Chicopee’s FACE office reports expansion of family liaison team and summer outreach plans

Kristen Coelho, the district’s family and community engagement facilitator, presented a year-in-review for the Family and Community Engagement (FACE) office and outlined plans to expand the liaison team next school year.

Coelho told the committee the FACE team will add five new family liaisons to give more schools a dedicated point of contact. She described workshops and outreach events the department organized this year — family bus trips, a Thunderbirds hockey night that drew about 500 attendees, a family chili cook-off and a Family Academy series offering free dinners and childcare for parent workshops.

Coelho also previewed summer plans that include home visits to welcome families and connect them to resources, a National Night Out tabling presence, a family movie night at Zapp Park and a back-to-school backpack-and-haircut event that will distribute more than 1,000 backpacks and connect families to barbers.

Committee member Sandra Perrette asked whether the home visits are scheduled by appointment; Coelho said visits will be set by appointment and can take place at a family’s home, park, library or other location of the family’s choosing. Coelho said some events are grant-funded and some partners provided services pro bono.

Why it matters: the FACE expansion responds to district listening work and the strategic plan’s emphasis on family and community connections. Committee members praised the outreach and asked staff to continue tracking participation and funding sources.

What the committee did: accepted the update and asked the FACE office to continue coordination with attendance, transportation and McKinney‑Vento staff to support families in need.

What’s next: the FACE team will carry out summer home visits and provide a fall calendar and participation metrics to the committee.