Families: safe & Friendly

Use the magnifying glass in the top right corner to search for specific tools using key words. 

The Arkansas Guide for Promoting Family Engagement  - Supporting infants, toddlers, and pre-school children and their families during transitions to achieve school readiness and to sustain learning gains through third grade. http://www.arheadstart.org/AR.FE.Final%20Version%20(1).pdf 

La Guia De Arkansas Para La Promoción de la Participación Familiar - Apoyando a los bebés, niños pequeños y niños en edad preescolar y sus familias, durante las transiciones, para lograr la preparación escolar y para sostener las ganancias de aprendizaje hasta el tercer grado. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1czwn8qBJM7nOCUkkU219OMLsbhjdFLRL/view?usp=sharing 

Building a Safe Environment - Provides a tool kit that addresses methods to prevent, assess and respond to bullying behaviors in the educational setting. The toolkit includes family and community engagement strategies through Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/at-school/build-safe-environment/index.html 

School Safety - The Arkansas Department of Education has resources available for school safety. Visit the School Safety webpage for resources and potential partners. https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/communications/safety

Webinar Series: Achieving Excellence & Innovation in Family, School, & Community Engagement -  9 different webinars from transforming schools to actually engaging all stakeholders;  https://www.sedl.org/connections/engagement_webinars 

Research Matters: The Power of Parental Expectations - This article discusses research highlighting parents' expectations as the most important factor in student success, and the author suggests schools model respectful communication with families and support them in helping their children internalize high aspirations. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept17/vol75/num01/The-Power-of-Parental-Expectations.aspx 

How Making Kindness a Priority Benefits Students – “Kids learn more when kindness and tolerance run through a school culture and the school community functions so much better when kids have strong social-emotional skills.” Having empathy, being able to consider another’s perspective, and managing one’s own emotions and actions, all of which are connected to kindness, are linked to academic success.https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/48259/how-making-kindness-a-priority-benefits-students 

What Can Be Done To Improve Parent-Teacher Communication? – “Light-touch" communication (quick texts, calls, or emails) establishing positive and proactive communication between school and home can make a big difference in students' outcomes. https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/42715/what-can-be-done-to-improve-parent-teacher-communication 

U.S. Department of Education Newcomer Toolkit - This tool kit can help U.S. educators and others who work directly with immigrant students and their families. It is designed to help elementary and secondary teachers, principals, and other school staff. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/newcomers-toolkit/ncomertoolkit.pdf 

School-based Coordinators Link Students to Community Resources- Learn firsthand to manage support and services that go beyond the classroom from Ms. Ingrid Thomas’s experiences as a school-based support coordinator for Communities. https://www.kappanonline.org/walter-school-based-coordinators-community-resources/ 

Community Schools as an Effective School Improvement Strategy: A Review of the Evidence - The U.S. Dept of Education cites this study in the release of its funding for full-service community schools. The study establishes the ESSA evidence-base for community school as an effective school improvement strategy. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/community-schools-effective-school-improvement-brief 

How Family, School, and Community Engagement can Improve Student Achievement and Influence School Reform - This literature review strives to address the following two questions: 1) What are the key components of promising family-school partnerships that support school- and district-level reform? and 2) How do promising partnerships involve families and communities in education reform? https://uj9a82.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Final-Report-Family-Engagement-AIR-1.pdf

How to Support Immigrant Students and Families: Strategies for Schools and Early Childhood Programs - Across the country, educators are looking for ways to support immigrant students and families facing great uncertainty. This comprehensive guide includes more than 50 strategies that educators, staff, and administrators can use to ensure that schools and early childhood settings remain safe, welcoming places for immigrant students and their families.http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide#topics 

Black Parents Want to be Involved but Schools Need to be More Welcoming- short video of interviews from the parent perspective https://youtu.be/wPUVM0VGMZY 

Criminal Justice Institute - Arkansas Center for School Safety - The University of Arkansas has partnered with CJI to offer classes to educators, SRO's and law enforcement offers, and civilians.  The classes attend to subjects such as site assessments, law enforcement response to special needs individuals, juvenile law and changing school climates.  Online and onsite classes offered. https://arsafeschools.com/safe-schools-program/ 

