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Cabell County LSIC workshops surface parent-engagement and technology priorities
Summary
Parents, teachers and school staff at a Cabell County Schools Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) meeting broke into facilitated groups to recommend strategies to boost parent involvement, refine technology use and highlight school successes; staff will compile notes for the Board of Education in March.
Cabell County Schools convened Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) breakout sessions to gather priorities from parents, teachers and school staff on parent engagement, technology and school strengths and weaknesses. Facilitators led groups representing elementary, middle and high schools; notes will be compiled by Miss Watts and presented to the Cabell County Board of Education at a March meeting.
Participants recommended several steps to increase parent involvement: streamline Title I processes for parent events, provide transportation and childcare for meetings, schedule additional check-ins beyond fall parent‑teacher conferences, and use multiple communication channels (district website updates, calendar subscribe options, Schoology templates, Remind, Facebook and printed newsletters) to give parents timely notice of events. One group said Central City reported a 96% participation rate at a recent parent‑teacher conference, cited by participants as a model to build on.
On technology, small‑group discussions emphasized training for less tech‑savvy guardians (including grandparents), how‑to videos for common platforms (Schoology, i‑Ready), and student tech teams to support parents and peers. Several groups called attention to device durability and device‑management issues at the secondary level, content filtering and classroom engagement challenges caused by distracting apps, and a desire to balance screen time with paper‑and‑pencil instruction. Participants noted the district is currently 1:1 for devices and suggested using that as a strength while improving parent access to software and web safety education for younger students.
Groups also reported school successes and persistent weaknesses. Strengths named across schools included career and technical education programs, dual‑credit and AP options, expanded counseling services, community partnerships (including after‑school tutoring and mentoring programs), and improved school climate in several buildings. Common weaknesses cited were chronic student attendance, facility needs (including bathroom remodeling and HVAC concerns), limited on‑site athletic facilities at some schools, and ongoing parent‑engagement gaps in certain communities.
Organizers described the LSIC process for the evening: attendees broke into assigned rooms with central‑office and building staff acting as facilitators and notetakers. Each group spent a set time on guided questions and returned for a report‑out; Miss Watts will compile the notes collected from the sessions and present them to the board to help set district priorities for the coming year. The meeting concluded with routine board business and a motion to adjourn.
