A group of people meet in a room, sitting around a table

Tates Creek High School (Fayette County) hosted an event with families and the school’s head principal, Donuts with Dr. Field. Photo courtesy Jay Jones

Families matter! That’s why we do the work we do. As we learn about and engage with families, everyone wins. As one of the assistant principals at Tates Creek High School (Fayette County), I work with a head principal with a strong focus on continuous improvement. When I mentioned applying for Family Friendly Certification, she thought it was a great idea and would only help our school get better … and then the journey began.

I knew about Family Friendly Certification from colleagues working at other schools. I’d seen their announcements on social media and thought, “This might be a good process for Tates Creek.” I started my current position as assistant principal in the summer of 2024. I thought going through the certification process would be a great way to learn about my new school and also identify growth areas. Most of my experience has been in the elementary or middle school setting, so I was also looking for ways to engage families at the high school level. After my first Zoom meeting with Grace McKenzie of the Prichard Committee, I knew it would be a long journey and not just a two-or-three-month activity.

The process involved several stakeholders. It started with our school’s Family And Community Engagement (FACE) team. Our FACE team is a diverse group of parents, support staff, teachers and admin. Our team works closely with our district family and community liaison, Cierra Spaulding. She guided the team through our initial self-assessment and helped us use it as a springboard for our application.

After reviewing the Prichard Committee’s guidance documents, we went to work. We interviewed several students, parents, and community partners. We collected numerous statements and videos from our stakeholders. We documented school initiatives and created new initiatives. We reviewed documents and resources used by our school. The process was rigorous, but a vital part of the journey. Throughout the year-long process, our FACE team met periodically for pulse checks. We referred back to the guidance documents and identified ways to further engage our school community. We planned parent learning nights and an open space event, asked families for feedback, and made adjustments to our work. An open space event allows families to ask questions and engage with staff in an informal setting. It’s a great way to facilitate two-way communication. There’s no survey or Google poll to gather data from. You get the feedback immediately and engage in open discussion.

During our open space event, Donuts with Dr. Field, parents were informed about our state assessment results. Parents asked how they could provide help at home to support student growth. But the discussion wasn’t simply about scores. Families were able to get to know our head principal, Kristy Field, more personally. One parent shared how appreciative she was of learning more about Field. As we all know, relationships matter!

Our school also conducted home visits. Yes! As a high school we conduct home visits over the summer and throughout the school year. Home visits provide additional “FACE” time with students and families. I recall a home visit that opened the window into a parent’s trauma, and allowed us to connect her with resources. We went to the home for a check-in with her son, but left having helped the entire household. Our home visit team includes an admin, along with our youth services center director, social worker, or college and career coach. If needed, we bring along an interpreter. The team varies depending on family needs, but always with the goal of collaborating for success.

During the application process, we knew our school was already doing some great work. Tates Creek has held awesome events such as Multicultural Night, Freshman Orientation, FAFSA Parent Night, and Academy Showcases for quite a while. We added an Orchestra Family Learning Night where students taught parents about concepts learned in class and how they applied to the pieces performed. The performance ended with a brief questionnaire to assess parent learning and next steps. The event included the orchestras from Tates Elementary and Tates Creek Middle. It was a great way to engage parents of all three levels and encourage students to continue playing their instruments through high school.

Our school has awesome student clubs that have existed for years, but we added a Black Student Union and an African Student Association this year. Doing so allowed us to connect with additional families and community partners. Our dance group, The Joy of Africa, performed around the district at various multicultural events. Our students report feeling seen and valued. Through new initiatives, additional connections and positive relationships have formed with many of our English language learners and refugee families.

For any school wanting to assess family engagement, I recommend applying for Family Friendly School certification with the Prichard Committee. You’ll find reasons to celebrate and identify ways to improve. Finally, it’s important to remember that engagement isn’t about simply presenting something to families, but working with families. This was the huge takeaway after working through the guidance documents and submitting our application. Moving ahead, our goal at Tates Creek is to find additional ways to engage families and to work as co-creators of success initiatives.

I want to give a huge THANK YOU to our students, parents, staff and community partners. The application was truly a collaborative effort. I’m excited about what’s ahead for our wonderful school community.

Jay Jones is the assistant principal of Tates Creek High School in Lexington.

The Family Friendly Schools Certification is awarded by the Prichard Committee after applications are reviewed and scored by a working group of families, educators and community organizations. The group is focused on increasing open communication, learning opportunities and shared decision-making power across the Kentucky education system.

The next certification window is open now and will close on Oct. 1. For more details on the Family Friendly Schools Certification, visit the Prichard Committee’s Family Engagement website.