{"id":82130,"date":"2022-11-01T20:11:17","date_gmt":"2022-11-01T20:11:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.schoolcnxt.com\/?p=1118"},"modified":"2023-04-12T02:15:59","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T02:15:59","slug":"school-sustaining-family-engagement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snapraise.com\/blog\/school-sustaining-family-engagement\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustaining Powerful Family Engagement"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a result, many of us find ourselves with more than just a handful of loose ends to tie up in these final days before the summer break. This can be especially true of school-to-home communication.<\/p>\n

Goodbye \u2026 for now<\/h2>\n

The end of the year is an action-packed time of field days, art performances, yearbook signings, festivities, and graduations. Not surprisingly, end-of-year messaging tends to focus on these exciting culminating events. They celebrate: We made it!<\/p>\n

But don\u2019t forget to look forward! After all, summer break doesn\u2019t just signal the end of a grade level; it also marks the beginning of the next one. So, when it comes to school-to-home communication, the last days and weeks of an academic year are a prime time for getting families thinking about what opportunities are still to come.<\/p>\n

What are the non-negotiables?<\/h2>\n

Of course, you\u2019ll probably want to begin by communicating end-of-year must-knows for parents and guardians. For example, where do families order caps and gowns for the graduation ceremony? What happens if kids forget to turn in their overdue library books? What is the protocol for early release on the last day? When and where is the summer school kickoff?
\nAs you relay essential news and information, you can take steps to increase readability and engagement. Start by keeping messages brief and clear. This step draws readers in, keeps them engaged and makes translation efforts easier. Segmenting messages by the target audience leads to better comprehension and engagement. For example, communication about the third-grade field trip should be delivered only to families of third graders. This decreases information overload and ensures families receive news that\u2019s relevant and meaningful.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also worthwhile to keep in mind the unique circumstances surrounding the closing of this academic year. The remarkable events of the last several years \u2014 including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic \u2014 have taken a toll. Remember that many educators, students and families are experiencing a unique kind of fatigue, as reported by Business Insider<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As a result of these events, the threshold for information overload may be even lower than in previous years. This shines an even brighter light on the need for direct, targeted, and relevant messaging. After all, your goal is to have students and families come back recharged and refreshed in the fall.<\/p>\n

Keep the momentum<\/h2>\n

Finally, this is an excellent time to run an audit of your communications performance (see NSPRA.Org)<\/a> for the closing of the academic year. Consider your school\u2019s or district\u2019s strides in family outreach. For instance:<\/p>\n