We listened to our families. A zoom meeting gave parents an opportunity to share what they wanted from the school...how the school could help and how we might work together. One concern was communication, another was whether the school was rooting for the community. Concerns about the middle school also were heard and we wanted to challenge these perceptions and show them change was happening.
The tailgate we implemented was a way to meet parents where they were and reset our journey. There were food trucks, line dancing and yard games, all meant to promote fun and socializing in a comfortable way between families, teachers, administrators and board members. We had learned that the community does want to be involved but didn’t know how. And, some people have good intentions but don’t have the means, like transportation. The tailgate made it easy. The high school provided the space outside the football stadium which was accessible to everyone, even walkable for many. The football game between Ambridge and rival Aliquippa was a big draw. Parents, students and teachers came together in a fun way, saw each other in a completely different light, and enjoyed the novelty of it. Parents saw their middle schoolers interact positively with teachers, showing that relationships existed between them. The informality of these connections helps build confidence in the school.
In a school district where trust is rebuilding, frequent positive messaging is a necessary strategy. Social media is one avenue. The middle school principal's Facebook page is an easy, available way to continually share news and accomplishments of the students and of the school. The successful offsite Tailgate event also inspired a spring event at the middle school. This was the harder challenge given the transportation issues that exist. While there were fewer attendees, the realization emerged that providing a bus would help. This reminds us that trying something new or different is how we learn and grow. We'll never know if we don't try!
Who you choose for your team is really important. One of our parents was an amazing connector, and we asked him: What does the community need? What is missing? What are the connections we need to make? His experience and desire to see our district thrive were so valuable. Through Zoom, we also took these questions to parents who aren't typically represented, who aren't used to being asked.
