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New Bedford Public Schools

Our Process

Our Process

Why Family Engagement Matters

Research from around the country demonstrates the importance of family engagement and how that relates to student success. The connection between family, school, and community has been proven to have positive outcomes in school readiness, language acquisition, literacy, mathematics, social emotional learning, as well as increased retention and graduation. Family engagement isn't just about providing services to families, it is about co creating student experiences with families to ensure more positive culture, climate, health safety and well being. 

Our model is guided by the NBPS Strategic Plan and the Core Competencies provided by the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement

Family Engagement Core Competencies

The national association for family school and community engagement has identified eight competencies to guide meaningful and authentic family and community engagement. 

    1. Reflect, Honor, and Value Families - takes an equitable perspective towards cultural, linguistic and developmental diversity within family systems 

    2.  Embrace Equity throughout family engagement- Cultural Humility, equity and adaptability  

    Within our Family Engagement Centers we- 

    • Illicit feedback from families through events and surveys focused in these areas 

    • Ensure our staff embodies shared community values, history, and language 

    Utilize data to adapt our departmental approach to meet the ever changing community needs

    1. Build trusting reciprocal relationships with families- two way communication that conveys a welcoming environment of mutual trust 

    2. Foster Community Partnerships for learning and family wellbeing - creating systems that support community partnerships and social support networks for families 

    Within our family engagement centers we- 

    • Provide multiple pathways through a multi tiered system of support where families can communicate and achieve their goals 

    • Maintain eight regionally accessible engagement centers where families, community partners and school staff can interface 

    • Tailor meaningful learning opportunities for underserved or high risk populations such as translations workshops, attendance workshops, domestic violence, and social justice organizations 

    • Continually build relationships with organizations in the community to refer to as well as collaborate with to achieve family goals

    1. Build trusting reciprocal relationships with families- two way communication that conveys a welcoming environment of mutual trust 

    2. Foster Community Partnerships for learning and family wellbeing - creating systems that support community partnerships and social support networks for families 

    Within our family engagement centers we- 

    • Provide multiple pathways through a multi tiered system of support where families can communicate and achieve their goals 

    • Maintain eight regionally accessible engagement centers where families, community partners and school staff can interface 

    • Tailor meaningful learning opportunities for underserved or high risk populations such as translations workshops, attendance workshops, domestic violence, and social justice organizations 

    • Continually build relationships with organizations in the community to refer to as well as collaborate with to achieve family goals

    1. Co construct learning opportunities with families- leverage family knowledge and skills to create and improve learning opportunities and services

    2. Link Family engagement to learning and development

    • Generate newsletters that invite and inform families of developments around family engagement systems and processes

    • Maintain opportunities for family engagement through PTOs, PTAs, SEPACs, ELPACs, and FELT groups 

    • Co create workshops interdepartmentally and within the community to encourage community growth through skill building such as nutrition, computer, and job skills workshops and classes

    1. Take part in life long learning - data informed professional development to increase family engagement knowledge and skills 

    2. Advocate for systems change - evolve equitable policies and practices that include and expand on public understanding of family engagement   

    • Engage in professional development to address changing social and cultural climates within the United States such as work with immigration rights and advocacy programs, leading experts in the field of family engagement, and communication and outreach skills 

    • Actively outreach, invite, and train community partners and parent groups to the shifts in family engagement such as; focus groups to create and monitor the districtwide equity plan. This includes parent groups to participate in state wide conferences like Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials.

Massachusetts Strengthening Partnerships Framework

  • Supporting Child and Youth Development, Learning, Health, and Wellbeing Goal- Develop multi prong systems of information exchange among families, schools, and community organizations to enhance child and youth development, learning, health, and wellbeing 

    Supporting Child and Youth Development, Learning, Health, and Wellbeing Goal- Identify collaborative development & learning opportunities among families, schools, and community organizations

  • Supporting Child and Youth Development, Learning, Health, and Wellbeing Goal- Engage families through peer to peer interactions 

    Building Positive Relationship Goal- Build reciprocal and balanced communication with families 

    Promoting Pathways for Partnerships with Families Goal- Support families civic engagement first 

    Promoting Pathways for Partnerships with Families Goal- Provide opportunities for Family mentorship & voice

  • Building Positive Relationship Goal - Intentionally build and sustain relationships with all families

    Building Positive Relationship Goal - Collaborate with families to create/ promote connection among families

