written by Britney Morgan
The Frederick Douglass High School Parent Center hosted the Douglass Cluster Family Literacy Night Thursday, January, 15, 2015. There were numerous activities for children of all ages including ‘Babies and Toddler Emerging Literacy,’ ‘Pre-Kindergarten Story Time,’ and ‘Middle School- Art as Literacy.’
Elementary students explored web-based tools to strengthen their command of language and literacy. These tools included educational games that promoted fun for the children while reinforcing literacy skills at the same time. Elementary students in attendance came from schools all across the cluster including Woodson, Usher-Collier, Scott, Towns, Fain, Boyd and F.L. Stanton.
Parents and students also attended a vision board party to outline goals for 2015. It was an opportunity for them to express their goals in words and pictures. “ True literacy is beyond reading and writing, it also includes speaking and listening as well as analyzing and making meaning of various media,” said Dr. Tony Lamair Burks II, principal, Frederick Douglass High School. 
The event was a success with attendees which spanned from elementary students to Douglas High School alumni. Stories were shared, books were read and there was collaboration to outline goals for the cluster. “Community collaboration is key to a successful family engagement program. The cluster-wide family literacy night was successful because of great teamwork and cross-cluster collaboration,” said L.Winters-Buford, Douglass Cluster Family Engagement Specialist.
The Douglass Cluster has plans to host regular family engagement events for their community.
For more information about parent engagement in Atlanta Public Schools visit www.atlantapublicschools.us/parents
