The Roaring Fork Schools are deeply committed to strengthening partnerships with parents, families, and community members in support of student achievement, well-being, and school and district accountability. There are many opportunities for families to engage but the most impactful partnerships in support of student achievement and well-being are the 1:1 conversations that happen between classroom teachers and parents/guardians about their children. When these conversations focus on student strengths, skills, and growth areas, they strengthen family/school relationships, align goals for student wellbeing and achievement, and increase positive outcomes for students. To ensure these high-leverage conversations happen, the Roaring Fork Schools dedicate two full days to support parent-teacher conferences. Schools utilize staff time flexibly to accommodate families’ schedules. Over the last two weeks, schools hosted parent-teacher conferences in an effort to build relationships and strengthen student achievement. 

The Roaring Fork Schools hosts a number of school- and district-level parent and community advisory councils that support accountability, transparency, and collaborative decision-making. Every school hosts a School Accountability Committee with the responsibility of advising the principal on school-based budget priorities, school performance plans, and staff evaluations. These committees also advise the principal on parent engagement strategies. Similarly, the District Accountability Committee advises the Board of Education on district budget priorities, district performance plans, and staff evaluations. Like the school committees, the District Accountability Committee advises the Board on parent engagement policies and practices. Most School Accountability Committees have already met at least once this year and continue to recruit new families. The District Accountability Committee has also met this fall and is recruiting new families and community members to serve. 

We also host a Family Advisory Council that partners with district leaders on topics prioritized by the parents and community partners who attend. This year, the team has already met twice and is planning to work on issues related to school safety, student mental and behavioral well-being, and services for students with disabilities during their 24/25 meetings. 

District Wellness Committee meetings follow the Family Advisory Council meetings and focus on topics related to student health and wellbeing. This year, the team is diving into the 2023 Healthy Kids Colorado Data to better understand trends, needs, and gaps. Families interested in participating in accountability and transparency efforts at the school- or district level are encouraged to learn more about these committees and attend upcoming meetings.

The Roaring Fork Schools also hosts an Equity Advisory Council, a team of students, families, staff, and community partners who commit to serving a full year and provide recommendations to the Board of Education on policies and practices related to the district’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Discrimination policy adopted in the spring of 2024. 

School- and district-level advisory committees are critical for ensuring transparency, accountability, and collaborative decision-making. But in terms of advancing student achievement through parent/family partnerships, the research is clear: the highest leverage strategy to support student achievement through family partnerships is 1:1 conversations between families and teachers about their child’s achievement. Parent-teacher conferences that have the greatest impact focus on student academic and social-emotional strengths and challenges. They provide time for families and teachers to ask questions, build relationships, share goals, and importantly, co-construct an action plan for student support. The plan should identify ways the family and the school can better support the student’s well-being and achievement.

Families and community partners often generously ask staff, schools, and the district, “How can I help?” When it comes to supporting student academic achievement, one of the best things families can do is attend parent-teacher conferences, establish lines of communication with teachers, and co-construct action plans for student support. When we partner, communicate, and strengthen relationships between teachers and families focused on their child’s academic achievement and well-being, we see the strongest positive outcomes for students. Student academic achievement is our core work in the Roaring Fork Schools; we can’t do it alone. Partnerships with families are essential to ensuring students have the support and systems in place that foster success.

Dr. Anna Cole is superintendent of the Roaring Fork District Schools in Glenwood Springs, Carbondale and Basalt.