Toombs County Schools: Engaging Families for Student Success Together

Courtesy of Toombs County Schools

Toombs County Schools is participating in the annual Georgia Department of Education Family Engagement Month, which is celebrated across the state throughout November, for the fifth straight year.

State Superintendent Richard Woods believes that it is important to take time to thank Georgia parents and caregivers who make the community stronger, which is why he implemented this month of celebration. “Thank you, parents and families, for all you do to support your children’s learning and their schools,” Woods remarked. “Together, as educators, families, and stakeholders, we can help students explore the possibilities and opportunities available to them.”

So, what does family engagement look like within the school system? Family engagement is a collaborative process between families and schools that supports a child's learning and development. It's also known as parent engagement, parent involvement, or family-school partnership.

Family engagement can positively impact a child's health, development, academic achievement, and well-being. It can also help prepare children for school and transition them to kindergarten through a two-way relationship where families and schools support each other. It's based on mutual respect and trust, and it's an ongoing process that continues throughout a child's school career.

Examples of family engagement include attending or volunteering at school functions, discussing school events, helping with homework, and reading with children.

Toombs County Schools has formed a Family Engagement Team, which focuses on the six national standards provided by the National Parent Teacher Association (adopted by the Georgia Department of Education in 2010). These standards – Welcoming All Families, Communicating Effectively, Supporting Student Success, Speaking Up for Every Child, Sharing Power, and Collaborating with the Community – are discussed and decided on which ones we, as a team, should work on together to improve in our school system.

Throughout November, this team works with the school system to send out posts on our social media tools to families. Our schools host Family Nights during this month to promote family engagement, and our District Family Engagement Team meets to collaborate as educators, families, and community stakeholders. This team has made progress in the past and is striving to continue the partnerships for an even better family-school partnership. Community stakeholders have been added to the team recently.

In addition to this, the team has worked to ensure that there is effective communication between the school system and parents through several methods, such as: • Documents sent home at the beginning of the school year (school compacts, district and school improvement plans) These are also available all year on system’s website • Monthly parent newsletters (paper and electronic versions are available in English and Spanish) • Electronic newslet – ters are available on each school’s website under the Parents tab • Weekly updates through students’ teachers • System wide commu nications tool used to communicate with families and public • Family nights/events are hosted all school year for families (parents for lunch, grandparents for breakfast, Thanksgiving Feast, academic programs, plays, musicals, etc.)

Toombs County Schools will provide parents with lunch to celebrate Family Engagement Day on Thursday, November 21. Meals will be given out in a drop-by fashion between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Toombs County Board of Education office, located at 600 Bulldog Road in Lyons.

To learn more about family engagement or this lunch event, call the Toombs County Board of Education at (912) 5263141.

PROVIDING INFORMATION – Toombs County Federal Programs Director Pamela Sears works to provide information to migrant families throughout the school system as a part of the district’s family engagement plan.

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES – Members of the Toombs County School System work to connect parents with math and reading resources to help better their children’s educations as a part of the district’s family engagement activities.