2023 - 2024 FACE Webinar Series
We are excited to provide you with informative and inspiring webinars featuring some of our nation's distinguished practitioners in the field. These districts are implementing innovative practices and strategies to strengthen family & school partnerships. All webinars are in Eastern Standard Time.
S&S Worldwide and Successful Innovations are the sponsors of the
FACE Webinar Series. These webinars are provided for you to support the
professional learning and growth of family-facing professionals and
administrators. A completion certificate will be available for you
after the completion of each webinar. Recordings will be available for
past webinars.
| Date | Title | Presenter | Registration Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 September 21 (12pm) | Really? What does the term it “Takes a Village” really mean? During the pandemic, we found out! Our small division of 3,700 students in Fredericksburg, Virginia knew we could not do it without the support from our community. Even though we had an effective, Family and Community Engagement program in each school, we did not realize how much we would need to connect our families and community to support and adapt to the educational needs of our students. We built our partnerships from 15-20 local organizations, businesses, law enforcement, and faith-based groups to over 200 at this time. Local organizations funded a “school on wheels” , The Super Cat Bus, that travels into neighborhoods with school supplies, family support, resources, and educational experiences for all. Community members join us every three months for our Superintendent Community Roundtables where our superintendent and division leadership teams come together to discuss local topics, concerns, or to showcase student success. These events have gone from 50 attendees to over 200 local citizens wanting to be a part of making a difference. My presentation will be on how we “brought the village” together and how we have increased our connections and conversations to build a stronger community. |
 Sandra Gillenwater Director of Family & Community Engagement, Fredericksburg City Public Schools |
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| 2023 October 26 (12pm) | A Leader’s Role in Engaging Families of Students with Disabilities
Description: Join us as we explore the differences among involvement, engagement, and collaboration. We will also discuss a leader’s role in building capacity and establishing positive relationships with families of students with disabilities. |
 Tracy Lee Family Engagement Specialist Virginia Department of Education |
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| 2023 November 9 (3:30pm) | Candid Conversations: Advancing Family Engagement in the Midst of Challenges & Barriers |
 Cecily Darden Special Assistant, Family Outreach U.S. Department of Education |
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| 2023 December 7 (3:30pm) | Meaningful Family Engagement: High Yield Strategies to Maximize Family Engagement and Student Achievement Outcomes Session equipping leaders with innovative tools and resources that can be used to increase meaningful family engagement in supporting student achievement outcomes at the local school and district levels. Participants will in have opportunities to learn, collaborate, and engage in scenario based discussion as they delve into the art of family engagement and meaningful communication, and explore the impact high yield strategies can have on students, families, and communities. Join us as we unveil the powerful impact that engaged families can have on schools and the overall district! |
 Dr. Tereka Williams Executive Director of Federal Programs, Gwinnett Co Schools  Dr. Chisel Valdez Director of Family Engagement, Gwinnett Co Schools |
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| 2024 January 25 (12pm) | We Love You Here: Creating a Strong System of Engagement Description: Dr. Harris will share high impact engagement practices that have supported a strong system of engagement that has lead to decreasing chronic absenteeism across her division. Specifically, using the Dual Capacity Framework we will explore the key conditions necessary for creating a strong system of engagement. |
 Dr. Shade Harris Chief Engagement Officer, Richmond Public Schools |
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| 2024 February 15 (12pm-1pm EST) | Family-School Partnerships: Building Your Capacity for Authentic Family Engagement & Success: The research is sound- effective, authentic family engagement promotes positive results for families, school staff, and most importantly, our students. Join us for this session, provided by the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN), as they share work being done across Pennsylvania to promote family-school partnerships. Learn about the Families to the Max Statewide Family Network and other valuable resources that you can use to build your school's capacity for family engagement. Family School Partnerships-Handout Resource Links Handout |
 Kimberly Jenkins Educational Consultant at the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN)  Linda Cartwright Family Support Specialist with the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN)  Jacqui DiDomenico Family Support Specialist with the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) |
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| 2024 February 22 (12pm) | Connecting for Student Success: This session will look at innovative ways to engage families around regularly scheduled calendar events and processes. These include School Improvement Planning, Back to School Night, Parent Teacher Conferences, etc. Participants will leave with resources, including guiding and coaching questions, as well as examining the levels of family engagement. Also, participants will have the opportunity to share and capture best practices from each other. |
 Everett Davis Director of Student, Family & School Services, Montgomery Co Schools (MD) |
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| 2024 March 28 (12pm) | Achieving Together Beyond the Classroom: Unveiling the 5 Key Principles of Family Engagement for Unparalleled Student Success. |
 Dr. Cristina Melendez Executive Director of the Office of Family & Community Engagement, New York City Public Schools |
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| 2024 April 18 (12pm) | Building Bridges: Strategies to Enhance Family & Community Engagement
in Schools Family and community engagement is a crucial component of a successful educational experience. Research has consistently shown that when families and communities are actively involved, students exhibit higher achievement, better attendance, and more positive attitudes toward learning. This presentation delves into practical strategies and innovative approaches to foster stronger ties between schools, families, and their surrounding communities. |
 Alex Borges Federal Programs Specialist, Gwinnett County Public Schools |
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| 2024 May 9 (12pm) | Culturally Responsive Family Engagement To build trust and relationships with families, it is crucial for school staff to equitably engage with families to ensure the success of diverse student populations. Educators have stated that family engagement continues to be challenging, especially when families' culture and identity differ from the educators. Often, family engagement practices do not work because educators don’t consider the family’s culture and allow detrimental implicit bias to seep into their mental models. Uncovering the root cause of the under-engagement of families and failing to create two-way communication that is equitable and sustainable is pertinent to moving the meter forward. Using the Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships and Street Data Framework, the presenters will discuss the root causes of failing family engagement endeavors and identify strategies that work with engaging minoritized and marginalized families in the margin. |
 Dr. Renee LaHuffman Jackson Director Family & School Partnerships, Fairfax Co Public Schools |
