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Thank you to all who attended our Summit! Recordings from the event are available below.
The Ohio Family Engagement Leadership Summit is a day of professional learning and networking with those dedicated to advancing effective family-school-community partnerships across Ohio and beyond. Our Summit brings research to action by providing schools, families, and community partners with the tools they need to work together to launch all children to success. If you are a teacher, leader, family liaison, parent/caregiver, or community partner looking for opportunities to design better family-school partnerships, this free, virtual summit is for you! The 2024 keynote speaker was Dr. Katie Novak.
9:00 a.m.
Welcome
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Keynote
Universally Designing Family Engagement
*In addition to her keynote presentation, Dr. Novak held an Office Hour on Monday, September 23, 2024. This free event replicated virtually those moments at a conference when you would connect with a presenter to ask a follow-up question or share an idea.
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Concurrent Learning Sessions #1
Session 1 - Families and Schools: Building Hope and Belonging Together By Design
Families and Schools: Building Hope and Belonging Together By Design
Session 2 - Engaging and Supporting Families of Students with Disabilities in the Post-School Transition Process
Engaging and Supporting Families of Students with Disabilities in the Post-School Transition Process
Attendees will learn about the importance of family, school, and community engagement to equip students with disabilities for a successful transition into adulthood.
Attendees will learn about ways to utilize person- and family-centered planning to engage with students and their families during the traditional Individualized Education Program (IEP) process.
Attendees will gain knowledge of tools and strategies they can use to navigate these collaborative relationships in school and community settings.
Session 3 - Designing for All: Leading Strong Tier One Family Engagement Practices in Your School
Designing for All: Leading Strong Tier One Family Engagement Practices in Your School
Join Dr. Barbara Boone and Dr. Hadley Bachman for a preview of the upcoming Leading Multi-Tiered Family Engagement Institute in July 2025! Our presentation will help you design strong tier one family engagement, emphasizing proactive, collaborative, and family-centered strategies. Discover how to apply universal design to meet the strengths, preferences, and needs of all families in a school population. Learn about the Multi-Tiered Approach to Family Engagement Planning Guide, and explore tools for setting student outcome goals and developing effective universal strategies based on what families really want and need. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn leadership strategies for designing multi-tiered family engagement in your school!
*Note: We recommend reviewing our 2022 Summit session in advance to build background knowledge, but this is not required.
Session 4 - Supporting Districts' Collaboration with Families and CBOs: New Evidence-Based Resources
Supporting Districts' Collaboration with Families and CBOs: New Evidence-Based Resources
How can you support school districts in using best practices in collaborating with families and community-based organizations? Join researchers from FHI 360 on new resources created from equity-focused desk research, case studies, and conversations with experts around the country. This session features their Connected & Engaged online guide, an online toolkit that highlights opportunities for districts to use research-based strategies to foster authentic family and community collaboration. This interactive session will feature a variety of tools, such as videos, strategy briefs, and online resources to help districts foster collaborative decision-making, build trust, strengthen commitment and values, and develop capacity and infrastructure. Participants will explore the resources and identify ways they can use them for their work for their particular community.
Session 5 - Working with Families from Diverse Cultural Backgrounds: An Asian Perspective
Working with Families from Diverse Cultural Backgrounds: An Asian Perspective
In this session, we will focus on parental involvement and discuss factors that may foster or hinder involvement by parents from diverse cultural backgrounds, especially those from Asian cultures. Emphasis will be placed on understanding parental involvement from these parents’ perspectives and exploring ways to empower them.
Session 6 - Family Engagement: How it Can Be Designed for Out-of-School Time Programs
Family Engagement: How it Can Be Designed for Out-of-School Time Programs
Participants will learn how family engagement can be redesigned for out-of-school time programs. They will hear about real-world experiences from 21stCentury Community Learning Center program managers who took part in the 21st Century Advancing Family Engagement program. Participants will reflect on ways they can design or redesign family engagement in their out-of-school time programs.
Session 7 - Partnering with Families to Reduce Absenteeism: Approaches for Attendance Teams
Partnering with Families to Reduce Absenteeism: Approaches for Attendance Teams
Chronic absenteeism is not just a challenge for schools but is now being discussed in major news publications, inviting all to consider solutions. Associated with negative academic and life outcomes and disproportionate impact on underserved student populations, in this session, we offer that addressing absenteeism with families as partners is essential in building shared expectations and identifying unique solutions to unique barriers. Together we will examine practical, accessible, and research-informed guidance for schools to tackle the persistent challenge of student attendance in education through high-quality partnerships with families.
12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Leading District-Wide Family Engagement using the Partnership Schools Approach
Leading District-Wide Family Engagement using the Partnership Schools Approach
Join us for a lunch panel presentation featuring leaders from the Ohio Network of Partnership Schools, a group dedicated to fostering strong connections among families, schools, and communities. Drawing on the work of Dr. Joyce Epstein from Johns Hopkins University, this approach is rooted in the belief that when families, schools, and communities work together, students benefit academically, socially, and behaviorally, with notable improvements in attendance and overall outcomes. In this session, you’ll hear firsthand from district and school leaders who have successfully implemented this partnership model.
