Back to School: 5 Ways to Build Strong Connections with Families from the Start

It's that time of year! Hallway floors are shining and teachers are busy arranging everything from their schedule to the classroom furniture. The first day of school is one of the most exciting days of the year, filled with all the promise of a fresh start.

Educators know to expect the first day jitters from students, but what about the rest of the family? The back-to-school season can be downright stressful for parents. Educators can help ease this anxiety by welcoming families back to school with clear and inclusive communication.

Here are some guiding questions and tips for keeping home-school connections strong while avoiding family overwhelm and burnout:

Make Learning Meaningful and Relevant to All Students and Families

Reflect on the learning experiences your school designs for students. In what ways can the curriculum this Fall deepen connections with families? Are the identities or interests of students and families taken into account? Are there opportunities for family members to contribute in meaningful ways in their child's learning no matter their level of literacy or education?

Streamline Platforms You Expect Families to Use

Inventory how many apps parents and family members are expected to access. How many logins are they using to access these programs? Are there apps that can accomplish multiple tasks? Keeping the number of apps and platforms to a minimum helps prevent overwhelm and makes it easier for families to monitor their child's education. Bring as many tools under one roof as possible. Opting for a single-sign-on solution for parents takes away the unnecessary hassle of managing login information. Actionaly supports sign in with Google, Clever, and ClassLink.

Make Forms and Coordination Tasks Digital

How can your school make filling out forms, permissions and other tasks less stressful and time-consuming? The less paperwork you send home, the better. Most tasks that schools accomplish with paper forms can be sent and organized digitally in less time. Use a tool that populates information already on file to make these tasks less tedious.

Cut Through the Noise

Consider how much your school relies on email for parent communication? Email inboxes get cluttered, important messages from school buried. Some families may not have an email address or check theirs regularly. Messages sent to a mobile app or via SMS can cut through the noise and make it easy to respond. Educators can ask parents about their preferred contact methods and the best times to connect one on one or attend events.

Make Outreach Personal

Regular check-in phone calls to families are the gold standard for building a strong home-school connection. Does your school have a secure and reliable method for staff to make calls from anywhere, without using personal cellphone numbers? Actionaly makes it easy for educators to make in-app or web browser calls home.

Make sure building a strong foundation of family support is a top priority this school year. Put parents at ease by setting the expectation for clear, inclusive, and consistent communication!