Family and Community Engagement (FACE) is the cornerstone of any successful PTA. Reaching out to students and families to provide support, services and community is the best way to maintain a healthy PTA membership and to ensure that every child has a voice in your school. Some important questions to talk about as a board are:
- Who is present at your school?
- Who is participating in PTA, and who is not?
- How does your PTA reach out to include those people who are not currently “at the table”?
- How do your parents know what you are providing to them?
- Do your families know that PTA exists at your school?
- How do you make your PTA visible on your campus?
- Are teacher and staff valued, respected partners?
Consider having an Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Chair or Vice President whose role is to make sure that these questions are answered in action.
Lake Washington PTA Council’s mission is to provide support to all PTAs in the Lake Washington School District (LWSD) to help them achieve their goals. FACE is a component of everything we do.
Got questions? Contact the VP of Family and Community Engagement at face@lwptsa.net
Parent Education
Learn more how LWPTSA supports parent education programing and community outreach.
Special Needs Group
The Special Needs Group is made up of parents in LWSD whose children receive special services (IEPs) and accommodations (504s).
International Families
The Lake Washington School District is made up of students and families from many different cultures. In recognition of this the LWPTSA Council in partnership with LWSD hosts a New and International Families Welcome event each year. Check the calendar and announcements for details.
The district recently teamed up with the LWPTSA Council to create an International Families Welcome – World Video so that we can learn from the unique perspectives of our parents in how they and their children view the school experience. At the same time, this sharing of information helps to inform our school district as to needs of the growing international community. Finally, international families new to the district can learn from these parents about what to expect from Lake Washington schools and how to get involved.