1. Parents are ready. Are you?
Family Engagement is only possible when School Staff also engage

2. Hello, my name is… Emily Byers-Ferrian Immersion Specialist
Woodcrest Spanish Immersion School
Spring Lake Park Schools
(763)

3. We know it’s a two-way street…
Parents
School
Staff
Communication
Collaboration
Connection

4. So let’s make sure we construct both sides of it…
What do
Parents need?
What do School
Staff members need?

5. Here’s what we’ll do…
Articulate your hopes and dreams for what you want your day-to-day interactions and long-term relationships with Latino parents to look, sound and feel like
Identify barriers and bridges that you currently experience when working with Latino families
Understand the impact of language as a barrier or bridge
Identify “The Whys” that influence your current behavior
Participate in a dialogue between school staff and Latino parents
Choose a “bridging” action step for the school year
Why?
Sound like
Feel like
Look like

6. Here’s how we’ll do it… Session1: “My story: Thesis”
Session 2: “Your story: Antithesis”
Session 3: “Our story: Synthesis”
Dinner & Dialogue: “New thesis = Change”

7. Here’s why it will work…
Thesis (My story)
Antithesis (Your story)
Synthesis (Our story)
New thesis
Change

8. Here’s how we will know it worked…

9. Barriers & Bridges Barriers Bridges (Staff action steps) Fear
I will seek understanding by having tough conversations and not being afraid to ask questions.
Time
I will communicate with at least 1 parent per week and do it on Tuesdays during my advisory or prep hour.
Language
I will learn how to introduce myself in Spanish when calling home to families to make a connection with our Spanish speaking families
Invisibility
Invitaré a las familias de mis estudiantes a participar en el salón de clase.