VCS Family Engagement Framework
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Valley Charter Schools’ approach to family engagement
Involved, engaged, and connected families are crucial to our school’s success and 
your child’s success. We are truly grateful to have such a committed and participatory family community at Valley Charter.
We understand that each family will contribute to the larger goals of the school community in different ways. Below is the VCS family engagement framework, which lays out how we define the different “categories” of family engagement (based on research!), as well as the goals and key elements of each category. In other words, our framework lays out the why, the what, and the how of the VCS family engagement approach.
Find quick links to school year information and volunteer sign up pages on the sidebar.
VCS Family Engagement Framework
Category 1: Parenting, communication, and learning at home
The goal for this type of involvement is to make sure that each child has full access to the instructional program and an opportunity to succeed through a home-school partnership.
The key elements of this type of involvement include:
- Make sure your child comes to school every day and on time (unless ill).
- Make sure your child is doing their homework and keeping track of assignments so that they are prepared each day.
- Attend fall and spring conferences.
- Come to your child’s special events when you can (awards ceremonies, PBL performances, etc.).
- Come to school events such as Back to School Night and Open House to show your child that you are interested and involved in school.
- Support the teacher and school’s goals for your child by reinforcing appropriate and effective school behaviors at home.
- Communicate with the school regarding any issues we should be aware of at home that might affect your child’s experience at school.
- Read the weekly e-news sent out on Mondays from each school, teacher newsletters, and ED updates.
Category 2: Volunteering to support school activities
The goal for this type of involvement is to have direct family support with activities and school needs.
We are mindful that each family has a different level of capacity to volunteer and we provide many different ways to get involved, from donating items to leading beautification or hospitality projects.
The key elements of this type of involvement are:
- Complete the volunteer survey that we share at the beginning of each year so that you can understand the big “asks” for volunteers each year and the school understands how you might be able to best contribute to school needs based on your talents and schedule.
- Read the weekly e-news and teacher newsletters for additional volunteer opportunities. These will provide you with a clear view on all the different ways to be involved; these include both on campus or in-classroom volunteer opportunities as well as volunteer opportunities you can complete in the comfort of your own home.
- Set a goal for your family’s volunteer involvement based on your situation. If a family has a stay at home parent with extra flexibility, this might mean volunteering for a certain number of school-based activities a year. If a family has working parents, this might mean donating supplies for a classroom activity or making sure to attend back to school night and open house.
Category 3: Participating in community-building activities
The goal of this type of involvement is to foster connection among students, families, and the school.
The key elements of this type of involvement are:
- Join the Principal’s Coffee when you can! These are intended to highlight specific aspects of the school model or to provide support to families.
- Join Parent Mingles when you can! These are less structured opportunities for parents to meet, mingle, and make connections.
- Host or join a grade level playdate (VCES) or hangout (VCMS).
- Sign up to “host” a new family by reaching out to Rebecca Avery at [email protected].
- Come to special school events when you can! These include special events related to your child (such as awards ceremonies or PBL performances and showcases) and the special whole-school community-building events each school has throughout the year. Your child loves it when you show up for school events (yes, even your middle school child!).
- Read the weekly e-news and teacher newsletters in the password-protected website page (check your weekly email for the password).
Category 4: Participating in structures related to school governance
The goal of this type of involvement is to provide a venue for feedback and input on key school planning documents (such as the Local Control and Accountability Plan, school safety plans, and the Title I Parent Compact).
The key elements of this type of involvement are:
- Join Parent Faculty Council or English Learner Advisory Council meetings at your child’s school. These are advertised in each school’s weekly email.
- Join Board Meetings (as shared previously, these are now back in person; calendar and agendas can be found on the school website).
- Join opportunities provided in the e-news for volunteer meetings run by Rebecca Avery.
- Subscribe to the school calendar.
Category 5: Participating in fundraising activities for the school
The goal of this type of involvement is to ensure that the school bridges the funding gap that charters experience so that we have the appropriate resources to run our high quality instructional program and continue to ensure a safe environment.
The key elements of this type of involvement are:
- Participate in the fall Annual Giving Campaign by donating what you can and/or
volunteer to help with the AGC Talent Show in December. - Participate in the spring fundraiser at your child’s school (The Color FUNDracer for VCMS and the Laps 4 Learning Jogathon for VCES). Both events are designed for maximum student fun, provide a physical challenge for students, and help students understand the importance of contributing to their community.
- Volunteer for or attend special events throughout the year (such as Family Game Night at VCMS or the Trunk or Treat Movie Night at VCES) to contribute to the school’s fiscal health and also have fun!
- Connect with community organizations and businesses that make donations to our fundraising events. This is a great way to support fundraising efforts without making a direct donation.
- Take advantage of company matching opportunities. We even have extended family members do this for their donations for our spring fundraisers. This is a wonderful way to increase the impact of your donation.
