Two firefighters, including one wearing full gear, stand in a gymnasium in front of several kids who are seated on the ground

A community event with students at Yates Elementary School (Fayette County) and local firefighters. Photo courtesy of Lizbeth Garcia

At Yates Elementary (Fayette County), we believe that strong family and community partnerships are essential to student success. For the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as the Family & Community Liaison, working to build bridges between our school, families, and the wider community.

I applied for the Family Friendly School Certificate for the 2024-2025 school year, and I was thrilled when we received it! This recognition reflects the work we’ve done to create a welcoming, inclusive environment where families feel supported and involved. One of the biggest components of earning the certificate was collecting feedback from our staff, families, and community partners to demonstrate how we prioritize family engagement.

But we didn’t stop there. After earning the certificate, I felt inspired to aim higher and pursue the Gold Family Friendly School Certificate: a designation that highlights schools that go above and beyond in building strong, effective partnerships with families.

The process was more in-depth and required thoughtful reflection and collaboration. As a school, we reviewed our current practices and made several key improvements to strengthen our family engagement strategies. Some of the changes included:

  • Enhancing communication tools to ensure families receive timely, clear, and accessible information
  • Hosting more inclusive and culturally responsive family events
  • Increasing opportunities for families to give input and participate in decision making
  • Strengthening partnerships with local organizations to provide additional support and resources

We are proud to say that these efforts paid off – Yates Elementary has officially achieved Gold status!

But the work doesn’t end here. As a school, we are committed to keeping this momentum going. We will continue listening to our families, adapting to their needs, and providing opportunities for meaningful involvement. Earning the GOLD Family Friendly Certificate has helped us grow – not just in recognition, but in how we show up every day for our students and families.

At the heart of it all, our goal remains the same: to ensure that every family feels welcomed, supported, and empowered to play an active role in their child’s education and in the life of our school.

Lizbeth Garcia is the family and community liaison for Yates Elementary School (Fayette 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.