Community Engagement in the Digital Age (Presentation) - This information on good communication was presented by Mr. Joe Quinn at the Arkansas School Board Association annual meeting in 2018.  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DJGxwGIV9dhiOoGD29hMBBswZUmPftlp 

The Arkansas Guide for Promoting Family Engagement  - Supporting infants, toddlers, and pre-school children and their families during transitions to achieve school readiness and to sustain learning gains through third grade. http://www.arheadstart.org/AR.FE.Final%20Version%20(1).pdf 

La Guia De Arkansas Para La Promoción de la Participación Familiar - Apoyando a los bebés, niños pequeños y niños en edad preescolar y sus familias, durante las transiciones, para lograr la preparación escolar y para sostener las ganancias de aprendizaje hasta el tercer grado. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1czwn8qBJM7nOCUkkU219OMLsbhjdFLRL/view?usp=sharing 

How Family, School, and Community Engagement Can Improve Student Achievement and Influence School Reform. 2017 report shows how to most effectively engage families, and which family engagement strategies lead to school improvement and increased student achievement. https://nmefoundation.org/how-family-school-and-community-engagement-can-improve-student-achievement-and-influence-school-reform/

Rubric for Family Leadership and School Governance (pdf) – This rubric can help assess how a school community is doing in relation to 7 foundations of family engagement:  communication, strengthening relationships and capacity, connecting learning at home and at school, recognizing the role of the family, shared decision making, collaborating with community, and participating.  https://www.aps.edu/family-engagement-collaborative/documents/family-engagement-best-practices-rubric-with-action-plan

How Making Kindness a Priority Benefits Students – “Kids learn more when kindness and tolerance run through a school culture and the school community functions so much better when kids have strong social-emotional skills.” Having empathy, being able to consider another’s perspective, and managing one’s own emotions and actions, all of which are connected to kindness, are linked to academic success. https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/48259/how-making-kindness-a-priority-benefits-students 

What Can Be Done To Improve Parent-Teacher Communication? – “Light-touch" communication (quick texts, calls, or emails) establishing positive and proactive communication between school and home can make a big difference in students' outcomes. https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/42715/what-can-be-done-to-improve-parent-teacher-communication  

5 Benefits of Human-Designed thinking for Family Engagement - Human-centered design puts families at the center of individual and organizational practice. It is a process that is intentional about engaging families and including their voices. https://globalfrp.org/content/download/509/4350/file/GFRP_HCD4FE.pdf 

School-based Coordinators Link Students to Community Resources- Learn firsthand to manage support and services that go beyond the classroom from Ms. Ingrid Thomas’s experiences as a school-based support coordinator for Communities. https://www.kappanonline.org/walter-school-based-coordinators-community-resources/ 

Community Schools as an Effective School Improvement Strategy: A Review of the Evidence - The U.S. Dept of Education cites this study in the release of its funding for full-service community schools. The study establishes the ESSA evidence-base for community school as an effective school improvement strategy. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/community-schools-effective-school-improvement-brief 

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Strategies for Principals, Teachers, and Parents - Global Family Research Project views parent-teacher conferences in terms of the 5Rs: reach out, raise up, reinforce, relate, and reimagine. Applying these approaches can lead to innovative ways to partner with families to ensure that they receive the information they need to help their children, and that teachers understand their students’ strengths and needs. https://globalfrp.org/content/download/402/3731/file/GFRPTipSheet_ParentTeacherConference.pdf 

Webinar Series: Achieving Excellence & Innovation in Family, School, & Community Engagement -  9 different webinars from transforming schools to actually engaging all stakeholders;  https://www.sedl.org/connections/engagement_webinars  

How to Support Immigrant Students and Families: Strategies for Schools and Early Childhood Programs - Across the country, educators are looking for ways to support immigrant students and families facing great uncertainty. This comprehensive guide includes more than 50 strategies that educators, staff, and administrators can use to ensure that schools and early childhood settings remain safe, welcoming places for immigrant students and their families.http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide#topics 

