About Us
Partners for Appalachian Families
There is a well known African proverb that says “It takes a village to raise a child.” Those of us who have raised children certainly have found this to be true. Nurturing and educating the “whole child” works best when all of the primary adults in a student’s life are supporting and engaging not only with the child, but also with one another.
Partners for Appalachian Families works with schools, families and other state and federal organizations to promote, support, facilitate, and expand family engagement. We believe this is one of the best ways to ensure that all children are provided every opportunity to obtain a safe, inclusive, and appropriate education.
The Benefits of Family Engagement
Family Engagement fosters open communication and stronger support systems, which allows for consistent messaging and support across all realms of a child’s life.
Studies also show that in addition to creating better overall programming, schools that focus on family engagement have improved attendance records, positive behavioral outcomes, and higher rates of job satisfaction.
We know too that children who feel that they are a part of a community more easily form positive connections and relationships as they grow into adults.
The Groundswell Intiative
The Prichard Committee, an organization which focuses on studying and informing educational issues, continues to support Kentucky in increasing educational excellence and equity. In an effort to build and sustain support and resources to reach this goal, the Prichard Committee has launched The Groundswell Initiative.
This new program is focused on improving school and student achievement by creating pathways for sharing knowledge with families and communities and helping to facilitate effective partnerships with schools.
Partners for Appalachian Families, in partnership with Partners for Education, is a regional support organization for The Groundswell Initiative. If you are interested in becoming a part of the Groundswell, you can find additional information here:http://groundswell.prichardcommittee.org/
Browse Our Resources
For Families
Find information about family fun, building partnerships, leadership and more.
For Educators
Browse here to find resources about family engagement best practices, research, and ideas.