Family Engagement

The Kent Community Success program has a goal to strengthen family-school connection for families in 21st CCLC program, with focus on families furthest from educational opportunity, with the following objectives:

  • All family events reflect interests of families in the program as measured on surveys and CBO input
  • At least 75% of regular attendees will have a family member attend at least one family event.
  • No disparity in family participation as a function of race, ethnicity, or MLL status.

In 2024-25, each site hosted family events for program participants and their families. Mill Creek hosted seven family events, Neely-O’Brien had three events, and River Ridge hosted five events. Mill Creeks’ events focused on cultural celebrations (Hispanic Heritage event, March Iftar, and Multicultural Night), Neely-O’Brien’s events focused on community (Building Community and Community Meeting event), and River Ridge’s events included STEAM Night, River Ridge Hobbies and Recreation, Multicultural Night, and a July Celebration. See Table 5 for more details on each site’s family events.

Sites used different approaches to gathering family input to inform family events. At two sites (Mill Creek and River Ridge), family event surveys provided family feedback on events, including what families liked, what could have been better, if they would like to have the event again in the following year, and what topics they are interested in for future family events. Additionally, site coordinators talked with families to hear their ideas and suggestions for programming and family events. Two community meetings at Neely O’Brien focused on gathering family input and planning with families.

Table 5: Family Events with Number of Participants (for 2024-25 events)

  Mill Creek Neely-O'Brien River Ridge
2022-23 10 events 7 events 5 events
2023-24 7 events 5 events 5 events
2024-25

6 events:

  1. July Celebration (8)
  2. Hispanic Heritage Event (59)
  3. Mental Health Event (22)
  4. March Iftar Event (56)
  5. Humanity Film Festival (50)
  6. Multicultural Night (76)

3 events:

  1. School Family Event with info table
  2. Building Community Event - planning with parents (11)
  3. Community Meeting Event - planning with parents (13)

4 events:

  1. Summer Community Celebration (10)
  2. STEAM Night (120)
  3. River Ridge Hobbies and Recreation (233)
  4. Multicultural Night (150)

Families of regular attendees attend at least one event: The Kent Community Success program has an objective of engaging all families in family events, that specifies 75% of regular attendees will have a family member attend at least one family event, with no disparity in family participation as a function of race, ethnicity, or MLL status. Current datasets do not permit evaluators to access data on family event attendance specific to regular attendees (this data is gathered through a centralized system as part of the statewide 21st CCLC evaluation) or demographic data (race, ethnicity, or MLL status) about families. As a result, the measure was adjusted to provide unduplicated counts for the total number of adults that attended at least one family event during the program year. At Mill Creek, 108 adult family members attended at least one event. At Neely-O’Brien, 14 adult family members attended at least one event, and at River Ridge, 25 adult family members attended at least one event.