Better Together: Strengthening Family School Partnership

Here is information you need for Summit day. If you have a question before Friday, email Naeemah Smith at nsmith@schoolandmain.org or Olga Lopez at olga.m.lopez@mass.gov. Need help on Friday? Go to the Summit Registration Desk.

The Better Together Summit is hosted by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Getting to the Summit

The summit is being held at the Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center, 366 Main Street, Sturbridge.

Look for the hotel/conference center sign on the main road. The hotel entrance driveway is between the McDonald's and Burger King (don't turn down Fairground Road - it's a dead end)

Our Schedule for the Day

See the schedule in your language: Español | Português | Kreyòl Ayisyen | Tiếng Việt | 中国人

8:00-8:30 Sign In | Meet & Greet

• Come early to sign in, meet other summit participants and contribute your creativity to our Summit community art project led by students from RAW Art Works.
  

8:30-9:30 Welcome, Opening Remarks from Dr. Regina Robinson, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and Family Partners Panel

• Olga Lopez, Student and Family Support, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

• Dr. Regina Robinson, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

• Family members Kathleen Amaral, Dawn Christie, and Perla Gillitlie with Patricia Spradley, Former Chief of Family and Community Engagement, Springfield Public Schools

• Donna Traynham, Student and Family Support, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

• Naeemah Smith, School & Main Institute
  

9:40-10:40 Partnership Workshops (workshop descriptions)

• Bedtime Stories, Backyard Fun, and Book Swaps, Oh My! | Charlton | Workshop Materials

• Families and Schools Rising Together - Creating Brave and Safe Spaces for Meaningful Conversations | Brookfield (Ballroom 2) | Workshop Materials

• For Families! Building Your Leadership Skills | Seminar Theatre | Workshop Materials

• Grandparents and Other Caregivers Raising Students | Webster Room | Workshop Materials

• How Can You Serve Me If You Can't Relate to Me? | Cheshire/Danforth | Workshop Materials

• Parenting the Developing Child: Reflections from the Parent Perspective | Brimfield Room | Workshop Materials

• Promoting a Culture of Literacy: Engaging and Empowering Families for Student Success | Sturbridge Room | Workshop Materials

• What Do Families Want? Results and Recommendations from a Northampton Public Schools Study | Seminar Theatre II | Workshop Materials

• What Teachers Can Do: Teacher Reflections on Family and Community Engagement | Oxford Room | Workshop Materials

• Using Technology and Social Media to Promote Family and Community Engagement | Executive Room | Workshop Materials

Break

10:50-11:50 Partnership Workshops (workshop descriptions)

• Connecting Families to Food Resources | Brimfield Room | Workshop Materials

• It's Time to Reframe Family Engagement! | Cheshire/Danforth | Workshop Materials

• Multilingual Families Rights and Opportunities at School | Brookfield | Workshop Materials

• MyCAP: Engaging Family in Student Career Planning | Oxford Room | Workshop Materials

• Southeastern Speaks Families' Languages ...and You Can Too! | Webster Room | Workshop Materials

• The Family Institute for Student Success: Strengthening Families and Schools Together | Seminar Theatre II | Workshop Materials

• The Wonderful World of Our Family Liaisons | Sturbridge Room | Workshop Materials

• Understanding the Impact of Stress on the Overall Health and Learning of Children and Youth | Brookfield (Ballroom 2) | Workshop Materials

• Understanding US and MA Schools (conducted in Spanish) | Charlton Room | Workshop Materials

• Using Family Engagement to Improve Systems – Early Adopters in the IEP Improvement Project | Seminar Theatre I | Workshop Materials

11:50-1:00 Lunch and Entertainment: Lawrence High School Dance Company

1:00-1:30 Remarks from Jeffrey Riley, Commissioner, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Break

1:40-2:40 Partnership Workshops (see workshop descriptions)

• Barbershop and Backyard Book Talks: Families as Literacy Advocates | Webster Room | Workshop Materials

• Collaboration to Support Multilingual Families | Brookfield | Workshop Materials

• NEW! Social Media Toolkit for Family-Led Groups and District Staff | Cheshire/Danforth | Workshop Materials

• School Librarians as Community Builders | Brimfield Room | Workshop Materials

• School on the Move!: Academic Family Engagement at James Otis Elementary | Oxford Room | Workshop Materials

• Share Your Feedback! Family-Friendly Communication Guide | Charlton Room | Workshop Materials

• Supporting the Well-Being of LGBTQ+ Students | Executive Room | Workshop Materials

• The Future of Learning in Massachusetts: Shaping the Academic Vision for Our State | Sturbridge Room | Workshop Materials

• Understanding Career Pathways | Seminar Theatre I | Workshop Materials

Break

2:50-3:50 Partnership Workshops (see workshop descriptions)

• Adult Education: Opportunity Knocks! | Charlton Room | Workshop Materials

• Building Data Literacy for Family Engagement | Executive Room | Workshop Materials

• Family Engagement Core Competencies: Equipping Staff to Engage for Impact | Cheshire/Danforth | Workshop Materials

• Family Partnership and the Teacher's Educational Journey | Seminar Theatre 1 Room | Workshop Materials

• How’s It Going? Ask Your Families, Students, and Staff! | Brookfield | Workshop Materials

• Play to Learn Workshops for PK and Kindergarten Families: Growing Partnerships for Early Learning | Sturbridge Room | Workshop Materials

• Unidad en la Comunidad / Unity in the Community | Brimfield Room | Workshop Materials

• What Should Students Be Learning in School? | Oxford Room | Workshop Materials

4:00-4:15 Closing Session Ballroom

Summit Participants

Download the Summit Participant List to see who else is here from your community.

Workshop Descriptions

See workshop descriptions in your language: English | Español | Português | Kreyòl Ayisyen | Tiếng Việt | 中国人

Summit Partners

• Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

• Massachusetts Statewide Family Engagement Center

• National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement

• Federation for Children with Special Needs

• School & Main Institute