Fayetteville, NC -- With the first day of Traditional schools one week away, Cumberland County Schools principals and volunteers gathered today at Studio 215 in Downtown Fayetteville to learn some helpful strategies for getting parents involved in their child's education.
The more than 170 attendees, who showed up for the district's first-ever Family Ambassador Symposium, attended the gathering to get helpful tips and tools and gain information about how to engage families in their child's learning experiences.
"We truly wanted our Family Ambassadors to be equipped and prepared for the new school year," said Dr. Lindsay Whitley, the associate superintendent of CCS Communications & Community Engagement. "As a district, we have come to understand the importance of engaging our families as partners and we're confident our Family Ambassadors will make that connection."
Guest speaker Dr. Kenston Griffin from DreamBuilders Communication, Inc., encouraged participants to find innovative ways to engage the families at their schools.
The goals of the Family Ambassador Program, which launched in January 2023, are (1) to provide families with relevant resources they need to help children achieve; (2) to increase families' awareness of CCS' academic programs available to fit their child's education to their interests and the way they learn best; (3) to create opportunities for families to become engaged partners; (4) to promote a positive and welcoming learning environment; and (5) to provide schools with support for family engagement using a research-based framework.
Njeri Fikes, who is a Family Ambassador at Seventy-First High School, said she was excited to serve for a second year and to attend the four-hour long Symposium. "This [Family Ambassadors] program is phenomenal in figuring out how we can engage and 'pour into' all of our families," said Fikes. "That's why I wanted to serve a second year. This experience has been great in creating that sense of community and making connections."
Symposium attendee and C. Wayne Collier Elementary School Principal Larissa Perkins said she is confident her Family Ambassador will figure out what works in their school culture. "I am hopeful my Family Ambassador will develop some creative ways this school year to get families involved that will have the greatest impact in ultimately, helping our students be successful in the classroom and beyond."
To learn more about the district's Family Ambassadors, click here.
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