Alexandria Harvey (00:07):
Authentic family and community engagement in schools is an integral part of children’s educational experience. Research has repeatedly demonstrated that family engagement has a positive impact on academic achievement, attendance, lower dropout rates, and positive beliefs about the importance of education. To achieve these positive impacts, systems and conditions must be created [00:00:30] and sustained within educational environments to foster these successes. In this audio cast, we share the story of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, which is a diverse school district located in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is the second largest district in the state and serves a diverse population of over 140,000 students who represent over 150 countries of origin and speak over 200 native languages. You’ll hear about how Charlotte-Mecklenburg developed and implemented systemic [00:01:00] family engagement structures throughout the district that created safe, supportive, and welcoming conditions for students and families. Additionally, you’ll hear ways that these district level initiatives were adapted at the school building level to create conditions of flourishing family engagement tailored just for their community.
(01:19):
My name is Alexandria Harvey, and in addition to my voice, you’ll hear from several members of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community. Let’s start with Molly Rush, an instructional specialist [00:01:30] in family and community engagement in Charlotte-Mecklenburg to hear about the values and beliefs of the district that lend to the importance of family engagement for the success of all students.
Molly Rush (01:41):
Within Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools, we believe that public education is essential to democracy and necessary for the economic opportunities, mobility, and the broader public good. We believe that we are responsible for building and maintaining a high-performing school district and that each student [00:02:00] is uniquely capable and deserves an engaging, relevant, and challenging educational experience. We also believe that our principals and teachers make the critical difference in student achievement in building a positive school community and that the school system, families and community are necessary partners in ensuring the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral success of all students.
Alexandria Harvey (02:25):
Molly was joined by Leticia Hensley, the director of family and community engagement in the district [00:02:30] to provide some insight on how Charlotte-Mecklenburg built from Dr. Karen Mapp’s research and practice-based body of work on family engagement to design a system of family engagement that is grounded in their values and beliefs and includes policies, practices, and capacity building opportunities for schools.
Molly Rush (02:48):
When we looked at our district as a whole, we saw areas where family engagement was wonderful and thriving, but we knew that it was inequitable district-wide and the experiences that our families had really [00:03:00] did differ based on what school they were enrolled in. So, as we identified that need and supported the training with our work, and we knew that it was still an opportunity to expand district-wide because what we know that the research shows is family engagement is a leading indicator for our students’ success, not only in that K-12 space, but also in their postgraduate lives.
Latisha Hensley (03:23):
Much of our family engagement work is rooted in Dr. Karen Mapp’s dual capacity framework. That’s one thing we’ve really been working with [00:03:30] our district leaders, our school-based staff, and understanding each component of that framework so that we really can achieve that true homeschool partnership. And I’ll let Molly continue on.
Molly Rush (03:43):
As we worked through making the district-wide approach, we were able to have the work of family engagement embedded into the strategic plan of the district to ensure within the theory of change that all schools were being supported in this work and all families [00:04:00] had that equitable access. Our professional development offerings I think are foundational because it lays the foundation for all of our schools to have that support, ensuring that the training and knowledge and best practices don’t sit in the central office. We want to make sure that our schools who are our most trusted source for our families understand the importance, understand the strategies and best practices so that they can serve as those best supports for our families on a day-to-day basis.
Alexandria Harvey (04:30):
[00:04:30] The district system provides the blueprint for schools to create welcoming conditions for students and families. Listen to principal Melanee Friday at Lawrence Orr Elementary School share how she thinks about family engagement and how she builds the capacity of her team to foster it.
Melanee Friday (04:47):
Family engagement means creating authentic spaces that are culturally responsive, building partnerships between school and home where each of our families feels like they’re respected, they’re [00:05:00] valued, their voices are heard, and they’re empowered to be able to contribute to the success of their children. At Lawrence or Family Engagement, that’s especially important because we do have such a diverse school family. Because of that, it can’t be looked at as a one-size-fits-all mindset. So we have to intentionally create systems that honor our families’ cultures, their languages, their experiences, and their perspectives. We have monthly [00:05:30] staff meetings where I share information. We also have monthly professional development with our entire staff. So when we have new initiatives that come out or we have things that the district is really pushing, I’m able to share that information with staff. We ground everything that we do in our student achievement.
(05:48):
So we look at our data, we look at our goals, where are we now, where do we want to be, and what tools are we going to use to get there?
Alexandria Harvey (05:56):
But what does it really mean to see a district system in [00:06:00] action at a school? Let’s take one example: how a school welcomes students and families. First, here’s Molly and Leticia describing the importance.
Molly Rush (06:11):
Additionally, we ensure that the welcoming environment that each of our schools is setting up is a reflection of their community. With such a diverse district and languages, each school’s needs is unique and we support our schools in how to tailor and adapt all of the great things that they’re doing to ensure that the access for their direct [00:06:30] community aligns to that cultural responsiveness and respectfulness as we want to make sure that our families feel welcome in the space and prepared to engage with their child’s learning.
