Cumberland County Schools outlines family-engagement programs, ESSER-funded mobile “engagement bus”

During a recent episode of the radio program "Let's Talk Education," Dr. Lindsey Whitley, associate superintendent for communications and community engagement for Cumberland County Schools, described a set of family-engagement efforts the district says are meant to help parents support student success.

"When families and educators join forces, amazing things happen for our young people," Whitley said, describing the district's approach and the community-driven Cumberland Family Academy, which she said began as a series of Zoom sessions during the pandemic and now offers in-person, virtual and on-demand workshops.

Whitley said the Cumberland Family Academy provides classes and resources on topics such as math help, literacy, internet safety, money management and assistance with college access and financial-aid processes. She said the district surveys families and uses focus groups to decide what workshops to offer and that the content is co-developed with parents and educators under a mantra of "nothing about me without me." "We survey families. We do focus groups. We hear what families need," Whitley said.

The district also described a volunteer Family Ambassador program that Whitley said is available to every school. She said family ambassadors meet monthly with the communications and community engagement team to receive resources they then share with fellow parents, sometimes in spaces or ways school staff had not considered.

A new initiative Whitley highlighted is a family engagement bus funded by ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds. "Over the summer, we will be launching a family engagement bus. It was funded by ESSER funds," Whitley said. She described the bus as outfitted with internet access and laptops to stop in neighborhoods and provide support for activities such as kindergarten registration and assistance completing financial-aid forms.

Whitley also described practical district-level goals and supports: she said Cumberland County Schools works with its 86 schools to promote "high-yield" family-engagement activities tied to school improvement, and that the district encourages principals to host about four meaningful family events per year. She noted the district employs "6,000 plus" staff members and that the communications department aims to champion these efforts across schools.

The radio hosts, Dr. Shanessa Fenner and Robert Brickie, asked for concrete tips and promoted district resources; Whitley pointed listeners to the district website for schedules and resources and encouraged families to use the family ambassador program, Cumberland Family Academy workshops and pre-recorded "Throwback Thursday" videos to access content on their own schedules.

Discussion-only items, as presented on the program, included examples of parent barriers (work schedules, knowledge gaps about newer math approaches and technology access) and the district's rationale for bringing services outside school walls. The program did not include a formal board vote or an authorizing meeting resolution on station. Whitley described plans and funding sources but did not present a formal agenda item or vote during the broadcast.

For more information and schedules, Whitley directed parents to the Cumberland County Schools website at www.ccs.k12.nc.us.