A mural commemorating Taylor Elementary School’s (Bracken County) Family Friendly Certification. Photo provided by Mindy Hamilton
As the administrative assistant and parent engagement representative at Taylor Elementary School (Bracken County), I’ve had the privilege of working closely with families, staff, and community partners to strengthen the connection between home and school. When our school began the journey toward earning the Family Friendly School Certification, I took the lead in guiding our efforts and building a team committed to meaningful family engagement.
In 2023, Taylor Elementary underwent a Title I audit. While our school was found to be compliant, the audit revealed that we needed to improve how we document and demonstrate our family engagement efforts. Daniel Fisher, our Title I Coordinator at the time, approached me about leading the initiative toward certification. I accepted the challenge eagerly, soon realizing that family engagement is about more than festivals, fundraisers, and high attendance at events. It’s about doing things with families, not just for them, and including families in decision-making processes.
This idea resonated with me deeply. When I began working at Taylor in 2007, I made it my mission to bridge the communication gap between school and home. Growing up in a single-parent household, my mother worked more than an hour away and often felt disconnected from what was happening at our school. Many families in Bracken County face similar challenges, commuting long distances for work and struggling to attend traditional school events. I wanted to find new ways to keep them connected and involved.
It was during this process that I was introduced to the Prichard Committee. I wasn’t familiar with their work, but quickly came to appreciate their resources and support. Their website is an invaluable tool in understanding the Family Friendly Certification process. I formed a committee of staff and parents—some who were already active in our school, and others who had not yet found a way to get involved. I wanted to include a broad range of voices, and personal invitations helped bring those voices to the table.
The certification process was no small task. It required time, collaboration, and a shift in our approach to family engagement. We discovered that many of the practices we needed to document were already happening – we just hadn’t been intentional in how we shared or tracked them. Over nearly two years, we gathered evidence, made small yet meaningful improvements, and committed ourselves to a more inclusive and transparent approach. In April 2025, we proudly submitted our application.
Interestingly, Taylor Elementary didn’t have to overhaul its programs to qualify for certification. Rather, we identified areas to strengthen – such as family conferences and advocacy efforts – and sought ways to better meet the unique needs of our community. In Bracken County, we don’t have an interstate or even a stoplight. Our challenges aren’t always visible: for many families, barriers are more emotional and logistical than linguistic or cultural. This process helped us recognize those unseen needs and be more responsive to them.
Achieving Family Friendly Certification is a milestone we don’t take lightly. Following our audit, the district created new roles to focus on family engagement, with me overseeing efforts at the elementary level and April Vater supporting the middle school. Since certification must be renewed annually, this structure will help us stay intentional and motivated. The difference now is that we’re not just doing the work—we’re documenting it, reflecting on it, and growing from it.
We were officially awarded the Family Friendly School Certification on May 27, 2025. Although our students and staff were already on summer break, the excitement quickly spread through our school community. The Bracken County Community Schools Initiative hosted a special celebration in honor of earning its Family Friendly Certification in August 2025. The event recognized the hard work of staff, students, and families, and offered a variety of fun, family-focused activities. Families added their handprints to a commemorative banner, visited the Family-Friendly Station to learn more about school involvement opportunities, enjoyed the bubble truck, and participated in numerous other activities. It was a wonderful way to celebrate this meaningful milestone together.
As we look ahead to the upcoming school year, we are more committed than ever to building the “village” it truly takes to raise a child.
I am incredibly grateful to the committee, staff, and families who supported and shaped this journey. This achievement belongs to all of us – and it’s just the beginning.
Mindy Hamilton is an administrative assistant and parent engagement representative at Taylor Elementary School in Bracken County.
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.
For more details on the Family Friendly Schools Certification, visit the Prichard Committee’s Family Engagement website.
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