12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Concurrent Learning Sessions #2
Session 9 - Building Trust with Families Before, During, and Beyond Special Education Evaluation
Building Trust with Families Before, During, and Beyond Special Education Evaluation
This session focuses on establishing and maintaining trust between educators and families throughout the special education process. We will explore strategies to foster open communication and mutual respect from the initial stages of evaluation throughout the entire educational journey. Participants will learn how to engage families as active partners, address concerns with sensitivity, and create a collaborative environment that prioritizes the child’s needs. The session will emphasize culturally responsive practices and offer practical tips to ensure that families feel supported, valued, and heard at every step. We intend to equip attendees with the tools to build lasting relationships that extend beyond the evaluation, contributing to positive educational outcomes and a stronger school community.
Session 10 - Bring The Village to the Schoolhouse-One District's Multi-Prong Approach to Family Engagement
Bring The Village to the Schoolhouse-One District's Multi-Prong Approach to Family Engagement
This session will demonstrate how Princeton City Schools used its equity goals to change its approach when reaching out to stakeholders. The session will also discuss the importance of the community partnerships surrounding Princeton to create engagement opportunities, and the necessity of creating a cadre of parent leaders from underrepresented communities.
Session 11 - Designing Family Engagement with Immigrant and Refugee Families in Mind: 4 Key Strategies
Designing Family Engagement with Immigrant and Refugee Families in Mind: 4 Key Strategies
Engaging immigrant and refugee families in their children’s education definitely takes thought and planning and does not happen by chance. In this session, participants will
1) Gain awareness of the journeys, strengths, and challenges of immigrant families, particularly in regards to schools; and
2) Discover strategies and replicable practices in regards to language access, partnering with local immigrant and refugee organizations, and creating welcoming schools.
Session 12 - How Schools and Families Can Promote Academic Success in Adopted Students
How Schools and Families Can Promote Academic Success in Adopted Students
In this session, attendees will learn about some of the challenges that students who are domestically or internationally adopted experience with their academic work. The goal of the session is to inform school personnel and families about some of these unique challenges, so that they can partner more effectively to promote students’ academic success.
Session 13 - Three Ohio Districts Share about Implementing the Research-Based Partnerships for Literacy Program
Three Ohio Districts Share about Implementing the Research-Based Partnerships for Literacy Program
Partnerships for Literacy© is a program for elementary schools developed by the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at OSU. In this session, you will hear from educators in Kent City Schools, Columbus City Schools, and Brooklyn City Schools who participated in a Seminar with the OSU team to become internal facilitators of the program during the 2023-24 school year. They will share about how they are taking what they learned and applying it/adapting it within their schools! Participants will walk away with OSU’s free implementation guide, and examples of how schools have strategically designed their efforts to engage families in early literacy development. In addition, participants will learn about how to become a Partnerships for Literacy Facilitator using a new self-paced online seminar.
Session 14 - Enhancing Family Engagement with the BEAT Team and ONPS
Enhancing Family Engagement with the BEAT Team and ONPS
Discover how the Boulevard Elementary Action Team (BEAT) is leading the way in improving school-wide family engagement by implementing the Ohio Network of Partnership Schools (ONPS) approach. This session will showcase BEAT’s innovative strategies to boost engagement and enhance learning through stronger family-school partnerships. Learn how BEAT’s collaborative efforts are creating a more inclusive, supportive environment for all students.
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Concurrent Learning Sessions #3
Session 15 - PD Party!: Designing Your Vision for Effective Family Engagement Professional Learning
PD Party!: Designing Your Vision for Effective Family Engagement Professional Learning
Session 16 - The Blueprint for Strong School, Family, and Community Partnership: Training & Technical Assistance
The Blueprint for Strong School, Family, and Community Partnership: Training & Technical Assistance
Session 17 - Exploring Resources and Strategies to Enhance Family Engagement With Multilingual Families
Exploring resources and strategies to enhance family engagement with multilingual families
This interactive session provides strategies and resources for promoting family engagement with multilingual families. Participants will reflect on their current family engagement practices and explore various strategies and resources to enhance these practices including the Family Roadmap developed by the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center. This resource includes videos and interactive pages on various education topics to empower families to empower families to partner with schools and support their child’s learning.
Session 18 - Building Trust, Communication, and Leadership with Multilingual Families in Licking Heights Schools
Building Trust, Communication, and Leadership with Multilingual Families in Licking Heights Schools
The presentation will focus on the NNPS approach implemented in our district and outline our family outreach and engagement strategies for multilingual families. As Licking Heights rapidly evolves demographically, it is crucial to tailor engagement strategies to meet the diverse cultural needs of our community. This presentation will showcase our model for effectively engaging multilingual families, ensuring that our approaches are inclusive and responsive to the community’s unique needs.
Session 19 - AI: A tool for teachers that saves time and builds partnerships with families
AI: A tool for teachers that saves time and builds partnerships with families
In an era where educators are increasingly tasked with balancing administrative duties and fostering meaningful family engagement, AI offers a powerful solution to streamline communication and enhance collaboration between schools and families. This presentation will explore practical ways teachers and administrators can harness AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to efficiently create and customize report card comments, newsletters, and emails, ensuring clear and easy-to-understand communication. We’ll discuss how AI can help educators draft text, simplify language, and shorten messages for app-based platforms, making information more accessible to families. Additionally, we’ll examine the role of AI in providing conversation tips, practicing stressful phone calls, and preparing for parent-teacher conferences, ultimately saving time and reducing stress for educators. Through real-world examples and actionable strategies, participants will learn how AI can be integrated into daily routines to not only save time but also strengthen partnerships with families, creating a supportive educational environment that benefits everyone.
Session 20 - Empowering Families: Strengthening Communities Through Leadership, Advocacy, and School Partnerships
