Pasco, WA
Esmeralda M. Valencia, Parent Engagement Coordinator
Lorraine Landon, Special Programs Coordinator
Destination Communication: Connecting with Families and Beyond
Pasco School District continued a remarkable record of Partnership District Awards by improving its district leadership and school-based programs of partnerships. All schools have Action Teams for Partnerships (ATPs). All teams have annual plans, evaluate progress, and implement activities to engage all students’ families. The district serves over 70% Latino families, and most students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
District Leaders for Partnerships planned a series of quarterly ATP Cluster Trainings to help schools think about how to communicate successfully with all students’ families. At the first quarterly Cluster Training, district leaders gathered information on how each school currently communicated with families. Then, district leaders and ATP chairs created a short, 4-item electronic survey in English and Spanish to ask parents about their preferred communications via radio, print, TV, and/or the district’s social media platforms.
At the next quarterly Cluster Training, the ATP chairs examined results. The surveys confirmed, for example, that the district’s Spanish speaking community listens to Spanish radio and watches Spanish TV channels (e.g., Univision and Telemundo). Parents also reported that ClassDoJo, Facebook, and text messaging are the best ways to communicate with them about school information and activities.
At the final meeting of the year, district leaders invited Pasco’s new Public Affairs Director to describe her plans for her office. This department used a similar survey to learn how parents prefer to receive information from the district.
The series of ATP Cluster Trainings made clear that not only is it important for each school to know what strategies are available to connect with parents, but also to know parents’ preferences for receiving information about their children’s work and progress and about school activities. Ultimately, Pasco leaders and ATP Chairs recognized that this information should benefit students most. When parents are informed, aware, and active partners in their child’s education, students do better in school.
Read more about Destination Communication: Connecting with Families and Beyond in Promising Partnership Practices 2022.
