A Message from Department of Teaching and Learning

Family engagement is an essential ongoing aspect of every student’s experience in the Bellingham Public Schools.  It is an expectation that teachers engage regularly in communication with families. For many years, elementary and middle school teachers have relied on a face-to-face family/caregiver meeting during a period of a few specific days in late October and early November as a key strategy for engaging with families. This approach has worked well for a lot of families but not for all.

We have broadened our approach to family engagement to include additional methods of communication; in-person family meetings are still one way that teachers can and will engage. Staff now have access to a range of methods that may work better for some families, including meetings on Zoom, communications on ParentSquare or connecting via phone calls.  Families can opt to request an in-person meeting with their child’s teacher and expect that to occur in a timely manner. Similarly, teachers may request to meet with families in person or through other means noted above at any point during the school year.

Both teachers and families are encouraged to communicate with updates about students’ progress and ask questions. We encourage teachers and families to share positive news or events and not limit communication to when there is a concern or challenge. Our district can provide support for interpretation and translation for meetings and other communication when needed.