AASA Launches Radical Family Engagement Cohort

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
James Minichello
703-875-0723
703-774-6953 (cell)
jminichello@aasa.org

Consortium to serve national leaders as they bolster partnerships among families and schools

Alexandria, Va. – September 23, 2021 –AASA, The School Superintendents Association, is pleased to announce the creation of a new consortium aimed at engaging parents and transforming them into authentic partners on behalf of their children’s school success.

The Radical Family Engagement Cohort virtual kick-off is scheduled for Friday, September 24, 2021, and will be comprised of school system leaders from across the country. Goldie Hawn, founder of the Hawn Foundation, a non-profit organization created to help children develop the knowledge and tools they need to manage stress and regulate emotions, will provide welcoming remarks. Jean Clinton, child psychiatrist, clinical professor and author of Love Builds Brains, will serve as keynote speaker.

“Radical Family Engagement isn’t just about attendance at Back-to-School Night, parent volunteer activities or football games,” said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. “At a time when school districts are working diligently to navigate through the COVID pandemic, building bold community relationships between parents, teachers, building leaders and administrators to support the whole learner has never been more important.”

“We've always known families are an important part of a child's success in the classroom, but the last 18 months have highlighted how valuable our parents and families really are. AASA's newest cohort, Radical Family Engagement, starts with the family in mind, focusing on how parents become true partners in the educational process. Co-lead Nate Quesnel (superintendent in East Hartford, Conn.) and I are working together to radically change the way we think about Family Engagement,” said Deborah Bergeron, deputy director for Community Engagement and Innovation, National Head Start Association. “Much of the work will be team oriented so leaders are encouraged to attend as a district team to align community resources to build top-notch implementation plans to enhance engagement opportunities.”

Participants in AASA’s Radical Family Engagement Cohort will:

• Have exclusive access to nationally renowned experts from the field
• Share how their school system has shifted thinking and practice to improve relationships with families
• Learn new best practices and specific strategies to take their school system to the next level

For more information about how to participate in the AASA’s Radical Family Engagement Cohort, visit the AASA website or contact Mort Sherman, AASA associate executive director, at msherman@aasa.org.

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About AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.