CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

Family and Community Engagement

9

CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

Boards are expected to involve family and community members in the life of schools

and in the education of children.

How does your Board do that?

CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

Parents are included formally and informally

• Strategic plan

• School improvement plan

• School Council

• PIC

• SEAC

• Aboriginal Advisory Committee

• Race Relations Committee

CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

Boards are expected to involve family and community members in the life of schools

and in the education of children.

Why does your Board engage?

CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

Parents are included for a variety of reasons

• Parent involvement enriches student learning

• MOE has articulated the need for involvement in policy

CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

Boards are expected to involve family and community members in the life of schools

and in the education of children.

Getting parents involved in the life of the school and system is often difficult. Why?

CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

Parent involvement is difficult for a variety of reasons• Language

• Poverty

• Newness to the school system

• Suspicion based on past history

• Lack of time

• Intimidation

CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

In this module, trustees will examine:

• Explore key concepts of family involvement and engagement in education

• Explore winning strategies for engaging communities

• Examine their role in facilitating parent and community engagement

CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

Engagement happens at two levels

1. The Board – to enhance decision making

2. School – to support learning

Boards are not responsible for engaging parents directly in the schools but for

ensuring it takes place

CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

How will you know that schools are improving their connections between the school and parents?

• What policies do you have in place that address involvement?

• How do you monitor it? What reports do you expect to see?

• What targets should those reports address?

• How would you assess that meaningful engagement is taking place?

CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

• Read the discussion question on the card on your table.

• Answer the question: What are the implications of this for you as a trustee?

CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

Follow-up Tools

CoreModule 9

Family and CommunityEngagement

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO)Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC)Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA)Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA)Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

How will you know that schools are improving their connections between the school and parents?

• What policies do you have in place that address involvement?

• How do you monitor it? What reports do you expect to see?

• What targets should those reports address?

• How would you assess that meaningful engagement is taking place?

What else would you now add to your answer?