US/Global 
CANFree Reproducibles
Community Connections and Your PLC at Work®
A Guide to Engaging Families
Learn step by step how to establish deep-rooted community connections that lead to the lasting betterment of your school or district. Gain key concepts of the professional learning community (PLC) process and how they lead to increased engagement and collaboration with families.
Benefits
- Gain insight into the importance of parent and family engagement with schools as part of students’ success.
- Learn key concepts of the professional learning community (PLC) process and how they apply to fostering school engagement with families and other community stakeholders.
- Gain strategies to encourage community involvement in goal setting within schools.
- Understand how to overcome the barriers of economically disadvantaged families and communities traditionally underserved by schools.
- Acquire best practices for involving stakeholders in a collaborative process of learning and growth.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction: Connecting Your PLC Community
Chapter 1: Setting the Stage
Chapter 2: Creating a Family-Engagement Guiding Coalition
Chapter 3: Articulating a Family-Focused Mission and Vision
Chapter 4: Achieving a Customer-Centric Culture
Chapter 5: Creating a Focus on Learning With Families
Chapter 6: Cultivating Collaboration With Families
Chapter 7: Focusing on Results With Families
Epilogue
Appendix: Additional Resources and Materials
PRINTABLE REPRODUCIBLES
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Appendix
- Figure A.1: PLC-Based Parent-, Family-, and Community-Engagement Rubric
- Figure A.2: School-Event Calendar Template
- Figure A.3: Data-Reflection Form Template for Families
- Figure A.4: Parent- and Family-Engagement Action-Plan Questions
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
BOOKS
- Conzemius, A. E., & O’Neill, J. (2014). The Handbook for SMART School Teams: Revitalizing Best Practices for Collaboration (2nd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. W., & Mattos, M. (2016). Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work (3rd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Guskey, T. R. (2014). On Your Mark: Challenging the Conventions of Grading and Reporting. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Mattos, M., DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. W. (2016). Concise Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Professional Learning Communities at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
WEBSITES
Chapter 1
- Casa Grande Union High School District
- Catoosa County Public Schools
- Hardin County Schools
- Shelby County Public Schools, Southside Elementary
Chapter 2
- Conducting the Parent and Family Involvement Survey for Your School(s): Instructions and Guidelines
- Panorama Education, “Family-School Relationships Survey”
- School Gate Guardian
- Teamgo
- Visitu
Chapter 5
- Exquisite Minds
- The Gifted Child Society
- Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page
- Institute for Educational Advancement, “TeachFine on Gifted Ed Tech”
- Mensa for Kids
- National Association for Gifted Children, “Resources for Parents”
- Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
- TeacherVision, “Extension & Enrichment Activities”
Appendix
- Annie E. Casey Foundation
- ACT, “About ACT”
- American Academy of Pediatrics, “HealthyChildren.org”
- Association for Middle Level Education
- ASPIRA, “ASPIRA Parents for Excellence (APEX)”
- Attendance Works, “Families and Family Organizations”
- Boys and Girls Clubs of America
- Casey Family Programs, “Resources”
- Child Welfare League of America
- Children’s Aid, “Family Supports”
- College Board, “For Parents & Guardians”
- Community Matters
- Corporate Voices for Working Families
- Families in Schools
- Families and Schools Together
- Military Child Education Coalition
- Mocha Moms
- National Association for College Admission Counseling
- National Association of Elementary School Principals
- National Association of Secondary School Principals
- National Black Child Development Institute
- National Center for Learning Disabilities
- National Center for School Engagement
- Johns Hopkins University, “Center for Social Organization of Schools”
- UnidosUS
- National Dropout Prevention Center
- National Fatherhood Initiative
- National Foster Parent Association
- American Institutes for Research, “USDE's Parental Information and Resource Center (PIRC) Program Works to Boost Parent Involvement and Achievement”
- National PTA
- New Frontier 21
- Administration for Children and Families
- ParentChild+
- Parents as Teachers
- Parents for Public Schools
- Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence
- Raising a Reader
- Reach Out and Read
- The Rural School and Community Trust
- Scholarship America
- Search Institute
- United Way
- U.S. Department of Education Parental Information and Resource Centers (PIRC)
- Zero to Three
