RESOURCES
PROMISING PRACTICES FROM SCHOOLS
FAMILY
ENGAGEMENT
CELEBRATING
CULTURE
VIDEO
REPRESENTATIVE
IMAGERY
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FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Clinton, MD
At St. John the Evangelist, Hispanic student enrollment has increased from 18% to 35% since 2018 when they first participated in Bridges for Schools. They applied their Bridges for Schools grant towards an hourly stipend for a native Spanish-speaking parent who serves as a Latino Liaison or “madrina" for the school. She walks alongside families, provides translation when needed, invites parents and family members to participate in school activities, and builds bridges between new families and the rest of the school. She also coordinates a parent support group for families to interact and mentor newcomers. The principal and pastor meet with the Spanish-speaking parents each semester to ensure they have access to resources they need to support their children’s education. This is a relationship-building approach to authentic family engagement.
CELEBRATING CULTURE AS A GIFT
ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Philadelphia, PA
St. Rose of Lima Catholic School partnered with a muralist to enrich their school building with murals that are representative of the cultural backgrounds of their students. These beautiful images of St. Rose of Lima and St. Martin de Porres will be incorporated into the school curriculum, as students learn about the remarkable history of Latin America and its saints. Principal Charles Arroyave shared, “Thanks to Bridges for Schools, the inclusive art murals at St. Rose of Lima have fostered a profound sense of belonging for students and the greater community. They are symbols of our deep commitment to diversity and a school culture where all are seen.”
VIDEO
SACRED HEART
Washington DC
Sacred Heart School is a bilingual Catholic school. They hired a professional photographer to capture representative images for their website. They also produced a Spanish language welcome video that features voiceover by a school parent who shares why he chose to send his daughter to Sacred Heart School.
SAN MIGUEL SCHOOL
Washington, DC
San Miguel used the Bridges for Schools grant to hire a professional photographer to capture representative imagery of students and parents for their new website. “As a mother myself, I have watched fellow moms light up the moment they see a professional image of their son — in uniform, in the classroom, on stage. In that instant, they become enthusiastic ambassadors for this school. They want to show everyone they know what San Miguel has done for their boy and what it promises for his future. It is a profound affirmation that their son belongs here and that his story is worth telling." — Katie Barbieri, Director of Institutional Partnerships, San Miguel School
BILINGUAL WEBSITE
ST. ANTHONY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Washington, DC
St. Anthony Catholic School prominently displays an “En Español” tab on their website with an abundance of information translated into Spanish for prospective and current parents. It lists their email address dedicated to Spanish correspondences and a Spanish line phone extension. The parent resources tab also features an FAQ from an inaugural information session in Spanish called “Futuro y Familia” that helped connect directly with parents and identify ways that the school could better engage Spanish-speaking families.
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