Across Spring Branch ISD (SBISD), staff members are creating opportunities for families to ask questions, build relationships and find the support their children need.
That work takes many forms, from conversations in neighborhood community centers to workshops families can join from home. These recent examples offer a look at how SBISD staff and community partners are strengthening connections throughout the year.
Meeting families where they are
SBISD’s Family E3 team — Education, Engagement and Empowerment — visited five Spring Branch community centers this summer to help families register their children. Staff brought laptops, translation support and enrollment assistance so families could complete the process on-site. They also showed parents how to use district tools to connect with their children’s schools and teachers.
“The families we served through these events didn’t always have access to resources such as a laptop or reliable transportation to travel to a campus for enrollment,” said Erin Cook, community engagement and outreach facilitator. “Hosting events in locations close to where families needing the most assistance and support live was crucial.”
Building connections over lunch
At Shadow Oaks Elementary (SOE), prekindergarten and kindergarten families gathered for lunch, learned about school expectations and shared ways to support their children’s growing independence. Families met cafeteria staff, heard updates from the school nurse and learned how to join the Parent Volunteer Squad.
“This is my first time having lunch with my child at school, and I loved it,” one parent said. Another said the event offered ideas to use at home.
The lunch is part of a larger effort to make family involvement a regular part of school life. Counselor Hayde Maldonado said SOE plans additional lunches throughout the year, including events around holidays and a spring gathering for families of students in grades 3-5.
“All of these events are happening and are successful because of the SOE staff working together behind the scenes: It really is a schoolwide team effort,” Maldonado said. “This is also our first year having a PTA at SOE, so we are really excited about getting more parents involved and building that connection with our families.”
Taking the conversation into the community
Edgewood Elementary (EWE) staff visited locations throughout the school’s attendance zone to connect with families who might find it difficult to visit campus.
“We wanted to meet the families in a more informal setting and showed them that we value them and respect their time and experiences,” said Assistant Principal Gabby Cruz.
One parent put it simply: “It’s nice to see the teachers meeting us where we are.”
Cruz said the visits helped families feel more comfortable reaching out with questions and strengthened relationships between home and school.
Sharing confidence and care
At Buffalo Creek Elementary (BCE), former SBISD student Carlos Morales returned to serve a new generation. Morales, a barber and 2014 Northbrook High School (NHS) graduate, offered free haircuts to boys at the school. He remembered how a haircut helped him feel confident as a student and wanted to share that feeling.
“I see myself in the Buffalo Creek students,” Morales said. “I want to treat them as a reflection of myself by giving back to my community.”
Jasmine Calderon, the campus’s Communities In Schools (CIS) student support manager and a 2011 Spring Woods High School (SWHS) graduate, saw the difference it made.
“The free haircuts have helped some of my students feel more confident,” Calderon said. “They have come with a big smile and ready for school.”
Making school tools easier to use
At Spring Forest Middle School (SFMS), family engagement specialist Trina Morford offered workshops to help parents use Skyward and Canvas to follow their children’s progress and stay connected with school. Families could attend during the day, in the evening or online.
Parent Jackie Lappin said learning to use the platforms helped her support her sixth grader at home. Morford also helped her set up a shared calendar to track important school dates.
“Learning more about navigating Skyward and Canvas has been especially valuable because when I feel confident using those platforms, I can better support my child at home,” Lappin said.
Another parent, Sarah Davidson, helped present workshop topics from a family perspective. She recalled a parent’s excitement at learning that Canvas assignment dates could appear alongside work schedules and appointments on a family calendar.
“The reaction from parents is overwhelmingly a mix of massive relief and empowerment, which is exactly what I love to see,” Davidson said.
Planning for what comes next
SBISD teams also help families look ahead. In a recent virtual session, the Guidance and Counseling team shared ways elementary families can support their children’s growth through middle school, high school and beyond.
Through Parent U, the Family E3 team offers evening sessions on topics such as dual credit and paying for college. Spanish translation is available. Families can explore recorded Parent U sessions or find upcoming opportunities on the district’s event calendar.
“I have attended several Parent U sessions and even watched a few from the online archives when I wasn’t able to attend live,” Davidson said. “The sessions have really shown me how to navigate the right student resources, specifically the built-in tools that are already available through the district.”
Each of these efforts gives families another way to connect with their schools and support their children. Together, those everyday connections help SBISD make the school experience the best it can be for Every Child.