Early in October, the community of Kotlik came together for a family night focused on exploring students’ future hopes and dreams. As part of the AFEC Family Night Reading Series, Kotlik hosted a themed family event that included free books, activities, and materials focused on future goals and interests.
Research shows that families play a big role in helping shape students’ choices about their future. We also know that students start forming opinions about what they can (and can’t do) when they grow up as early as elementary school. Sparking conversations around hopes and dreams at a young age can help families and students:
- Keep future opportunities open;
- Make school more meaningful by connecting to the real world;
- Prompt families to take steps like saving for education after high school.
Check out these tools for schools to share with families:
- Reading for Your Future Family Night Toolkit (younger students)
- Conversation prompts for schools to share with families (older students)
- Kids to Careers resources from the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
- Savings tips from Alaska529
For more tips on hosting a family engagement night to help build positive relationships between school and families and provide families with tools and resources to engage with their children’s learning, please contact us at afec@aasb.org.