by Stephanie Forbes, District Family Engagement Liaison, Student Academic Support

In an attempt to slow down the spreading of coronavirus, our families are staying home trying to remain safe. The loss of routine and being inside can foster feelings of boredom. Boredom is an indication that we do not meaningfully engage with the world. The DeKalb County School District’s Parent & Family Engagement Department recognizes the transition and begins reframing how we communicate with our families.

The way we communicate has changed, and the adjustment is new for all. We have joined the virtual world of conducting informational workshops and townhall meetings to continue reaching families across DeKalb. The virtual sessions are extended to parents via ZOOM, Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, and Verge platforms.

The strategy of the family engagement is to manage uninterrupted relationship building that engage families through the five Rs:

  • Reach Out: reach out to share resources, academic strategies, and strengthen family relationships.
  • Rise Up: elevate family perspectives to improve their needs.
  • Reinforce: guide and model educational activities that families’ can take to support learning, from school to home.
  • Relate: offer opportunities for parents to build peer-to-peer relationships and increase social networks.
  • Reimagine: expanding community partnership to rediscover multiple ways of learning and how to support students and parents in academic success.

We are committed to maintaining and supporting the needs of our families. The virtual sessions are our way of supporting our families.

For information regarding this article, please contact Stephanie Forbes or 678.984.9616.