It may still be summer, but the upcoming school year was front and center this week as educators and parents gathered in Manchester with a shared goal: Deepening relationships between schools and students’ families.
New Hampshire lawmakers repeatedly voiced distrust of public school educators this year in debates over book bans, parental rights, and curriculum. But that’s not how the several dozen parents and educators who gathered for the New Hampshire Family Engagement Center’s summit see their relationship.
Adriana Espitia of Nashua said she wants her local school to be a partner in raising her 18-month old son, Mateo, once he’s old enough to enroll.
“I understand as a parent, you want your kid to have the best education, but I also want to trust in the school system and that together we can get my child a full, well-rounded education,” Espitia said. “That just requires trust and communication.”
The question of how to build that trust and communication dominated Wednesday’s summit.
Two schools in Manchester, where more than 60% of students qualify for school lunch assistance, have used federal and local grant money to prioritize family engagement. They have added a food pantry and vision screening for their families, among other initiatives. More than 50 families used the pantries in each school this year.
Other schools are rethinking how they address chronic absenteeism. Rather than call parents about the number of missed days, they are asking parents why students are missing school and what interventions might work.
That approach stuck with Colleen Island Mateo of Nashua, whose two children are not yet in school.
“I would love for my child . . . to go to a school where they care more about the relationship building, than just the number,” she said.
Shadea Harris, a former principal and teacher, helps schools partner with families as president and CEO of Groundwork in Virginia. At Wednesday’s summit, she recommended home visits, asking families what dreams they have for their child, and using interactions with families to not only share information but to make a personal connection.
Family engagement — and what it helps accomplish — is often left out of teacher training, Harris said. Yet, it’s been linked to better student attendance and academic achievement.
Family engagement "is not the goal,” she said. “The goal is student success. The goal is thriving students.”
Heather Buteau’s 1-year-old son Cedar is years away from starting school. Buteau, of Whitefield, has seen the benefit of connecting parents with another in her small community and believes those connections can build valuable trust between families and schools. She rejects the idea that educators are disregarding families' concerns.
“I definitely think there is misinformation,” Buteau said. “So we need to correct that misinformation through these relationships so they know the true goals of these teachers.”
Crystal Milik’s son Dash won’t start school in Nashua for two years. She’d welcome a call from the school now.
“Having them reach out to me early and say, ‘Hey, I know it's going to be a year or two before he starts, but let's go ahead and start working together now and start building that relationship,’ ” Milik said. “So, when he starts, we know from each side what to expect.”