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Strategies to Help Newcomer Families Navigate School
Thursday, February 29, 2024 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EST
Presented by America Lopez, Community Health Worker, Volunteers in Medicine; and Rebecca Honig, Chief Content and Curriculum Officer, ParentPowered
Sponsored by ParentPowered
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Research shows time and time again that families lead the way to positive outcomes for their children, and that is true no matter what country a parent or caregiver was born in. While newcomer families may be unfamiliar with the U.S. school system, they bring a wealth of experience and knowledge that makes them powerful agents of change in their communities and in the lives of their children.
During this edLeader Panel, you hear from America Lopez about her journey learning to navigate her daughter’s school to becoming a leader and advocate both in the district and the broader community. You walk away from this inspiring and engaging session with:
- A greater understanding of the strengths, needs, and lived experiences of families who are newcomers to the U.S.
- Strategies to support families as they transition to school in the U.S.
- Effective ways to foster supportive communities for new families
- Ideas to help build and strengthen the capacity of families to support their children’s education and become leaders and advocates for their families
Tune in for actionable insights and practical ways to better support newcomer families and welcome them as partners in their children’s learning. This recorded edLeader Panel is of interest to PreK-12 teachers, librarians, school and district leaders, and those in parent/community involvement, family engagement, and school improvement roles.
About the Presenters
America Lopez is a Mexican immigrant who works as a full-time Community Health Worker at Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) located in Massachusetts. She is an active member of Latinas413, a non-profit organization that aims to empower Latina women and leads hikes and camping trips for Latine people. From 2021 to 2023, she served as the parent liaison for immigrant families at Berkshire Hills Regional School District. America took up this role, created as a joint effort between the district and VIM, to assist newcomer families in adapting and navigating the U.S. education system. Being a first-generation immigrant herself, she is well aware of the challenges that newcomers face while trying to support their children’s education in the United States without sufficient knowledge of the school systems and parental expectations, so through her role as a Community Health Worker, she advocates for better support systems for these families.
Rebecca Honig is the Chief Content and Curriculum Officer at ParentPowered. She has authored numerous curricula, parent guides, and children’s storybooks for Sesame Workshop, Scholastic, Disney, Compass Learning, PBS, WGBH, HITN, Nickelodeon, Mo Willems, and The Norman Rockwell Museum. She has also served as a Curriculum and Content Specialist for Sesame Street and spent ten years teaching in public, private, and after-school programs. Rebecca has a master’s degree in early childhood education from Bank Street.
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
Join the Creating a Positive School Climate community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
Research shows that families play a powerful role in fostering children’s development. ParentPowered is on a mission to help K–12 districts provide accessible, evidence-based family engagement curriculum, without adding more to teachers’ plates. Our program — for PreK through grade 12 — supports, inspires, and activates parents and caregivers with simple, strengths-based insights they can turn into everyday teachable moments. Learn more and request a demo at parentpowered.com.
