How can I be Involved in my Community School?
There are many opportunities to share your thoughts and opinions about what is working in your school. Every Community School holds an annual Community School Forum - an event that draws in members from the entire community to provide feedback and share their vision for the future direction of the school.
For more information about parent leadership in Community Schools, contact FACE@schools.nyc.gov. Also, talk to your Community School Director and ask how you can be involved.
For more information, view some of the presentations created by school/parent teams during a parent leadership program for Community Schools
Have Ownership in your Child's Education
If your child's school is a Community School, welcome aboard! You are part of a dynamic community of families, teachers, and school administrators working together to improve academic achievement by meeting the needs of children and families.
Community School Forums
Great news! Community Schools in New York City are hosting large-scale Community School Forums whereby families can get involved and participate in conversations about their Community School’s future.
The Forum Planning Toolkit has helpful tools and resources to help schools prepare for this community-centered meeting.
The Assets and Needs Assessment (A&N) is a great tool to highlight at the Community School Forum.
Already completed your A&N? Learn more about using the A&N Site Report for your Community School Forum
Need to get started with the A&N Assessment? Start here.
One to One Meetings
A way to get involved in your Community School is to participate in one-to-one meetings with your Parent Coordinator and your Parent Outreach Specialist. Through these meetings, Parents can weigh in on what their Community School looks like and how – together with the school – figure how they can help and get involved.
Count on Me Form: If you want to get involved, and participate as a partner in your child’s education, fill out this form and give it to your Community School Director or Parent Coordinator
Contact your school's Community School Director with questions.
More Strategies
Communicate with Families regularly about the importance of attending school. Check out these informative fliers by age group and share them with families at school events. (Many languages available!)
Family Outreach - Trust Building relationships with families requires trust. Trust includes:
Listening
Building community and community connections
Working together and collaboratively
Being warm, welcoming, friendly
Being transparent and communicating openly
Partnership Fairs are great ways to engage families and connect families to community resources, information, and services. Find tips and information about Partnership Fairs at Back-to-School Nights below:
Have a school-wide Partnership fair at the first Parents’ Association meeting, Back-to-School Night, or another school function that parents traditionally attend in the first eight weeks of the school year.
Include activities geared toward families and grandparents who are raising grandchildren.
Invite partners from the partnership list available through the Office of Community Schools.
Create a personalized folder for each family, with their child’s attendance data (i.e. include the student profile from the New Visions Data Portal) and a list of community resources.
Host student performances! Encourage students' leadership and support their talents. Or hold an awards ceremony and celebrate all improvements--no matter how small.
Connect Families with Resources throughout the year. Connect families with Community Partnership Program liaison, located throughout the City, who connects local organizations with schools. Check it out here!
Host a Community Forum using this Community School Forum Toolkit
Family Resources
How to Help My Children Attend School Every Day
The initiative engages parents as important partners in the attendance solution.
How to Teach My Child to Face Challenges
This webinar shows the importance of a growth mindset and how parents can encourage their child to face challenges in school.
Leveraging
Parents
Attendance Works offers resources on ways parents can build a habit of good attendance.