H O U S T O N I N D E P E N D E N T S C H O O L D I S T R I C T

Contact the FACE Department at 713-556-7290 or FACE@HoustonISD.org to learn more about our programs and partnership opportunities.

HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT4400 West 18th Street • Houston, Texas 77092-0851713-556-7290 • FACE@HoustonISD.orgHoustonISD.org/FACE

It is the policy of the Houston Independent School District not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, handicap or disability, ancestry, national origin, marital status, race, religion, sex, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression in its educational or employment programs and activities.

School partnerships with families and student achievement are closely linkedYears of research tell us that students whose families are involved in their learning earn better grades, and are more likely to graduate from high school and go to college.

Partnerships help build support for public schoolsSchools that embrace their families and communities enjoy respect, trust, and better reputations in the community, higher teacher morale and ratings, and success at implementing reform initiatives.

Families can help overcome challengesCollaboration with the community helps schools identify challenges, discuss approaches, and design and implement possible solutions.

Teachers benefit from partnershipsEducators can learn a great deal from parents: knowledge and perspective about their children, families’ cultures and values, and the strengths and problems of their communities.

It’s Required by Law (NCLB)Section 1118, Title 1 of the No Child Left Behind Act requires that every school receiving Title I dollars have a written parent involvement policy, build school capacity to effectively implement the parent policy provisions, and ensure that strong plans are in place to encourage and sustain active parent involvement.

*Adapted from: Henderson, A., Mapp, K., Johnson, V., & Davies, D. (2007). Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships. New York: New Press

Why Invest in Family and Community Engagement

Other ResourcesWorkshops for School Staff and ParentsDownload FACE professional development PowerPoints and materials for your staff trainings and parent meetings. You can find presentations on topics such as How to Build a Parent Center and Two-Way Communications with Parents: HoustonISD.org/FACEWorkshops

Parent Organization ToolkitFollow six steps to develop an effective parent organization at your school: HoustonISD.org/ParentOrgs

Community Resource GuideFind local community organizations that can provide services to your school and community: HoustonISD.org/FACETools

Community Meeting Toolkit Download a checklist and all the signage you need to host a family-friendly community meeting: HoustonISD.org/FACETools

Back to School Toolkit Use the Back to School Toolkit to plan your parent engagement program after summer break: HoustonISD.org/FACETools

Parent Leader NetworkParents are invited to learn leadership and advocacy skills and share the information back at their own campuses. For upcoming dates, please visit HoustonISD.org/FACETools

Parent HandoutsDownload handouts for parents with tips on parenting, getting involved at their child’s school, and supporting learning at home: HoustonISD.org/FACETools

Key Communicator Email List Receive information about family events and resources. To subscribe, send your email address to FACE@Houstonisd.org

Twitter Get parenting tips and ideas for educational outings for your kids. Follow us at twitter.com/@HISD_FACE

Welcome to FACE

Our Focus

The Houston Independent School District values parents as partners in preparing our students to succeed in college, career, and beyond.

Our Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Department is dedicated to establishing meaningful partnerships among families, communities, and schools by building capacity for all educators to empower parents as educational partners and advocates for all children. We believe that empowering parents to help their children achieve their maximum learning potential is a moral imperative that all educators must promote in order to help their students’ success in school and beyond.

We invite you to partner with us in building a strong engagement program to support student achievement in your community.

Promote and support family-friendly schools

Empower parents to become advocates in their children’s education

Link family and community engagement to learning

Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) Parents are their children’s fi rst teachers, and there are simple and easy ways that parents can help their young children learn. Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a free HISD program that teaches parents of three-, four-, and fi ve-year-olds instructional activities that encourage learning and development that parents can then practice with their children. Research shows that students whose parents participate in the program signifi cantly outperform all HISD kindergarten students in reading and math. To learn more about HIPPY, visit HoustonISD.org/HIPPY.

Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT)Elementary schools across HISD are participating in the Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) program to empower parents to prepare their children at home for academic success. Parents in the program learn about foundational skills, examine assessment data, set goals for their children’s achievement, and learn simple games and activities to help develop their students’ competency. Parents leave the meeting empowered to help their children learn, teachers gain instructional partners, and children develop academically at school and at home. To learn more about APTT, visit HoustonISD.org/APTT.

Family Learning AcademyThe Family Learning Academy connects families with the resources they need to help their children graduate from high school and be successful in their adult lives. HISD departments such as School Choice and Library Services and community partners like the University of Houston, Catholic Charities, and the Houston Public Library offer workshops and information on topics such as HISD magnet and certifi cation programs, applying to college, learning at home, and family leadership. To learn more about upcoming events, visit HoustonISD.org/FLA.

Early Childhood and Pre-K

Elementary School

Middle and High School

Parent Programs

Empowering Families. Advancing Learning.

School ServicesFamily-Friendly Schools Certifi cation Th e Family-Friendly Schools Certifi cation program helps schools improve relationships with their families and communities. Via analysis of the school environment, faculty and staff trainings, and consultation and coaching on family and community engagement, schools earn certifi cation as a family-friendly school: HoustonISD.org/FFSchools.

Professional Development & TrainingsFACE off ers a series of workshops on family and community engagement via the HISD Leadership Development Offi ce and at central offi ce to any interested HISD staff member. Visit HoustonISD.org/FACEPD for a calendar list of events.

Community Organization ConsultationFACE off ers schools a consultation on our Community Resource Guide. A FACE specialist can help assess family and community needs and identify organizations that can help fi ll those needs: HoustonISD.org/CommunityOrgs

Parent Organizations ConsultationFACE will meet with interested parents and administrators and help explain the resources contained in the Parent Organization Toolkit, which contains guidelines for families to build a PTA or PTO at their school: HoustonISD.org/ParentOrgs

Family Event ConsultationFACE will meet with your staff to help make your school events impactful, linked to learning, and engaging for your community.

Mediation Services FACE has partnered with the Dispute Resolution Center, Harris County to off er free mediation for disputes between HISD staff members, community members, and parents.

HoustonISD.org/FACE