Webinar Series: Family Engagement

View webinar recordings and resources at its Webinar Resource Page. 

Presented by the NYS Eastern (ETAC) and Central/Western (C/WTAC) Regions of the Community Schools Technical Assistance Centers and the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL)

Family and community engagement is increasingly shifting from a nice to have, to being an integral part of school district strategies for improving outcomes for kids. Yet, many districts are unsure how to integrate this work on a systemic level.

During this series, the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) will present an overview of the newly revised Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships (DCBF). Participants will not only understand the key elements needed to make family engagement systemic, but they will have an opportunity to learn and ask questions from districts that have successfully implemented DCBF.

Participants:

• DECONSTRUCT the challenges that exist for implementing systemic family engagement.
• IDENTIFY the essential conditions that must exist for family engagement to take place; with an emphasis on the importance of relationship-building and trust.
• LEARN best practices and strategies for implementation from school district leaders.

OUR PRESENTERS:

DR.CHRISHIRELLA WARTHEN-SUTTON
Manager, Office of Family & Community Engagement, Racine Unified School District

Dr. Sutton has been instrumental in advancing the district’s parent, family & community engagement focus, beliefs, strategies and transformative practices. She has devoted over 24 years to the field of education with a record of professional service as a classroom teacher, university director, assistant professor, and state education agency consultant. Dr. Sutton serves on state and national committees such as REL Midwest Achievement Gap Research Alliance, and the Institute of Educational Leadership’s District Leadership Network Advisory Board.

KWESI ROLLINS
Vice President for Leadership and Engagement, Institute for Educational Leadership, IEL

As a member of IEL’s Senior Leadership Team, Mr. Rollins guides IEL’s portfolio of programs designed to develop and support leaders with a particular emphasis on Family and Community Engagement, Early Childhood Education and Community-based Leadership Development. Mr. Rollins directs the District Leaders Network on Family and Community Engagement and Leaders for Today and Tomorrow, an initiative that designs and delivers professional learning and support opportunities for school and district leaders. He has years of experience working with local communities and state agencies to improve cross-sector collaboration and service delivery systems supporting children, youth and families.

JASON ENRIQUE ARENAS
Program Director of Accountability Partnerships, Alameda County Office of Education

Mr. Arenas has worked for the Alameda County Office of Education since 2014. During his tenure, he created one of California’s first county facilitated Family Engagement Networks. FEN is a professional learning community focused on building the capacity of district, school, and community organizations across the county’s 18 school districts. Jason provides technical assistance, capacity-building and, coaching in partnership with districts around creating a strategic plan and processes aligned to California’s public education funding formula designed to support disenfranchised students and their families.

SHANITA BURNEY
Communications and Engagement Officer, District of Columbia Public Schools

In her position as Communications and Engagement Officer, Ms. Burney directs the supporting of parents and families in developing strong home/school relationships, fostering business and community partnerships; and also spearheads stakeholder engagement efforts, including the facilitation of focus groups, community task forces, and other public meetings to inform district-level policies and initiatives.