Focus Area: Communication & Engagement
Success Looks Like This
Year Two (2023-24)
During the 2023-34 school year, School Status Connect will be expanded to additional grade levels and as a staff communications tool.
See also: Wellness, Equity & Belonging
Activities
Supervisors are able to communicate with non-English-speaking employees via School Status Connect. Resources are available for employee communication, as needed.
During October 2023 Parent Teacher Conferences, Secondary ESOL teachers began to connect with parents via School Status Connect.
Evidence & Performance Measurements
(Click to Enlarge) - School Status Connect Engagement 2023-2024 School Year
School Status Connect Read Rate (2023-24 School Year)
During the 2023-34 school year, FCCPS will continue to expand and enhance use of interpretation services.
See Also: Wellness, Equity, and Belonging
Activities
Interpretation headsets are available for community and employee communication, as needed.
Supervisors are using School Status Connect to communicate with non-English-speaking employees.
All elementary schools (PK-5) are using School Status Connect to communicate with families in their chosen language.
At secondary level, teachers and family Resource Center are using School Status Connect to communicate with multi-lingual families.
At secondary level, coaches are using School Status Connect to communicate with athletes and families.
Language Line is used across the division by supervisors, office staff, teachers to communicate with families who speak a language other than English.
In-person interpreters used to communicate with families who speak a language other than English
Evidence & Performance Measurements
Interpretation headsets used
by 30 staff members in 3 languages during all-staff Convocation and professional development sessions to ensure that all employees had access to content.
during parent Driver's Ed Information Session.
for Athletics Parent Information Night.
PYP Exhibition Parent Information Session.
at MHS IB Information Night.
By June 2024 the Family Resource Center will host at least five parent education events based on their needs, in their primary language.
Activities:
Family Resource Center offering Spanish-language Information Sessions on a variety of topics to parents at the Secondary FRC.
Family Resource Center partnering with technology team to design a series of workshops to build parent fluency with computer skills.
Family Resource Center partnering with Northern Virginia Family Services to provide a series of parent workshops for parents of young children and parents of teenagers.
Evidence & Performance Measurements
Year One (2022-23)
In the 2022-23 school year, FCCPS will expand and enhance use of interpretation services.
See Also: Wellness, Equity, and Belonging
Activities
All FCCPS buildings have access to Language Line interpretation services and usage is promoted and tracked throughout the division.
Interpretation headsets are available for meetings and classrooms.
Staff are trained on protocols for use of interpretation tools.
Divisionwide communications are sent in both English and Spanish.
Evidence & Performance Measurements
All videos posted to FCCPS Youtube Channel and Zoom meetings will be captioned in multiple languages.
See Also: Wellness, Equity, and Belonging
Activities
FCCPS Communications Department configured the division’s YouTube page to provide closed captions in multiple languages, starting with videos posted in December 2022.
As of December 2022, Zoom meetings will have closed captioning available in the preferred language of the participants.
Evidence & Performance Measurements
Sample video with the captions
By December 2022 FCCPS will complete a pilot program using School Status Connect that allows parents to receive school communications in their native language.
See Also: Wellness, Equity, and Belonging
Activities
Elementary principals and administrative assistants were trained in School Status Connect for the 2022-23 school year.
As of January 2023, Mount Daniel and Oak Street Elementary weekly Principal's Newsletters are being distributed via School Status Connect.
As of January 2023, most teacher-to-parent written communication at Mount Daniel and Oak Street Elementary Schools are conducted through School Status Connect .
Operations directors are using School Status Connect to communicate with employees, ensuring that messaging is translated into preferred languages.
Evidence & Performance Measurements
Chart shows family engagement using School Status Connect at Mt. Daniel Elementary in January 2023
Chart shows family engagement using School Status Connect at Oak Street Elementary School in January 2023.
By June 2023 FCCPS will complete a communications survey to gather community feedback on divisionwide and school communications.
Activities
Communications Survey completed.
Survey findings presented to the School Board and community March 2023.
Communications Department convening committee to coordinate school websites.
Evidence & Performance Measurements
Presentation Slides from March 28, 2023 School Board Meeting
Communications Presentation to School Board
All 3rd through 12th grade families will have the ability to access the FCCPS parent portal to view student Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) scores.
Activities:
In Fall 2022, families with students in grades 3-8 received access to the Virginia Department of Education Assessment Portal through PowerSchool accounts.
Beginning in March 2023, families with students in grades 9-12 will receive access to the portal, and instruction on how to set up an account.
FCCPS Virginia Assessment Parent Portal Resource Page provides up-to-date instructions for families to ensure that it is understandable and accessible.