New to the site? Try Quick User Guide

We track anonymous visitor behavior on our website to ensure you have a great experience. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

Virtual Family Meetups

Virtual spaces for families to informally chat and connect

Overview

Having families, parents, and caregivers involved in their students’ school community, whether in person or virtually, can greatly contribute to the success and overall satisfaction of a student’s academic journey. Connecting with other families provides parents with the opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences, ask questions, discuss challenges, and form relationships to support each other throughout the process. In an online setting, schools can offer virtual family meetups that parents and caregivers can join to chat and connect with each other. Even for in-person schools, virtual family meetups may have more participation since families can join from the convenience of their homes and can choose a time that works best for their schedule.

Key Considerations

When scheduling virtual family meetups, there are a few considerations that schools should keep in mind during the planning process:

  • Offer multiple languages: Many parents and families may speak a language other than English and may not be comfortable conversing with other families in English. Consider offering meetups in multiple languages that represent the student population, and make a point to reach out to specific families that may be interested in these.

  • Try intentional grouping: If family meetups attract a large group of parents/caregivers, try dividing up the group into breakout rooms based on interests, student grade levels, or region to facilitate smaller and more meaningful conversations.

  • Experiment with staffing: Schools can experiment with having a staff member present during these meetups or having them purely driven by families. Having a member of the school attend may be helpful for facilitation (if needed) and/or note-taking to share back thoughts or takeaways with school leaders. On the other hand, families may not be willing to share openly with staff members present, so allowing them to drive the conversation organically without school staff may be more productive and meaningful.