Set the Tone

Setting the tone is an essential piece of cultivating authentic partnership between schools and families. It is often the first step in creating an environment that supports and promotes effective and consistent family partnership. When implemented with intention, it:

• Helps to create an environment that supports and promotes effective and consistent family partnership 
• Encourages school leaders and staff to develop a positive attitudes and behaviors towards families 
• Motivates school communities to work towards creating and implementing a schoolwide vision, expectations, and a plan that values families’ input  as equal partners
• Highlights the importance that all stakeholders understanding the plan and their role

1. Create and Share a School-Wide Vision for Family Partnership

2. Write and Distribute a "Welcome Back" Letter for Families

3. Create and Share a Standard Way for Families to Receive School-Wide Information

A great way to set the tone at your school community is to:

• Reflect on your family partnership "stance" 
• Write a family partnership vision statement
• Share your beliefs and expectations for family partnership with all stakeholders

"As a principal, or lead learner, I see myself as the family engagement “deal breaker” at my school. Unless I’m the one that’s expecting it, modeling it, creating opportunities for families to engage, providing time and training for my staff, and trying to be the bridge between home and school, family engagement just isn’t going to get done because it’s not yet at the priority level of something like standardized test- that is, something that 'has to happen.'” (Mazz, 2013, para. 1)

"School Principal's Family Partnership Stance" template. Use this tool to explore your stance and see a sample family partnership vision statement.

At the beginning of the school year, send a welcome back letter to let families and students know how excited you are about the upcoming school year. It will: 

• Create an opportunity to message your goals and vision for family partnership, 
• Provide important information such as schedules, policies, and other details about the start of the year that families need to know 
• Set a welcoming tone for the year

Click here to view a sample Welcome Back letter outlining essential information for families.

Consistent communication is crucial for an effective partnership with families. It is important for staff, students and families to have a simple, standard way to send and receive information that fosters two-way communication.

Here are a few best practices:

• Establish one channel for families to receive and send communication. 
• Keep your communication systems simple and easy to use 
• Encourage ALL STAFF to use the same system to communicate with families. It creates consistency and works toward equity for all students and families 
• Provide opportunities for staff, families and students to learn how to navigate the communication tools used at your school

Click here to return back to the SFUSD Family Partnership homepage