Latisha Hensley (06:41):
Absolutely. And so just another idea as you were speaking, Molly, when we go out to our schools, we look at the outside environment. So we take on the role as if we were a newcomer to the United States or if we’re just a visitor to the school and we drive up and we want to see how is it for our visitors and families to enter into the school? Do they know where to go and where to park? [00:07:00] Do our schools have parking signs that are up that say only 15-minute visitor parking? So we’re really working with them on that because we don’t want any visitor or family to feel like they only have 15 minutes to consult with the school and learn about what’s happening with their child. And we also look to make sure that when we enter into that front office, the customer service, we’re providing them with a crown experience and our families and guests are being acknowledged.
(07:24):
And do our families see representation of themselves throughout the building? So if we have a school that has [00:07:30] a very diverse population, we really work with our school to ensure, hey, make sure that we are putting up the various languages around. We have pictures and images of folks that look like or images that are relatable to the community that we are serving. So we definitely do that on an ongoing basis and we support our schools as needed to ensure that they are creating those welcoming environments for families.
Alexandria Harvey (07:54):
And here’s Principal Friday describing how she brings these ideas to life at Lawrence Orr.
Melanee Friday (08:00):
[00:08:00] So when parents come in in the mornings for our morning arrival at carpool and at our bus arrival, we play music. So we have our little, it’s a karaoke machine, but it’s serving as a speaker. So we have it on the Bluetooth and just play music just to create that excitement. We have adults who greet students at the carpool line. They’re opening the door. They’re saying good morning kids. They’re giving people hugs. We’re telling parents to have a great day. We want them to feel safe dropping [00:08:30] their students off at school knowing that we care about them just as much as their families do. When the students come in, we have a mural of Lawrence Orr as you walk into our building. So that mural was created by our first class of students along with a church down the street. So the high school kids from the church school worked with the elementary school kids to create this mural and each of the little tiles [00:09:00] has a student’s name and the year and so forth.
(09:05):
So that is just one of the visualizations of the community and how we’re knit together. The kids come in, we have a really long hallway. So there’s adults that are stationed along the hall. It’s for safety reasons, but it’s also so that they can greet kids. Our counselors are out there every morning just taking a visual look at kids to determine [00:09:30] if you see somebody coming down the hall and they’re crying, then you’re going to ask them what’s wrong. If you see students who are showing up differently than they do regularly, then we can ask questions. We can engage when the kids come in and they’re wearing tiaras because it’s their birthday. We make sure that we acknowledge that something special is going on. When they get to their classrooms, teachers are greeting them at the door. Our discipline numbers are really low because our engagement is really high.
(09:59):
We want to make [00:10:00] sure that our focus is on academics, but we can have fun because I saw a quote a few years ago on Instagram of all places, “Joy and learning must coexist.” And I wholeheartedly believe that. So we want to create a joyful environment where learning is happening authentically.
Alexandria Harvey (10:19):
From the district level to school level, there is a commitment to ensuring equitable family engagement that is aligned across systems. Within this alignment, there are relational approaches tailored to the [00:10:30] specific needs of the families. Let’s hear from Joy Nichols, who is an advocate who works closely alongside Principal Friday, talk about her role in supporting family voice.
Joy Nichols (10:41):
To be an advocate means speaking up for those who are unable to speak for themselves. Our family advocate role is very vital because some parents may feel anxious by what staff may say. They may remember how they were treated in school and language barriers. So I have to be their sounding [00:11:00] board and I provide that with them in the school. I connect with families by engaging in conversation with them. Family advocacy supports families and students by providing empowerment and skill building. By offering parenting classes, support groups, and education on child development, we help our families build stronger nurturing environments. When parents feel like they have a strong support system in their child’s school, [00:11:30] they’re more receptive to share information about what’s going on in their lives and will allow school staff the opportunity to assist them, giving them the support that they need.
Alexandria Harvey (11:42):
Having an advocate within a community that actively fosters relationships between schools and families is a great way to actively engage families. This relationship building creates a level of trust that allows communities to feel empowered to actively participate in their child’s education. Molly and Leticia shared other [00:12:00] district initiatives and resources in Charlotte-Mecklenburg that support family engagement.
Molly Rush (12:06):
So what we have is Family Academy and Family Academy on the Go. Our Family Academy System is our parent-facing education system, and our goal is to meet and provide access to all of our families across the district. So we accomplish that by hosting weekly webinars that are free access and translated into our top 10 languages where families have the opportunity to [00:12:30] connect with district specialists around key topics that are aligned to the school calendar. So for example, we have one coming up for Financial Literacy Month supporting how to save for college, what are some of those financial institutions and structures that our families should be aware of? Or we have upcoming end-of-year assessments. How are you going to read those reports, families, once they come home? Where do you find the resources next as we navigate this end of year space? And with Family Academy on the Go, that’s where we’re taking that same information [00:13:00] or different sessions focused on the needs of a community and going directly into that community in person as well to provide resources, opportunities and in-person connections to our families.
