Programs That Build Community & Empower Parents

Everyone agrees that parent engagement is critical to student success. This is especially true for families whose children are at-risk due to poverty, low levels of parental education, or other risk factors.  However, not everyone agrees on what that involvement looks like. This session is designed for educators involved with parent work. We will get to the heart of parent engagement by exploring the following questions:

•    What really is parent engagement?
•    What is the role of the school in parent engagement?
•    What does authentic parent engagement look like?

Through this presentation, we hope to engage educators in a conversation about parent involvement that will change the way educators view parents, as well as how we engage them in their children’s learning.

Jane Harris
Jane has been an educator for 50 years, 37 of which were spent in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. In addition to teaching, Jane planned and facilitated professional development for teachers, educational aides, and parents. She taught at John Carroll University and continues to supervise student teachers. Jane is a founding member of Link Education Project.  She has a passion for working with parents and developed Link’s many parent programs, including book clubs and leadership teams.

Connie Friedman
Connie was a teacher and a school instructional coach for many years.  She currently is the executive director of  Link Education Project. Connie provides professional development for teachers and administrators in the areas of school change and literacy instruction.  She also provides support for LInk’s many parent engagement projects.  As a founding member of Link Education Project, she is passionate about collaborating with teachers, administrators, and families to create great schools for all children.