Strong family-school partnerships start with the school, yet often teachers and school staff don’t know how. The Alaska Family Engagement Center has a menu of training options to meet this need and satisfy almost every appetite. Here are some of our specials this fall.
Snack Time: Coffee Chats
The monthly Family Engagement Coffee Chat series, in partnership with the Department of Education & Early Development, will meet on the first Thursday at noon, starting Sept. 3rd. This drop-in community of practice is a chance to share, learn, and troubleshoot with other Alaskan educators. Register here.
Take Out: Family Engagement Training Modules
We’ve made our Family Engagement training available for schools to modify and use. Each module can be delivered in as little as 30 minutes and can be delivered as a standalone or as a three-part series that covers approaching families as partners, talking with families, and relationship-building with Alaskan families. The modules were inspired by an administrator who shared that:
“The biggest change that our school district has made is providing principals with family engagement professional development to take back to their schools to help teachers with family engagement.”
For staff who want to deliver a module and give us feedback, we’re offering $150 extra-duty pay. Check out the modules and sign up here.
Dinner Club: On the Same Team Professional Learning Community
If you’re hungry to transform your family engagement practices, this is the option for you. In this year-long class, participants will meet monthly to explore research-backed strategies for engaging hard-to-reach families through discussion of On the Same Team: Bringing Educators and Underrepresented Families Together (book provided free). You’ll learn from educators across Alaska and get support for implementing the Family and Educator Team model at your school. We recommend signing up for this course with a colleague or family leader from your school or district. One participant last fall said:
“I want to encourage all my colleagues to sign-up!”
The course starts September 22, 2026 and meets every first Tuesday from October through April, 4:15-6:15 pm. Continuing Education Credits are available for Alaska Family Engagement Center partner districts through UAA. Register here.
Don’t see what you’re looking for here or on our training menu? Contact Emily Ferry at eferry@aasb.org to explore how we can support your school or district.