  • Promoting Pathways for Partnerships with Families Goal- Partner with families in identifying & planning engagement activities 

    Promoting Pathways for Partnerships with Families Goal- Use family driven approaches to create varied opportunities for engagement 

    Promoting Pathways for Partnerships with Families Goal- Provide opportunities for family contributions to the engagement process

  • Promoting Family Wellbeing Goal- Employ multiple strategies to connect families with resources to enhance family wellbeing 

    Promoting Family Wellbeing Goal- Engage community members/ agencies/ organizations in ways meaningful to families 

    Promoting Family Wellbeing Goal- Identify and address barriers families experience in accessing community organizations & services 

    Promoting Pathways for Partnerships with Families Goal- Share power & decision making

How It Works!

System of support

Tier 1

Engage parents/families in a way that builds trust, relationships and accessibility. These activities/events are universal for all students, parents, and families

Tier 2

Build family and community capacity through targeted approaches that create access to educational opportunities for families, educators, and community partners that will positively impact student success 

Tier 3

Through a process of informed consent, our staff establish goals with the family and determines roles, responsibilities and duration of service throughout the case management process. 

    • Families as Partners- Family engagement events, topics and skills offered may vary

    • Coffee with a Specialist- Opportunity to come ask questions, get resources and explore your school

    • Computer Class- Learn the basics. Resume writing, Job Applications, E-mails, and Web Surfing Skills

    • Back to School Event- Come get to know your school and learn about various resources

    • Reading Club- Come share some of our favorite stories read to you by our staff. Take the book and enjoy it with your own family at home!

    • Celebration of Kindness- Celebrate your child/ren that have been nominated by staff for their exemplary kindness at school.

    • Ice Cream Socials- We bring the ice cream! You bring your family! Come hang out, meet staff and enjoy some sweet treats.

    • Car Wash- Come meet our student ambassadors and help our families raise money for events and field trips

    Game Night- Come enjoy the classic games like BINGO, Checkers, Shoots and Ladders, etc.  with your family

    • SNAP and Housing Resources- Apply and ask questions about food and housing resources in our community! 

    • Women's Center Hours- Come and meet with a Women's Center representative to discuss resources and ways to help your family! 

    • Attendance Workshops- support to address barriers to consistent attendance 

    • ASPIRE- child and family service run diversionary programs to support middle school students and families

    • Highpoint- NBHS in school short term clinical services

    • Elevate Youth Groups- After school social justice support group  

    • Torch Informational Session- Teen confidence building and academic support 

    • Foster Family/ Single Mom Supports- district wide webinars

    • ELL Support Groups- Family run peer support group 

    • Mental Health Workshops- data driven mental health topic webinars 

    • CCPI Resources- data driven prek and kindergarten resources

    Shannon Program- community diversionary support program

    • Provide Tier 3 individualized family needs by addressing multiple life domains across home, school, and community, including living environment, basic needs, safety, and social, emotional, educational, spiritual, and cultural needs in order to develop a comprehensive time limited strength based family plan

     

    • Meet weekly with assigned teams to ensure referral process and services provided are equitable and provide growth opportunities and problem solving for families

Our Referral Process

Step One

Submit a Referral-  These forms are available to self refer if you are in need of supports as well as for NBPS staff who wish to refer a family in need of resources or information.  

Examples of needs we service: housing or food insecurity, counseling referrals, immigration supports, parent educational needs (connections within your child's school, school programming, groups & clubs, and more!)

Step Two

Assigning the Case- Once we receive a referral, the cases are triaged to our staff based on a number of factors. This can include school location, supports needed, and level of assessment. There will be a "tree" icon assigned to the student in our internal database.

Step Three

Case Management- A Family Engagement Specialist or Wraparound Coordinator who is assigned the case will reach out to the family within 72 hours. They will utilize informed consent to begin assessing the goals ands strengths of the family to determine which referrals to community partners or internal staff would  best support the family in attaining those goals. All interactions are documented in the school districts internal database.

Step Four

Case Closure- Based on the agreement between the Family Engagement/Wraparound staff that was determined in the initial meeting and conformed consent, the case will be closed once all goals are reached, or if it determined that services are no longer appropriate or necessary. All Family Engagement/ Wraparound Services are voluntary. The case closure will be noted in the school districts internal database and the tree icon will be removed.

We look forward to collaborating with you!