For this webinar series, participants will automatically be enrolled in all 5 sessions.

Speaker

Dana Gastich French, M.A., Founder & Lead Consultant, UpRiver Education

Description

UpRiver Education presents a 5-part series, From Engagement to Partnership, exploring strategies for fostering meaningful home-school connections with all caregivers. Grounded in the Beyond the Bakesale framework and culturally and linguistically responsive models, this series equips K-12 educators with tools to cultivate authentic partnerships supporting student success.

To receive PDPs and CEUs, participants must attend all 5 sessions and successfully pass a quiz following Session 5. Following the live webinar, registrants will be emailed a link to view the recorded webinar. The recording will be made available for 7 days after each session.

This session explores the differences between engagement and partnership in the context of home-school connections. Participants will analyze the nuances of each approach and identify strategies for moving from engagement to genuine partnership with caregivers.

Participants will learn strategies for building strong relationships with families from diverse backgrounds. This session emphasizes the importance of trust and connection in nurturing authentic partnerships and creating a supportive learning environment for all students.

This session explores ways to bridge the gap between home and school environments to support student learning. Participants will discover techniques for effectively linking home experiences with classroom instruction, promoting meaningful engagement and academic success.

We will address the importance of cultural competence in working with diverse families. This session provides practical strategies for addressing cultural and linguistic differences while promoting inclusivity, ensuring that all caregivers feel valued and respected within the school community.

Understand the significance of supporting advocacy and sharing power with caregivers in the education process. Participants will explore ways to empower families to advocate for their children’s needs and participate in decision-making, fostering a sense of ownership and partnership in student success.

About the Speaker

Dana Gastich French, M.A., founder and lead consultant for UpRiver Education, has 20+ years of experience educating and advocating for emergent multilingual students. Her work in teaching, coaching and leadership roles has afforded her the experience and perspective to understand both the pedagogical and system-level practices needed to maximize outcomes for multilingual learners. Ms. Gastich French supports districts, universities and state agencies with training, coaching, ESL curriculum, and consultation. Popular topics include sheltered instruction, ESL team training, and leadership support for ELE programming. Further, she has experience evaluating district data, policies and practices to develop and enact multi-year strategic plans for district improvement. Ms. Gastich French co-authored the text Teaching English Language Learners: Content and Language in Secondary Classrooms, which has served as a staple for Massachusetts level educator preparation programs. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, three children, two pups and a tortoise. Go to uprivereducation.com to learn more and find out how you can reach out to bring Dana to your district.

Membership Information

Most MPY webinars are available ONLY to current staff from member districts and organizations. Public school memberships include police and fire personnel. Former and retired employees and members of committees, including but not limited to, PTO/PTA, PAC, School Improvement Councils, Health Councils, Drug/Alcohol Councils, and school volunteers, are not considered MPY members.

PDPs and CEUs

MPY is an approved Professional Development Provider through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (Provider No. F20180079). Professional Development Points (PDPs) are offered for most MPY professional development webinars. PDPs are issued in 10 hour increments, per DESE requirements.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for clinical staff through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association, Inc. (MaMHCA). The NASW and the MaMHCA approve each event individually. CEUs may be given in hourly increments.

To receive PDPs and CEUs, participants must pass the quiz.

Event Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to attend a MPY webinar you must cancel, through Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org, one business day before the webinar.

For MPY hybrid conferences, the date in-person registration closes will be posted on MPY’s website. Virtual conference registration will close one business day before the hybrid conference. You cannot cancel or switch your registration from in-person to virtual after in-person registration closes. Please email Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org with any questions regarding registration.

 

Register

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If you are seeking to receive CEUs and/or PDPs, please click Register Now. Once you complete the webinar series, you will be able to take quizzes for CEUs and/or PDPs. Upon completion of each quiz, you will receive a certificate.

All sessions are 9:30 am – 11:30 am.

  • Session 1: January 10, 2025, Engagement vs. Partnership: Understanding the Distinction
    Session 2: January 17, 2025, Building Relationships: Fostering Trust and Connection
    Session 3: January 24, 2025, Linking to Learning: Connecting Home and School
    Session 4: January 31, 2025, Addressing Differences: Cultivating Cultural Competence
    Session 5: February 7, 2025, Supporting Advocacy and Sharing Power: Empowering Caregivers