Possip Spotlight: Portland Remote Academy’s Focus on Virtual STEAM Education

As you end this school year and prepare for the next, gain inspiration from Remote Academy’s virtual STEAM education partnerships!

You’ve maybe heard of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education, but what about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education? Like STEM, STEAM education creates opportunities for students to creatively and critically learn, but unlike STEM, STEAM places an emphasis on the arts too.

Throughout the school year, Possip partner, Remote Academy, in Portland, Maine, partnered with two local organizations (Mini Med School and Side x Side) to provide students with virtual STEAM education. Mini Med School gave students the opportunity to learn from Tufts Medical School students through 20-minute virtual lessons. These lessons covered health and wellness, in addition to pathways into medicine. Meanwhile, Side x Side, a local nonprofit, worked with Master Teachers to provide art lessons within an integrated curriculum. Both these programs were introduced and managed by teacher leaders in Portland Remote Academy’s programs.

We talked to Portland Remote Academy Elementary Teacher Leader, Annie Dalphin, about the importance of STEAM. And she put it this way:

“At the heart of STEAM education is creative problem solving. Sometimes it’s figuring out how using the arts can help you tell your COVID-19 story in a new way. Sometimes it’s learning about nutrition and careers in the medical field, meeting an engineering challenge, or using data to understand a social issue better. At its core, STEAM education is about empowering students to be problem solvers to make the world a better place.”

Annie also told us about the impact of STEAM on their students, teachers, and families.

How do these programs impact enrollment and engagement?

Online school can be monotonous, so having real-world partners to engage our students is a breath of fresh air for the students and the teachers. Both of these partnerships are important because they engage students over time, with multiple visits. This allows students to build relationships and time to think of questions and ways to be leaders of their own learning. This has led to very high engagement and attendance on days that the community partners are with us!

How have they helped your families and students?

These programs make our students’ lives better through empowerment. To support Mini Med School, we purchased over 300 single-use stethoscopes and distributed them to our remote students. We drove them to the students’ homes and left them on the doorstep when necessary. These students bring their stethoscopes to every online session, ready to learn about pathways to success in the medical field. Side X Side provided free art materials, standing out in the cold on a pick-up night to make sure every student got what they needed to participate in the art lessons that would help them tell their stories. The integrated art curriculum helped students make their learning visible in a unique way.

Do you have any tips or advice you’d share with other school leaders interested in building similar partnerships?

Stay local if you can. Local organizations are motivated to make long-term connections with your students, which is the key to successful engagement. Also, trust and listen to your educators who bring ideas to you, and/or look at local teacher forums. They may already have great ideas for partnerships with local organizations!

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Thanks for the spotlight Annie! Read more Possip partner spotlights here.

Image info: Portland Remote Academy students participating in the Side x Side arts program holding their art up to their computer webcams. Image Source: Portland Remote Academy with permission to use.

The post Possip Spotlight: Portland Remote Academy’s Focus on Virtual STEAM Education appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

Including South Asians in AAPI Heritage Month

Possip intern and Emory University senior, Isha Soni, reflects on including South Asians in AAPI Heritage Month.

In elementary school, when I told people I was Indian and from Asia, it always came with some kind an explanation of what it means to be Asian. Sometimes the explanation came from me, but I would often hear my peers tell me, “That’s not really Asian.”

The only context that most of my peers had heard of any type of Indian person was when we were being taught American History. They weren’t thinking of me, they were thinking of Indigenous Americans. It was hard to feel like my identity did not exist to them. With no mention of my cultural identity in school, I did not understand how to explain to them that there was another group of Indian people on the other side of the world in Asia. They seemed to understand who Asian people were and what Asian culture looked like, but I did not fit their pre-existing definitions of either of those. So, I was told, time and time again, that I was not Asian. 

As I got older, South Asian culture became more and more prevalent in the United States.

Indian restaurants were everywhere, I saw more South Asians represented in the media. The population of South Asians in the US more than doubled in a decade. Still, when I got to college, there were two clubs for Asian American Advocacy: one for South Asian students and one for everyone else. As it turns out, the data backs up my anecdotal elementary school experience. Around 45% of White Americans believe that Indian and Pakistani people are not Asian. These sentiments are shared, in part, by many Asian Americans themselves. 15% of Asian Americans believe that South Asians, such as Indians and Pakistanis, are not Asian. 

