The Clerc Center
Connection

Family Involvement

Doing What It Takes to Get Families Involved

By Eloise Molock

The family educators have been busy setting the tone for increased family involvement during the 2002 - 2003 academic year. We began with a variety of programs and activities to educate, support, and involve families. In some instances family educators directly sponsored programs and activities. At other times, family educators worked in collaboration with other units or directly with their teaching teams.

The KDES family educators were instrumental in the overall success of the Back To School Night on October 26. They contributed to the presentation agenda. They also helped set a welcoming atmosphere for the parents. They shared information with parents about the Family Education Program, their roles and responsibilities as integral members of the teaching teams, and upcoming Family Education programs and activities.

The MSSD family educators sponsored the Annual Parent Weekend on October 4-6. The theme for this year was "The Heart of the Family." Leslie Proctor, family educator of the senior team, coordinated the event, which used all three tools for our journey this school year: focus, collaboration and reflection.

To prepare for the family weekend, it was important to focus and ensure that we met the needs of all our parents. We collaborated with the different departments of the Clerc Center family. We could not have done it without them! Lastly, the evaluation process was critical in our reflection on what went well and what needed improvement for the next annual family weekend.

Other current projects of the family educators include: Family Sign Language, Parents as Partners, Families as Partners, Focus on Learning, Accreditation for Growth, Reading is Fundamental, and recruiting parent volunteers to establish a formal parent volunteer program.

This first quarter has been a busy but exciting time for the family educators. We look forward to continuing our service to our students and their families by collaborating with our colleagues at the Clerc Center.

MSSD parents and family members listen as student panelist Jasmine Zachery and Rona Lev, personal counselor (inset), discusses adjustment to school life.