Time: 1:00–2:00 pm Pacific

Location: Virtual

Description: Join REL West for a free, one-hour webinar on state, district, and school-based strategies to support student and family engagement, particularly among vulnerable populations, in the context of distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effective student and family engagement relies on establishing trusting relationships in which educators, students, and their parents see themselves and each other as equal partners. Without opportunities to interact in person, it is now more difficult and also more important to build and maintain these strong relationships.

This webinar will share lessons from research and practice to help educators engage with students and their families to support continued learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presenters will discuss strategies in three areas:

• Cultivating a partnership orientation
• Practicing cultural responsiveness
• Establishing two-way communication

The U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences funds a network of 10 Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs). Each REL serves a designated region of the country and works with educators and policymakers to support a more evidence-based education system. In response to COVID-19, the RELs have collaborated to produce a series of evidence-based resources and guidance about teaching and learning in a remote environment, as well as other considerations brought by the pandemic. To access these resources, visit https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/covid-19.

Audience: This webinar is designed for state, district, and school-level staff involved with developing and implementing distance learning and supporting parent and student engagement.

Speakers:

• Margit Birge, Senor Program Associate, WestEd
• D’Lisa Crain, Family Engagement Coordinator, Washoe County School District (Nevada)
• Barbara Jones, Professional Learning Specialist, WestEd
• Claudia Medina, Coordinator of Family and Community Engagement Programs, Alameda Unified School District (California)
• Sara Stone, Chief Academic Officer, Alameda Unified School District (California)