What does it really mean for a family to be engaged in their child’s education?
Historically, we have measured family engagement by what we can see: families attending Back-to-School Night, coming to parent-teacher conferences, volunteering at school, or participating in a family event. These moments are important, but they are only part of the story.
“Family engagement is about more than getting families through the door. It is about creating the conditions where every family knows they belong, knows their voice matters, and has meaningful access to the people, information, and opportunities that support their child’s success.”
— Matthew Carothers, Jr., Director of Family Engagement
Family engagement is about relationships. It is about creating a school community where families feel welcomed, valued, heard, and connected, and where they know their voice, perspective, and partnership matter.
At Two Rivers, we believe families are an essential part of our Crew. Our work is not simply to invite families into the school, but to create meaningful opportunities for them to connect with us, shape our work, advocate for their children, and build relationships across our community.
What Is Family Engagement?
Family engagement is a partnership between schools and families rooted in relationships, trust, communication, and a shared commitment to student success.
Family engagement is NOT the same as family participation. The focus of participation is if the family attended the event? Engagement, however, focuses on: how are we building relationships and creating meaningful opportunities for families to be part of the work?
That distinction matters because strong family engagement strengthens the connection between home and school. When families feel welcomed, heard, and valued, they are better positioned to partner with educators, advocate for their children, and contribute to a stronger school community. Engagement is not simply something we invite families to do—it is something schools have a responsibility to create.
At Two Rivers, family engagement takes many forms. Families connect with our schools through events and learning opportunities, Family School Association (FSA), conferences, volunteering, listening sessions, surveys, individual conversations, and the many everyday interactions that build relationships between families and staff.
Our families are diverse, and their experiences, schedules, cultures, languages, and needs are diverse as well. We are working to ensure that our approach to family engagement is just as diverse. Creating meaningful engagement means creating multiple pathways for families to connect, contribute, and feel a sense of belonging.
For some families, engagement may mean attending a family learning event or volunteering at school. For others, it may be responding to a message, joining a virtual meeting, sharing feedback, advocating for their child, or reaching out when support is needed.
We want every family to see a place for themselves in our community.
Family Engagement in Action – Spring Read-a-Thon
Sometimes family engagement begins with a simple idea. Last spring, Two Rivers parents Maya and Stephen turned their love of reading into a community-wide Spring Read-a-Thon at 4th Street Elementary. Together, they rallied families and staff to celebrate reading and raise funds to purchase books for every elementary student.
What made the experience special was that it was family-led from the start. Maya and Stephen didn’t simply participate in an experience created by the school—they helped create something that brought the community together and will continue to benefit students through the gift of new books.
Maya: “I love that the Two Rivers community was so quick to embrace the idea of read-a-thon and create the space that allowed such a successful first year. The collaboration on this project was so fun and rewarding. It’s empowering to be in a community that lets families come to the table with ideas that promote a love of learning.”
Stephen: “This project started when my wife, Karimah, introduced me to Maya, who was looking for a better way to manage the school’s book fundraiser. As a tech company founder, I couldn’t wait to dive in and put my skills to work for the students. Maya was amazing at outlining exactly what was needed, and within two weeks, our first prototype was born. Just two weeks after that, we rolled out the complete Read-A-Thon platform. Now, parents can easily document their children’s reading progress, and the Two Rivers staff can manage the fundraiser with ease. This was a wonderfully fulfilling way to support the community, and I loved every minute of the process!“
The Read-a-Thon is a powerful example of what family engagement can be when we make room for families to lead. When we create space for families to bring their ideas and strengths to our schools, we create a community where everyone has the opportunity to make an impact.
There are many ways for families to stay connected and engaged with Two Rivers. Families can join their campus Family School Association (FSA), attend FSA meetings, participate in conferences and family events, and look for opportunities throughout the year to connect with their child’s school community.
Families can also stay connected by regularly checking ParentSquare for school updates, invitations, and opportunities to participate. Whether you attend an event, share your perspective, volunteer, or simply stay informed, every connection is a meaningful part of family engagement.
~Matthew Carothers, Jr., Director of Family Engagement
