CKE Title I Building Staff Capacity #1 by jennifer reed

START HERE November- Parent Communication

jenniferreed5 — 2023-11-16 19:41:29 UTC

DIRECTIONS

1) Read/review that GaDOE flowchart (click the PDF above)

2) Post a picture (memes and GIFs are welcome) that attempts to summarize the struggle of parent communication

3) Add a written summary of the ways that you (or your team) are currently attempting to communicate with parents and how you will implement some of the advice from the flowchart

4) You can respond on the Padlet as your team/department, but please sign off individually here: https://forms.gle/BFxsF2mj1x7j6z5Y8

Tabitha McEntire

2023-11-27 13:18:56 UTC

On the RTI team, we often have to find ways to communicate very important information to parents. We have had to hire translators to aid us in meetings, especially with languages such as Gujarati or less common dialects. We have used digital tools such as Google Translate to transfer documents from English to other languages or information that is posted to Remind. Parents have the option to set the Remind settings to automatically translate for them. You can find more information on this here.

Chasidy Hulett and Missy Baldridge

chasidyhulett1 — 2023-11-27 16:02:40 UTC

Our Excel group just began using Remind for each individual grade this year and it is so much better than expecting the homeroom teachers to relay messages. I am personally thankful for Sandra and her always eager to help attitude when it comes to helping us translate. I have even had to have her contact a parent by phone because written communication was not working. I think we are doing a much better job with communication than we have in the past.

Third Grade

2023-11-28 13:38:23 UTC

Currently, third grade is utilizing the Remind app for communication. In years past it was a struggle because we had a character limit, so if we needed to communicate something longer it was a struggle. We don't always have time to stop and make a phone call, and by afternoon sometimes it slips our minds, we have meetings, or other things on our agenda. In addition, some parents just WON'T pick up the phone (refer to GIF), but they WILL respond to a text. This year,we have actually had a parent tell us "Don't call me I am at work." The new subscription with unlimited characters this year has helped tremendously. We can stop and text something very quickly without being cut off. Remind has always been a beneficial tool because parents can set the app to translate in their first language. A lot of our EL parents have broken English, but there is nothing better than them being able to receive communications in their native language. We still do firmly believe in phone calls, but the app definitely helps to communicate more often and in a more timely manner with urgent issues while We am trying to teach and parents are trying to work.

5th Grade

2023-11-28 14:47:22 UTC

5th grade utilizes Dojo and Facebook to communicate with parents. We send messages individually on Dojo and announcments on both platforms. The struggle this year has been that some of the parents we need to communicate with do not respond. They are not connected to either of our platforms and do not always answer when we call.

When phone calls do not work, we try to send home written communication. However, a struggle with that is parents may not always understand exactly what we are trying to communicate to them. For example, if we send home an iReady report, it may be meaningless to parents because they do not understand that. It is important to remember to try to put these items into a format that makes it easy to understand for parents.

Kindergarten

2023-11-28 14:48:29 UTC

Kindergarten uses class Dojo for daily communication with parents/guardians. We also use monthly calendars on the back of their folders to keep parents informed on behavior and current events. Monthly newsletters are also sent out to keep them informed on upcoming events, weekly academic material, and encourage parental learning involvement. We ensure that any material sent home (especially documents that must be signed) is in the parent's preferred language.

Special Education/ESOL/EIP Department

2023-11-28 16:56:41 UTC

SPED uses Google Voice, which allows us to text or call from our cell phone from a Google Number. Text seems to be an effective way to communicate with parents/guardians. The general education teachers add Special Education, ESOL, and EIP teachers to their communication platforms, therefore, we use a variety of platforms to communicate with parents such as Dojo and Remind. Gen Ed and SPED teachers also use daily communication folders to send home notes, forms, and work.

For Translations, Dojo seems to be a simpler process for the parents and the teachers. The Google translate feature is a lifesaver as it will translate entire documents (IEPs, PWNs, NOMs, i-Ready reports, etc). When translating meetings, Mrs. Gonzalez, Mrs. Alvarez, and other Spanish-speaking adults in the building are extremely helpful. We also have used translators via Zoom for less common languages.

#3 on the GaDOE Flowchart (have essential documents already translated and ready to use), is extremely helpful for both ESOL and Special Education Teachers. It would be beneficial to have a section on our Teacher Quick Reference Guide for common school-wide documents. Most of our SE documents have already been translated and are available on our CKE SE Forms and Docs Guide.

4th grade.....Hello? Can you hear me?

2023-11-28 17:44:01 UTC

4th grade utilizes class dojo for our parent communication and behavior updates. We send messages as a whole group and individually to all parents. (We also utilize the "translate" portion of Google docs if we need it). In the class dojo app, we have noticed that parents utilize the translate feature as well. We also call parents if we feel that dojo is not working or parents have not responded to text messages. We have had a few parents who do not respond to either, which has been frustrating when we need to discuss academics and behavior. We send home parent communication letters in both English and the preferred language. We agree that essential documents NEED to be in the preferred language for all students and parents.

First Grade

2023-11-28 18:55:50 UTC

First grade uses Class dojo to communicate with parents. We love that Class dojo does not have a limit on how many characters you can type. Also, we enjoy uploading pictures of our students to show what they are learning in our dojo class story. Class dojo also allows parents to translate the information in their preferred language. We send home a weekly newsletter to inform parents of upcoming events and academic targets. We also send I-Ready reports home in the parents preferred language, along with using Mrs. Gonzalez to transfer when needed.

Admin/Office Team

jenniferreed5 — 2023-11-28 19:09:17 UTC

This year our district purchased Thrillshare, which has allowed us to send a notification blast to parents on all our social media platforms with one click. This has saved so much time compared to years past when everything had to be posted to the website, FB, etc. separately. One idea I loved from the PDF was the tip to find and use a document that says, “Point to the language you understand”, written in various languages, to help identify which HLS to provide to the parent. This would be great to share with our parents at the beginning of each school year to make sure we are meeting their language needs.

6th Grade

2023-11-30 12:58:07 UTC

In 6th grade, we communicate with parents on Remind. We have ensured that parents can communicate in English and send home additional documents in any other language they may prefer or understand better. We send home announcements for class skills that we are learning or practicing in addition to upcoming tests. We provide practice opportunities and encourage parents to reach out to us with questions or concerns.

Second grade

2023-11-30 13:39:13 UTC

At the beginning of each school year, we provide the parents with a Home Language Survey to determine their primary language. Second grade teachers use Class Dojo and Remind as a means of communication which can translate to the preferred language. We also send home a monthly newsletter in English and Spanish. In our newsletter, we include current events and standards being taught that month.

Activities and Activity Paras

jill_hensley — 2023-12-01 19:48:05 UTC

As activity teachers, our communication is a little different (and somewhat limited), as we don't utilize class apps. When we communicate with parents, it is usually through phone calls or emails. We may also provide/initiate written communication. Mrs. Hensley posts things on social media for us when needed. She also uses Thrillshare to send notifications and updates to parents/families. We encourage communication and try to keep the lines open