input and concerns.  After an update on the policy at our LCAP meeting today, parents shared their insight on half of these topics.  In an effort to offer flexible scheduling, the District will host evening LCAP Recaps as an alternative to daytime LCAP meetings, starting at our next meeting in January.  We also discussed various methods of communication and heard feedback about the effectiveness of reminder phone calls and e-mails when the messages on Parent Square are drowned out or forgotten.  One parent showed me how having children at multiple sites required intentionally changing the page on Parent Square and how easy it was for some updates to be overlooked or missed completely.  Hopefully we will fine-tune the effectiveness of our communications and make it easier and simpler to be engaged.  Finally, another parent recommended we put finite limits on what is meant by "timely responses" from the District to parents and families in order to clarify expectations.  While only one of the topics had a solution presented (at least as far as it concerns the LCAP Committee), I look forward to continued growth in true community engagement.  

Based on the feedback I've received from my constituents, I hope in the future we see actionable ideas on what increased academic support for families looks like - it's key to boost student academic achievement in unity.