Lakota Board of Education Engages ESL Families in Community Conversations

The Lakota Board of Education recently concluded a four-part community conversation series aimed at engaging families for whom English is a second language (ESL). This initiative focused on four of Lakota’s most spoken languages: Nepalese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Spanish.

Board Member Christina French, who serves alongside Vice President Kelley Casper on the community engagement committee, highlighted the positive feedback received from students and parents alike. "One of the things we heard loud and clear in all of the sessions is that our students are excited to go to school, our students are really loving their teachers and they’re feeling connected to their classmates," said French. She also shared a story from a parent whose child feels sad on Fridays because they won't be attending school the next day.

French emphasized the importance of making parents feel welcome and included in their schools. "We also heard that we have an opportunity to make our parents more of a part of our school community," she noted. This includes offering opportunities for parents to participate in events and providing translators to assist with communication.

The introduction of ParentSquare, a new communications platform in Lakota, has been positively received and is being expanded to all schools this month. "One of the things we heard tonight is a parent who was very excited that they had the opportunity to come and talk to people from the District,” said Casper. “They said they’ve never really had that opportunity to voice their opinions and have someone listen to them in their native language." 

Casper also identified areas for growth that were shared by parents, such as improving wraparound services such as filling out forms or how to tell the school that their child is sick if the parent doesn’t speak English. Additionally, Casper noted that helping families understand the American education system is important. One parent suggested that the District host "parent school" sessions to help parents learn about the school system. 

Superintendent Ashley Whitely led each conversation, asking families what they liked about Lakota and what areas needed improvement. Families appreciated good communication, helpful teachers and the use of technology like Canvas as the learning management system. However, they also highlighted the need for a bilingual liaison to assist with the enrollment process, technology and completing documents. Parents expressed challenges with understanding homework and participating in parent-teacher conferences without an interpreter.

Other suggestions for improvement included introducing sports and music classes before junior school. Parents also expressed a desire to get more involved in school activities but were unsure how to do so.

"As the new superintendent, I value the feedback we have received from our ESL families over the past four weeks," said Whitely. "We want all of our families to feel welcome and be actively involved in their student’s education. Our team will review this information and work to make adjustments to better meet the needs of our families."

The Lakota Board of Education is committed to supporting all families and ensuring that every student has a positive and enriching school experience. Through its community conversation program, the Board holds listening sessions on various topics to hear from its stakeholders throughout the school year.