Latisha Hensley (13:12):
As Molly mentioned regarding Family Academy, it provides when we have these sessions, our lunch and learns, they are virtual and it does provide an opportunity for families to be able to view it at any place at any time and any language. So that’s so helpful as well as the Family Portal, which is a [00:13:30] one-stop shop resource for families with supporting them on how to navigate in and throughout our district. That resource also provides community resources for families. So if there’s something they’re seeking, we work diligently cross-functionally and with community organizations to ensure that we are including that information so families know exactly where to go and they’re not having to look at multiple locations, but everything being centered in one location. And the great thing about that is that families can review all [00:14:00] that information in the language of their choice.
Alexandria Harvey (14:04):
Research and practice show that family engagement is linked to student attendance and engagement and ultimately student achievement. When families play a role in their child’s education, they are more likely to excel academically. Let’s hear a few examples about what that looks like in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
Latisha Hensley (14:21):
I can think of one family who was a single mom with three children. This mom came out to one of our engagement opportunities that we had at the [00:14:30] library where we invited various community organizations and partners. We had various CMS departments available to provide resources, instructional pieces that students were learning and what families could do to continue to support that learning at home. One thing we’ve noticed with that family, we follow that family to where the children were not necessarily attending school on a regular basis, but because we were able to partner that parent up with one of our community organizations, that parent was able to get a certification so [00:15:00] that she was able to get a job to make a living wage to be able to better her situation. And as we’ve checked up on that family, those students now have been regularly attending school and they have been able to connect to those supports that have been much needed to ensure that we are creating the condition so that when they go to school, they are ready to learn and they truly can focus in on what is happening within the classroom.
(15:26):
So that’s another great example of how this work really [00:15:30] makes a difference and how it can impact those outcomes that we are seeking to reach.
Alexandria Harvey (15:37):
Let’s hear another example from Principal Friday of how authentic engagement not only created a level of trust between the school and a family, but created a learning environment that fostered growth.
Melanee Friday (15:50):
We have a student who is not only culturally diverse, but he is neurologically diverse. So his mom was really [00:16:00] afraid to send him to school because he’s nonverbal. So just trying to reassure that mom that we value their presence, but I also have to reassure parents that I treat their children just like they’re mine. So when they come in that door, we have someone to greet him every day. We walk him to class, hold his hand, take him to class to make sure that he gets where he is going. The classroom teacher has buddy systems [00:16:30] that are set up within the classroom. So each of the kindergartners, they kind of help to make sure he’s where he needs to be. And he has grown so much in the few months that he has been with us. So just having him now being able to be more fully integrated into our school systems.
(16:51):
Our kindergartners went on a field trip last Friday and his mom went on the field trip with them, but they said he had so much fun just outside [00:17:00] on the playground doing things that five-year-olds do.
Alexandria Harvey (17:04):
As we wrapped up our conversation with the team from Charlotte-Mecklenburg, we were reminded that authentic family engagement has benefits that can span generations. Let’s let Joy and Melanee’s gratitude for each other close us out.
Joy Nichols (17:17):
I just want to share, and Ms. Friday already knows this, I just want to thank her for allowing me to create these programs at her school because a lot of times there are some people who would like to, but unfortunately their principal [00:17:30] may not allow it or they may not find time in their day. But Ms. Friday, anything that I’ve shared or just something that I’m excited about, she’s always said, “Joy, let’s do it. Let’s do it. ” And it just goes so far and I just appreciate it. And I know that the children do as well.
Melanee Friday (17:49):
Thank you for that, Ms. Nichols. Ms. Nichols’ mom was one of the ones who did that for me when I was in high school. It’s like a full circle kind of moment. Her mom wasn’t my [00:18:00] teacher, but I was in DECA and her mom was a DECA advisor at another school. Ms. Reed did that for me. She made trips really fun and I’m glad that Joy’s able to do that. And my go – to, I try to figure out a way that I can say yes because it’s all for our school community. So, thank you for that, Ms. Nichols.
Alexandria Harvey (18:28):
Thank you for listening. We hope [00:18:30] you enjoy this audio cast developed by the Western Educational Equity Assistance Center funded by the US Department of Education. The contents of this audiocast were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education. The department does not mandate or prescribe practices, models, or other activities described or discussed in this audio cast. The contents of this audiocast may contain examples of, adaptations of, and links to resources created and maintained by another public or private [00:19:00] organization. The department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. The content of this audiocast does not necessarily represent the policy of the department. This audio cast is not intended to represent the views or policy or be an endorsement of any views expressed or materials provided by any federal agency.
