Family Support and Transitions

During this session, STEPS explored four building blocks for family engagement, Link to Learning, Collaborative Partnerships Culturally Responsive, and relationship from the Alaska Family Partnership Framework. Read more here.
Groups then discussed how they are using these building blocks in key transitions from early childhood to reading proficiency, to middle school, to graduation, and post-secondary. Each STEPS AK partner is using novel strategies to help students who are transitioning to different grade levels (while respecting the rules of social distancing). 
Here are some examples of ways that we can support students and families that were shared by our partners:

• Review how you are enlisting parents as partners. Use surveys or focus groups, or find ways of asking what they need and want.

• Use a systematic approach that doesn’t put work on families, but supports them. 

• Send home materials for classwork that can also help families prepare food, make household supplies, and meet needs they might have.