Boulder Valley School District Creates Meaningful Family And Student Partnerships

Boulder CO

18 September, 2021

6:11 AM

Description

Press release from the Boulder Valley School District: September 15, 2021 BVSD endeavors to build collaborative relationships between schools, families and the community to support the achievement, success and well-being of every child. We are honored that six of our family partnerships programs have been featured as exemplars in the 2021 CDE Promising Partnerships Practices book. Below are excerpts from the book. Families and Educators Together (FET) teams Families and Educators Together (FET) is a team of family members from underrepresented communities and educators that collaborate to support the success and well-being of students and improve family members' connection with the school. The district currently has a FET team at 14 of our schools. According to the report, "A mother at another school shared: "It was very difficult for me as a mother to feel trust with the teachers. FET has broken down that barrier for me… As a result of the FET team, many parents have had the chance to bring forth their voices and look for opportunities that before they feared to ask about or pursue." Read more on page 7 Youth Equity Council Launched in 2021, the Youth Equity Council is composed of diverse young leaders who will help to provide district leadership and the Equity Council important feedback, as we collaboratively work to make the Boulder Valley School District more equitable – ever striving to provide excellence for every student and addressing the decades of achievement and opportunity gaps. "It certainly means a lot," said Marilyn, BVSD sophomore and Council member. "It feels really good that we have this space to share our experiences and then think about how we can take that and really work to address issues in our schools and it certainly means a lot that my voice is valued in that way and other people want to hear what I have to say." Read more on page 13 One Call at a Time Centaurus High School launched a positive phone call initiative during the pandemic with the aim to deepen student engagement and strengthen ties with families. A father captured the essence of the benefits best when he said, "Any good news about a teenager is always welcome!" Read more on page 17 Culturally Responsive Home Visits BVSD first launched home visit training for educators in 2018 and continues to offer regular training opportunities for school staff. Home visits help strengthen relationships and enhance trust and communication between staff, students and families Read more on page 18 Parent Network Groups BVSD conducts Parent Network Groups to provide support, resources, and information for families with students with special needs. A parent shared, "I appreciate the support and resources to help navigate school with a child with special needs. The groups are amazing and so helpful in terms of community, resources, and learning about policies and practices." Read more on page 25 Collaborating with Department of Transportation Since 2017, BVSD has experienced a steady decline in the number of bus drivers employed by the district. This issue became exasperated during the pandemic due to hiring shortages across Colorado and the country. The Transportation team knew they needed to rethink transportation across the district and created the Transportation Advisory Committee, composed of staff, parents, and community members to tackle this issue with the focus on ensuring service for those who need it the most. Read more on page 28 This press release was produced by the Boulder Valley School District. The views expressed here are the author's own.