Free Resource Supports School Districts with Evidence-Based Strategies Around Family Engagement

CHICAGO (March 12, 2024) – Action for Healthy Kids has released a new resource, Family-School Partnership Workplan for Engaging Diverse Communities in Healthy Schools, designed to motivate and challenge educators to align, advance and/or adopt effective evidence-based strategies to foster authentic family partnerships. The free resource can be downloaded at: www.actionforhealthykids.org/workplan.

“Family engagement is essential to the healthy development, learning, and educational equity of all students. When effective family-school partnerships are in place, the whole child thrives,” said Rob Bisceglie, Executive Officer and President at Action for Healthy Kids. “The Family-School Partnership Workplan offers practical, user-friendly and evidence-based strategies to district leaders, school staff, and families to create healthier school communities that support whole child health.”

Developed for educators, district staff, families, professional development providers, and key stakeholders working in schools and districts, the free resource outlines five evidence-based strategies aimed at driving systemic change within a school district. A central theme that emerges from the newly released family-school partnership workplan is the shift from traditional, one size-fits-all family engagement models to a partnership approach that recognizes the unique strengths of each family in contributing to student success.

The family-school partnership workplan was developed by Action for Healthy Kids, guided by the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model and widely recognized family engagement models, and informed by current evidence-based best practices. Action for Healthy Kids has fostered family-school partnerships to improve student nutrition, physical activity, and social emotional wellness for over 20 years.

ABOUT ACTION FOR HEALTHY KIDS

Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) is dedicated to improving children’s health and well-being by bringing together and mobilizing educators, families, and other key stakeholders to help children lead healthy lives. Through its core programming and family-school partnerships, AFHK has impacted more than 20 million children in 55,000 schools nationwide to address systemic challenges in underserved communities. To learn more about its growing network of volunteers and champions, visit: www.actionforhealthykids.org