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Board hears plan for Family Climate Survey, Native American programming and expansion of Face Academy
Summary
The Board received an update on family and community engagement: the district will shift the Family Climate Survey to fall and spring annually, expand Face Academy workshops, and roll out Title VI-funded Native American student supports including a districtwide student union and summer archaeology programming.
Tracy Thomas, director of Community Engagement and Equity, and Christine Pollard told the Board on March 20 that the district will issue a Family Climate Survey in fall and spring each year to track parent and family engagement, with planned school-level outreach, QR-equipped resource packets and incentives to boost participation.
"We spent a lot of time thinking about how to navigate this space," Tracy Thomas said as she outlined three strategic metrics tied to Goal 4: growth in family engagement, enhanced opportunities for families to participate in decision-making, and expanded supports to help families support student learning. The survey will focus on welcoming environment, communication, student success, advocacy and partnerships, staff said.
The presentation highlighted Title VI programming: staff said Charles County Public Schools is the only Maryland district that receives Title VI funding for Indian education and noted 90 students with tribal membership and 679 students who identify as Native American or Alaska Native in the system. The district announced a new Native American Student Union and described an Indigenous Archaeology summer program (20 student slots) and a planned field trip to the National Museum of the American Indian.
Face Academy, a family-engagement workshop series funded initially with a $20,000 grant and piloted at Eva Turner Elementary, will expand with in-person and virtual formats. Staff said sessions provide childcare, interpretation and dinner at in-person events, and will also cover timely topics such as artificial intelligence and social media safety (a family/student session is scheduled for April 20 at Saint Charles High School).
The department also previewed a consolidated Charles County Community Resource Day on May 18, 2026, and the Be the Difference volunteer awards on May 13. Board members asked for broader outreach to capture families who might identify as Native American but lack tribal membership documentation; staff described outreach steps and annual forms that accompany enrollment.
Board members praised the expansion of engagement work and encouraged continued attention to reaching busy families through varied session times and accessible materials. Staff said they will meet with principal cohorts in April to finalize implementation details of the engagement metrics and survey distribution schedule.
