Implementation Description
Since opening in 2004, Community School of Davidson (CSD) has always striven to identify and address the needs of its students and families living in Mecklenburg County and the surrounding areas. In the 2020-21 academic year, the Covid-19 pandemic increased the range of needs families experienced, the number of families reporting need, and the degree of comfort families demonstrated in reporting these needs. CSD administrators emphasized their commitment to developing and maintaining responsive, two-way communication. Increasing the frequency of contact alone, school leaders knew, was insufficient to meet the needs of CSD families. Rather than directing families to the services the school typically offered, school leaders began asking families what services they needed. Using family input to shape the service landscape and respond accordingly, aligns with research that states a primary way to build trusting relationships is by communicating that families have significant influence over how schools provide support (Brewster & Railsback, 2003). School leaders’ responsiveness allowed CSD to offer more effective services to families.
One byproduct of the dialogue begun with parents was the introduction of a technology help desk. Through the use of available COVID funding, the school grew its device inventory in order to provide laptops for any family in need. After teacher reports indicating some students were having trouble using their new devices, a high school administrator began calling families to see how she could help. These informal phone calls led to the formation of an official school help desk that administrative team members staffed for a couple of hours each day to initiate or receive calls from families in need of technical assistance. School leadership commented that the quality of these conversations was pivotal in fostering healthy relationships. Families who called the help desk feeling frustrated, angry, or embarrassed, ending the conversations feeling seen, confident, and equipped to ask further questions as needed. (Connie Wessner, personal communication, June 17, 2021). Studies have shown that when schools are proactively responsive to parent concerns, it can pave the way for a better understanding of student needs and increased family engagement (Intercultural Development Research Association, 2009).
Another way the school responded to families’ holistic needs was by hiring a Social Work Family Support Specialist (SWFSS), with the use of COVID funding. The SWFSS was originally contracted to provide part-time consulting for the school, but by March 2021, the school counselors and administrative leaders were overwhelmed by increasing need, and it became clear that the SWFSS needed to be hired full-time. CSD found it imperative that she also be a 12-month employee because “family’s needs don’t disappear during the summer” (Joy Warner, personal communication, June 17, 2021). The SWFSS provided comprehensive services, often making home visits to support families. Research has shown that social workers can be particularly effective in school settings, because they have training and experience with “mental health services, crisis intervention, truancy, and various related issues” (Coyle, N.d.). The SWFSS was able to help numerous families experiencing crises this year.
The school has also made a commitment to open communication with its Families of Color. CSD has intentionally focused on issues of race and identity, launching an open and active dialogue with families and staff five years ago. In 2020-21, these efforts prompted a letter to families outlining CSD’s commitment to antiracist initiatives, the distribution of a survey to collect family input, and the addition of a multidisciplinary EmpowerEd Social Justice course for students, offering a more topically-driven, increasingly personalized learning experience for students interested in that format. While this course is a humanities offering for high school students, the school has an intentional focus on inclusion that all students experience from kindergarten through graduation. This curriculum, developed by school staff, allows those who are interested to explore their interest in social justice in more depth. In addition, during virtual learning, Spanish-speaking staff members from across the elementary, middle, and high school called to check on families to inform them about school events and services. Research points out that when Spanish speaking families are able to participate actively in conversations with school leaders, they “become an integral part of the discourse, shaping it, and contributing valuable perspectives and experience” (Bickmore, 2013). CSD school leaders report that the partnership with Families of Color feels stronger and productive, which aligns with research that states the importance of family engagement in effective school reform (Reform Support Network, 2014).
Results
Based on the feedback the school received from families, CSD has expanded its offerings of services for families, including the hiring of a full-time Social Work Family Support Specialist, the implementation of the EmpowerEd Social Justice course, and more comprehensive support for families facing technology challenges.
Challenges
Leaders at CSD commented that finite resources make it challenging to support every family for the full array of unmet needs COVID helped shed a light on. The NC ACCESS grant has enabled school administrators to investigate new strategies for supporting families during and beyond COVID-19, but permanent support funding would embed such services in ongoing expectations.
Future Modifications
CSD reports that some of the services they offered during the pandemic, including the technology help desk, will continue to evolve as students return to in-person learning. However, school leadership is confident that the knowledge gained during the implementation of these services will inform future efforts to communicate with and address the needs of students and families.
Critical Components
Getting Started
School leadership commented that CSD’s traditionally strong focus on building trusting relationships with students and parents laid important groundwork for responding to the COVID crisis. Similarly, they credited the successful rollout of EmpowerEd Social Justice and other antiracist initiatives to CSD’s efforts to sustain a critical dialogue with families and staff.
Ongoing Supports
CSD would like to pursue additional funding and resources to help it sustainably address the range of needs families revealed this year.
Equity Connections
“Respectful, honest, and timely” communication is essential to building strong relationships with families experiencing poverty (Parrett & Budge, 2016). CSD offered new ways to communicate with families in 2020-21, which both empowered families and influenced school programming decisions.
Research
1. Bickmore, Ronda L. (May, 2013). “Spanish-speaking Parents' Negotiation of Language and Culture with their Children's Schools”. Utah State University. Accessed on April 20, 2021. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2538&context=etd
2. Brewster, C. & Railsback, J. (2003). “Building Trust with Schools and Diverse Families”. Adolescent Literacy. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Accessed on June 18, 2021. Retrieved from http://www.adlit.org/article/21522/
3. Coyle, S. (N.d.). “Evolving Education — School Social Workers: Vital, Valuable, Visible”. Social Work Today Vol. 19 No. 5 P. 8. Accessed on June 18, 2021. Retrieved from https://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/SO19p8.shtml
4. Parrett, W. & Budge, K. (May 18, 2016). “How Can High-Poverty Schools Engage Families and the Community?”. Edutopia. Accessed on June 18, 2021. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/high-poverty-schools-engage-families-community-william-parrett-kathleen-budge
5. Reform Support Network (March 2014) “Strategies for Community Engagement in School Turnaround”. Accessed June on June 18, 2021. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/implementation-support-unit/tech-assist/strategies-for-community-engagement-in-school-turnaround.pdf
6. Intercultural Development Research Association. (May 2009). “Customer Service for School Improvement”. IDRA Newsletter. Accessed on June 18, 2021. Retrieved from https://www.idra.org/resource-center/customer-service-for-school-improvement/
7. United States Census Bureau, Quick Facts North Carolina, Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/NC/PST045219
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