Communications with Families

Looking for a way to remain engaged with students and their families? The Kansas Teaching & Leading Project can help. With Communities and Families, this program will examine ways to engage and partner with students, families and communities to identify problems and create and implement systematic solutions to ensure equitable learning conditions and outcomes allow for student success.
What can we Do or Consider First?
What can we Consider or Do Next?
How can we Dig Deeper?

What can we do or consider first?

These communication templates and survey options are aligned to Navigate Next initiatives and are available to principals, district leadership teams, and building leadership teams. Please consider local needs and context as you plan ways to use these templates to continuously and proactively communicate with and engage families throughout the Spring of 2021.

Resource Link
Contact: Michael Koonce
1-800-CHILDREN provides judgment-free parenting support and connection to local resources 24/7 through a call line, mobile app and resource database. Can be used by caregivers or professionals!

Resource Link
Contact: Stephanie Boone
This session will focus on how to move from simple family involvement to deeper family engagement. The objectives for the session are: 1. to identify why families aren’t engaged, 2. to define what family engagement really means, 3. to identify the principles of engagement that will lead to more families being engaged and 4. identifying next steps to increase family engagement.

Recorded Video Link
Slide Deck Link
Contact: John Girodat
Dr. Jane Groff provides an introductory video for support available at the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center.

Resource Link
Contact: Kim Mauk
Everyone knows intrinsically why a welcome message should be created and shared with families, but why now and why in the fall? This brief presentation will share data regarding how families are feeling now during the health pandemic and how best to craft a message that will reassure and motivate families.

Recorded Video Link
Slide Deck Link
Contact: Kim Mauk
Join this session to learn about one innovative way to administer the screening tool that involves families and shares the results in a fun manner. The basics about ASQ will be shared as well as how it is used in schools.

Recorded Video Link
Slide Deck Link
Contact: Rachel Willis

What can we consider or do next?

Every family is unique, and yet family engagement is often approached with a one-size-fits-all approach: every family receives the same email, is invited to the same event, or is given the same level of attention. A Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) offers an alternative, data-driven, and problem-solving approach to family engagement by helping teachers and administrators adapt to the contexts, needs, and preferences of every family in the school so that ALL families are engaged in their children’s education. In this presentation, participants will learn how to use a new tool to plan for multi-tiered systems of support for family engagement in their school or district.

Recorded Video Link
Slide Deck Link
Contact: Jane Groff

How can we dig deeper?

Resources and videos coming soon!