Family Connections: Dismantling the Barrier Between School and Home
At WSG, we believe that parents are the first and primary educators of their daughters. We may be the experts in the classroom, but a parent is the expert in his or her child. That is why we commit to our family partnership and try to create as many opportunities as possible for our families to be part of the learning experience.
We also recognize that our hard-working families may not all have the same flexibility in their schedules, so our program is designed to offer a variety of avenues for participation. Here are some ways that our families have a voice in our school community:
The Basics: Communication and Community
WSG teachers and administrators communicate regularly with families through newsletters, our student and family portal, and one-to-one outreach. Teachers use a variety of tools to share news from their classroom with families, and take a collaborative, individualized approach to making sure that each student can meet her academic goals.
Parents are always welcome to join our community for Morning Prayer, and are often invited to participate in learning activities on campus including field trips, special events like science fairs or project presentations, and Saturday School programming. In February, WSG invited parents to Observation Day, where parents and guardians shadowed their students throughout the day. Our Student Council at The View Campus also recently hosted a family breakfast drive-through to share their appreciation for their support.
Family Connections Program
The Family Connections Program promotes home-school-community connections to enhance the overall environment of learning and engagement. Our parents co-lead monthly meetings that allow families to stay abreast of in-house and external community events that support both student and parent learning, and coordinate social and giving events such as Teacher Appreciation Week and parent-to-parent workshops to strengthen the school community. (If you are a current parent that is interested in becoming a grade-level parent representative, or have any other questions, contact Ms. Nelson.)
Parent Cafes and the Family Institute
WSG recently launched our parent cafe program, which creates an opportunity for families to gather in an informal setting on a monthly basis to discuss shared challenges with other parents. These meetings, which typically include WSG’s Senior Manager of Student Success and the Campus Deans, build camaraderie among parents and also bring to light common areas of interest for future shared learning.
The Family Institute is an annual parent education event at the start of the school year that brings together families, teachers, and staff to kick off the school year. The event includes workshops, presentations, and community building activities designed specifically for parents and guardians on relevant topics such as adolescent physical, mental, and social development, educational support, and other topics of interest to parents of elementary and middle school girls.
