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November is Family Engagement Month: promoting family engagement in their child’s lives from preschool to high school. Children & Family Resource Center and the Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center (ECAC) invite you to join us in celebrating the important role families play in their child’s education. As research and common sense tells us that families’ involvement in their children’s education stands out as one of the greatest predictors of health, development, well-being and academic outcomes. Yet working families’ struggle with the formidable balance of juggling work and participating in school activities. Working parents have more frequent absences and feel less productive (Care@Work). Furthermore, families also battle the negative perception they may receive from co-workers when they leave because of school demands or the kids get sick. Working parents cite flexible work schedules as a major factor in job retention.
Businesses you can help! Engaging the business community in supporting families not only benefits schools and families but the business community. Better educated children make for a stronger workforce later down the road. Easy strategies to support family involvement can boost employee morale and retention.
It is easy and you can start now.
Below are ideas that you can consider implementing right away:
1. Create a virtual workplace hub where families can access information and connect to resources. Organizations like Children & Family Resource Center can provide at no cost electronic resources that families can access from a workplace Website or Facebook page.
2. Invite Children & Family Resource Center to hold lunch and learn webinars for employees on parenting and educational issues. We offer free evidence-based programs for caregivers, children, and educators intended to create positive, nurturing relationships between the child and the caregiver. We provide programming for every step of the journey from pregnancy through the adolescent years. Our programs focus on family education and support, social emotional health, school readiness, and quality early childhood experiences.
3. Provide unpaid or paid leave to families attending school meetings.
4. Share the electronic 2020 Family Engagement Month Activity Calendar (Spanish and older aged children calendars also available) with employees.
The Family Engagement Month calendar is a list of daily activities that you can do with your child anytime. The activities are meant to be fun and to make the most of those teachable moments. Not every activity will be appropriate for every child. Children have different abilities as well as different interests. You can modify many of the activities to meet the needs of your child.
¡Noviembre es el Mes de la Compromiso Familiar! El calendario del Mes de Compromiso Familiar es una lista de actividades diarias que usted puede hacer con su hijo en cualquier momento. Las actividades están diseñadas para ser divertidas y para aprovechar al máximo los momentos de enseñanza. No todas las actividades serán apropiadas para todos los niño. Los niños tienen diferentes habilidades, así como diferentes intereses. Las actividadae puede ser modificar para satisfacer las necesidades de su hijo.
Download age appropriate calendars here:
Middle & High Schoolers – English
Middle & High Schoolers – Spanish
Little ideas can grow big dividends. Join with your other business and community partners to make family involvement in education a priority!
For more information and other ideas, please contact Cindy Montgomery, CFRC Director of Programs at [email protected].
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