March_External Weekly Newsletter
September 7th, 2023
March Newsletter
I hope that you are welcoming the rejuvenating energy of March, and I want to encourage each of you to find ways to refresh and reset as you adjust your pace this school year. In FACE, we know that this may be the time of year where families are getting tired, distracted, and worn out. Yet we know how critical these next few months are. When focusing on ways to refresh yourself and your team, please consider what a refresh for your families and community partners looks like as well. Prioritizing this now may help with the end of the year sprint!
As you continue to develop unique presence and practices at your school, I am sharing this family engagement tool as a resource to support family and community engagement approaches and action steps. I hope there is something helpful here for each of you!
Here's to a month filled with growth and shared achievements. Thank you for your continued servant leadership!
In Community,
Adrienne
Need FACE Support?
FACE Support Request Form - Please share this form with your school team. It is to be used for schools requesting support from the Family and Community Engagement department. It will allow us to track requests and ensure that the requests are routed to the correct individuals on our team.
Important Dates
Below are dates when advocates and CSRCs will be out of the building for FACE meetings.
March
12 - All Together Tuesday
12 - FACE Team Meeting (CSRC's and Advocates attend, 9 - 12)
Upcoming at The Oak Avenue Complex
All Together Tuesday
The theme is called “All About Black History'' on February 13th from 5pm-7pm. A live jazz band educational performance, spoken words from one of HCPS students, black history bingo, and Sparklz Cheer & Danz performance to name a few events highlighting the evening.
Department of Social Services + FACE Partnership
Henrico County Department of Social Services Benefit Programs Division has begun residency at The Oak Avenue Complex. The department will offer benefits support every Thursday from 8am until 4:30pm with a Benefits Program Specialist. A Spanish Benefits Program Specialist will be available on the fourth Thursday of every month.
March Dates: 3/7, 3/14, 3/21,3/28
Learn + Play at The Oak
The Oak Complex has partnered with Henrico Library Services, Thrive Birth to Five, and VPM to host Learn & Play at The Oak on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 11am-12pm. This is a wonderful opportunity for children birth to six years and their caregiver to gain social and emotional skills, learn about the BASICS, and the importance of play. Snacks and toys will be provided.
Liaisons from HCPS Early Learning Preschool will also be onsite to offer support with completion of the pre-screen online application and/or reviewing required documents.
March Dates: 3/12 & 3/26
Team Excel & Building Constructive Community Foundation
Team Excel and Building Constructive Community Foundation is conducting a series called Barbershop Conversations & Wellness on the third Sunday of each month from 2pm-4pm at The Oak Complex. We are providing a safe place for young (high school age) and older male individuals to address topics that are often not openly discussed. This space allows participants to get serviced by our practicing barber interns (ACE at Virginia Randolph) and professional barbers while exploring and sharing their thoughts/concerns.
March Date: 3/16
Coming Soon!!
Family Education Resource Center
Bridge Builders Academy
The Winter/Spring 2024 BBA schedule is now available! (English, Spanish, Arabic download to share) Check out some of the upcoming dates and please remember to help us serve families by sharing this directly with your families.
Bridge Builder Academy week is coming up! This week is geared to highlighting the 4 Strands of the BBA and connecting families to some amazing resources!
Don't want to forget these dates? The HCPS Events calendar has an amazing feature where you can click the events and add them directly to your Google, Outlook, or iCal. This is a great tool to help families save the date and set reminders to share the information out.
Resource Navigation
The Christmas Mother has concluded for the 2023 season and we have peanut butter, jelly, cereal, beans, individually wrapped snacks and a few other items. If your school is in need of items to restock the pantry or are interested in starting a pantry, please fill in this form.
Volatia (our district language support line) is now available through Clever. Please encourage staff to explore the website and resources so that everyone is able to easily support Multilingual families. Directions and support can be found here.
An Interpretation Support line has been added to all school websites. Please share this number with families so that they can connect with an interpreter about school needs. This was formally called the “LEP- Limited English Proficiency line”. We are having a BBA session on this during BBA Week. Please share the information with families and staff.
ExEd Support
Did you know that the resource center can support families navigating Exceptional Education as well as educators? We provide 1:1 and group support for families and educators. If you know of a family in need of support, please have them reach out to us or get permission to share their information so that we can connect with them. Carol and I will be happy to support them on their journey.
Community Partnerships Updates
Resource Radar:
The Giving Wall - This holiday season, make a difference in the lives of our families in need by utilizing our resource, The Giving Wall. By participating in The Giving Wall, you have the power to bring joy and support to those facing challenges during this special time of year. Through The Giving Wall, contributions, whether it's a donation, offering a helping hand, or providing essential items, community partners create a meaningful impact and spread warmth and kindness to those who need it most. Let's come together and make this holiday season brighter for everyone in our community through The Giving Wall.
HandsOn Volunteerism - Leverage our resource and partnership with the Community Foundation: HandsOn, to support our schools. Our platform connects passionate individuals with various volunteer opportunities that make a profound impact on our educational community. Whether it's lending a hand during holiday events, assisting teachers, or aiding in special school programs, volunteers can truly brighten the lives of students and educators alike. Submit a request today for your school community and receive the support you need.
Districtwide Events on the Horizon:
April 19, 2024 - Trevvett Elementary School 2nd Annual Spring Community Showcase: The flier includes a QR code for schools who would like to register for the event and participate this year.
If you have any questions related to community partnerships or the resources identified in this section, please reach out to Leslie Velez, lvelez@henrico.k12.va.us.