Ten Strategies for Supporting Immigrant Students and Families -  These key strategies for schools and early childhood centers support immigrant families.  http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/ten-strategies-supporting-immigrant-students-and-families 

From Puzzle to Plan: 3 easy steps to help your child succeed -  A tool for parents and families to help get ready for parent-teacher conferences or follow up with teachers afterwards, especially if you ran out time during the meeting. YOU are the expert on your child. When you know where your child is doing well and where more support is needed, you can best support learning at home. Here are 3 easy steps to set your child up for success in school! Includes an option to print or email your plan to others. https://bealearninghero.org/parent-teacher-planning-tool-fall2022/

2023 Prevention Resource Guide - The 2023 Prevention Resource Guide is designed to help individuals and organizations in every community strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect. The Resource Guide focuses on protective factors that build on family strengths to foster healthy child and youth development. https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/preventionmonth/resources/resource-guide/

Community Engagement in the Digital Age (Presentation) - This information on good communication was presented by Mr. Joe Quinn at the Arkansas School Board Association annual meeting in 2018.  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DJGxwGIV9dhiOoGD29hMBBswZUmPftlp 

The Arkansas Guide for Promoting Family Engagement  - Supporting infants, toddlers, and pre-school children and their families during transitions to achieve school readiness and to sustain learning gains through third grade. http://www.arheadstart.org/AR.FE.Final%20Version%20(1).pdf 

La Guia De Arkansas Para La Promoción de la Participación Familiar - Apoyando a los bebés, niños pequeños y niños en edad preescolar y sus familias, durante las transiciones, para lograr la preparación escolar y para sostener las ganancias de aprendizaje hasta el tercer grado. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1czwn8qBJM7nOCUkkU219OMLsbhjdFLRL/view?usp=sharing 

Every Student Succeeds Act Primer: Parent and Community Engagement - This fact sheet has questions parents can ask education leaders (at the school, district, and state level) about ways families can be involved in developing plans and policies. https://all4ed.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/NAACP_ESSA-Primer-Parent-and-Community-Engagement.pdf

What Can Be Done To Improve Parent-Teacher Communication? – “Light-touch" communication (quick texts, calls, or emails) establishing positive and proactive communication between school and home can make a big difference in students' outcomes. https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/42715/what-can-be-done-to-improve-parent-teacher-communication 

Developing Agency With Student-Led Conferences (Video) - When students lead meetings with their parents and teachers, they gain a voice in their education and develop skills like goal-setting and metacognition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju0GlA7wE3w 

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Strategies for Principals, Teachers, and Parents - Global Family Research Project views parent-teacher conferences in terms of the 5Rs: reach out, raise up, reinforce, relate, and reimagine. Applying these approaches can lead to innovative ways to partner with families to ensure that they receive the information they need to help their children, and that teachers understand their students’ strengths and needs. https://globalfrp.org/content/download/402/3731/file/GFRPTipSheet_ParentTeacherConference.pdf 

How Family, School, and Community Engagement can Improve Student Achievement and Influence School Reform - This literature review strives to address the following two questions: 1) What are the key components of promising family-school partnerships that support school- and district-level reform? and 2) How do promising partnerships involve families and communities in education reform? https://nmefoundation.org/how-family-school-and-community-engagement-can-improve-student-achievement-and-influence-school-reform/

How to Support Immigrant Students and Families: Strategies for Schools and Early Childhood Programs - Across the country, educators are looking for ways to support immigrant students and families facing great uncertainty. This comprehensive guide includes more than 50 strategies that educators, staff, and administrators can use to ensure that schools and early childhood settings remain safe, welcoming places for immigrant students and their families.http://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide#topics 

Webinar Series: Achieving Excellence & Innovation in Family, School, & Community Engagement -  9 different webinars from transforming schools to actually engaging all stakeholders;  https://www.sedl.org/connections/engagement_webinars 

2023 Prevention Resource Guide - The 2023 Prevention Resource Guide is designed to help individuals and organizations in every community strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect. The Resource Guide focuses on protective factors that build on family strengths to foster healthy child and youth development. https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/preventionmonth/resources/resource-guide/