Organizers of the recent Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Conference are pleased with the feedback they're receiving from those who attended the Nov. 17-18 event in Boise.
 
 "So many districts are struggling with family engagement issues that we wanted to broaden their horizons in how to engage with their communities," said Jill Mathews, the FACE coordinator for the Idaho Department of Education.
 
"I had a number of people who talked with me afterward and said it meant something to them, that they were going back to their schools and going to implement some of the ideas they heard. Hearing that it had changed them, personally and professionally, what more could you ask for in an event?"
 
The conference at the Jump Convention Center drew 320 participants, with 200 others on a waiting list. It was the first of what is intended to be an annual event. "It's so important that the first one go well, that it be meaningful" said Mathews.
 
The conference was targeted at a wide range of educators and stakeholders, ranging from district superintendents to principals, teachers, statewide family advocacy groups and local PTA organizations.
 
The goal was to strengthen family engagement infrastructure and processes, to explore ways in which schools and educators can better communicate and have a greater impact on the students and families that they serve. Participants came from all areas of the state and represented both large and small schools and stakeholder organizations.
 
"That kind of diversity was one of the things we hoped to achieve" with the conference, Mathews said, noting that Idaho itself is increasingly diverse. Reaching out to successfully engage families in the educational process requires new ideas and new processes for the new demographics.
 
Dr. Ruby Payne, a national expert on problems facing families in poverty, provided an overview of the special needs of that demographic and how the mindset is different from that of middle class families. The FACE Conference speakers gave concrete suggestions for how to reach out to families and make them aware of all the resources available to them through the schools.
 
Sherri Gahn, discussed practical ways to implement Payne's strategies. A principal in the Clarke County School District in Nevada (Las Vegas), Gahn described the issues facing the 500 students from homeless families that her district serves, and how it is necessary to understand that demographic and then "become a part of the community" by offering services, such as organizing food pantries, that meet the needs of some of those families.
 
At the same time, not all students who qualify under the federal McKinney-Vento Act for homeless students are living on the street. Many simply don't have a stable residence, living in motel rooms or with relatives. Many of the families she serves, Gahn told the conference, would not describe themselves as homeless, but the lack of stability in having a place to call home means extra attention and resources need to be directed to them to help them succeed in school.
 
Debbie Strauss, VP Membership of the National PTA offered practical ways for schools and families to become engaged in education and ways local PTAs could improve their partnerships with schools.
 
Jose Hernandez with the the Pasco School District who grew up in a migrant family of 16 outlined the challenges that face migrant students to succeed and how to understand and support their special needs.
 
Finally, renowned public broadcasting journalist Celeste Headlee offered conference participants ideas on "Ten Ways to Have a Better Conversation". She talked about things a school administrator could do to improve their ability to talk to people who come through their door," Mathews said, and ways to get the district's message out to families about what it's doing and what resources are available to students.
 
Mathews said the feedback she's received from the conference has been positive. "I've had principals take the time to e-mail and call me and tell me they thought it was well worth their time. They said they learned great new strategies and that it was going to change how they planned their community engagement efforts."
 
Mathews said the next conference also will be held in the fall, and she is exploring using a larger venue to handle the apparent high demand and interest shown by the number of people who were on the waiting list this year.

Source:Nov Newsletter-Id Dept of Education