Parental School Engagement
During this 6-9 week series, Conexión Américas and a team of Latino parent volunteers deliver workshops promote an effective partnership between Latino parents and MNPS schools, to ultimately improve children’s academic achievement. The program is delivered in Spanish and uses a specific curriculum for pre-k, elementary, and middle school. Originally developed by UnidosUS, the program engages parents through culturally responsive activities.
The sessions, which end with a parental graduation ceremony, teach parents to understand and navigate the school system and advocate for their child(ren). We employ a parent-to-parent approach aligned with our core value of building the skills of our participants and assisting them in being the principal agents of community change.
The sessions also provide a space for parents to come together, support one another, share experiences and lessons learned.
We offer three levels for parents with:
- Children in pre-K.
- Children in elementary school.
- Children in middle school.
What Parents Learn
Among the topics covered during the Parents as Partners sessions:
- How to advocate for your child within the school system.
- How to help your child graduate from high school and plan for college.
- How to build positive self-esteem and motivate your child to be successful.
- How to navigate the school system and communicate effectively with school staff.
- How to support literacy and create a strong learning environment in the home.
For general information on bringing Parents as Partners to your school, please contact Maria Paula Zapata.
Do you know a family that may like to participate? Please contact Blanca Suarez.
