Family Friendly Walk-Through
Is your school Family Friendly? Research shows that when schools and parents work together to support the education of a child, not only does the student perform better in school, but all throughout life! The best way to nurture a strong relationship between school and family is to create a friendly and welcoming school environment for the families of the students. This is the primary method of improving family involvement.
Who is involved? Principal, teachers, parents, families, staff, and community members actively participate
What is the purpose of the Family Friendly Walk-Through? The South Dakota Statewide Family Engagement Center (SFEC) provides this Family Friendly Walk-Through (FFWT) service as a tool to help schools assess their “Family Friendly” practices. Together, schools, families, and the community can look at strategies that will help make the school more inviting to families and the community.
Walk-Through Components: Five areas are evaluated during the walk-through.
- Physical – Welcoming Environment
- School-Wide Practices
- Home-School Communication
- Learning Connections
- Printed Materials / Technology
Outcomes
- Significant improvement in student achievement can result when schools embrace parent involvement.
- Technical Assistance to meet Title I parent involvement requirements.
How long does a FFWT take?
To start a FFWT a survey developed in partnership with the SD Department of Education is sent out to families and a mirror survey is sent to staff. After the surveys are collected, then we set a date for the in-person walk through with 4 to 6 parents and 2 to 3 staff. This takes 3 hours and we will set this up with the principal to accommodate the school’s times and needs.
How do you get a FFWT at your school?
Contact Morgan VonHaden at mvonhaden@bhssc.org or 605-484-3401
Downloadable resources