There continues to be a distinct line drawn between South Asians and East Asians. But, I check the “Asian” box when any paperwork asks about my ethnicity. I consider Asian as part of my identity partially because I don’t really have another choice. If I don’t include being Asian, my cultural identity gets lost; there is no South Asian American Month. 

Violence against South Asians in the United States continues to grow as violence against East and Southeast Asians does.

Initiatives such as AAPI Heritage Month can help educate people about our culture. However, there first needs to be a concerted effort of recognizing, celebrating, and including South Asians in AAPI Heritage Month.

There must be an effort to celebrate South Asian culture as Asian American culture. 

The first thing to know is this: the words South Asian and Desi are often interchangeable, but most South Asian people I know consider themselves Desi first. 

A few ways to celebrate Desi culture in schools include:

• Introduce students to key South Asian Holidays. Some examples include Diwali, Durga Puja, and Eid. 
• Let students try South Asian food from local Indian, Bengali, and Nepali restaurants. 
• Many South Asian students often take cultural dance classes. Give them a space to showcase their culture with dance or music, orr find a YouTube video that does the same. 
• Teach students about aspects of South Asian religions such as Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism. 
• Expose them to traditional South Asian clothes such as sarees, kurtis, and daura.
• Discuss South Asian practices that many Americans know about, such as yoga and meditation, as it relates to South Asian culture.

South Asian culture deserves to not only be acknowledged, but celebrated along with all of the other cultures that make Asia a complex and diverse continent. As Asian Americans, if we neglect any part of Asian culture, then we are neglecting a part of our own. Educating people about all types of Asian American culture during AAPI Heritage Month is important, and it only works if we are deliberate about making the time and space to do so.

Read more Possip team stories on our blog.

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Family Trends from May 17th Through May 23rd

Possip received over 15,000 responses submitted by parents, family members, and caregivers this week. We read all of the praises and insights sent in throughout the week of May 17 through May 23. If your school uses Possip pulse checks, you may have heard about trends from your specific school about trends in your community. It may also be helpful to know what topics other parents are discussing with their school across the country. Possip has schools in 26 states and we want to share our findings from all of our families. Here is a quick summary of family praise and insights from across the country. Here is a quick summary of family trends from May 17th through May 23rd from across the country.

Last week, 71% of families responded that they were happy with their child’s school, with the remaining saying they were mostly happy or not happy with their child’s school.

 

We saw a few positive trends from families across the country:

The praise trend continues to be around family praise for teachers and staff. Families appreciate how teachers have worked so hard during this challenging time and are keeping students safe as they return to in-person school. A few representative comments from actual families this week:

• “ The staff is great, always responsive, from the teachers to the principal, social worker and coaches, I’m so happy my child has these dedicated, bright professionals!”

• “Estoy satisfecho por el aprendizaje que les proporcionan a mis hijos gracias muy feliz con todos los maestros TRANSLATION: I am satisfied with the learning they provide to my children, thank you very happy with all the teachers”

• “Just want to say thank you to all staff for your commitment to educating my children it is greatly appreciated”

• “The staff did an awesome job of navigating through the pandemic. Job well done!”

We also heard families share positive praise for end of year events that are creatively taking place in schools.

• “The choir concert was amazing. Thanks so much to the wonderful teachers and to the students for sharing their voices. I loved hearing love music again!”

• “Our teachers have been beyond helpful throughout the year. So glad we got to have field days!!!”

 

Here are a few of the most frequently discussed feedback for schools across the country:

6% of all Possip recommendations to schools revolved around school reopening plans and requesting information about next school year. Parents discussed this repeat hot topic in great amounts last week through Possip. Families asked about 2021-2022 school year calendars, continued virtual learning options, safety protocols, and school start dates. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:

• “When will we have more clarity on what school will look like next year?”

• “Updates on next year’s opening and a 2021/22 calendar”

• “Why is the next school year starting remotely? It makes it very difficult for families with two working parents.”

• “How are we going to transition back into the school?

• “Will there be a virtual option next school year”
• “Are all schools in person next school year?”

Another 6% of all Possip recommendations to schools this week related to end of year event feedback. Families want to know about graduation ceremonies, providing feedback about the safety of end of year events, and sharing their thoughts about cancelling end of year events.  Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:

• “Are we doing a graduation for 8th grade this year? I would really like to see this happen and not take anymore of their experience away from them. “

• “Not happy with graduation being moved indoors. Unvaccinated people are still at very high risk for coronavirus infection, according to the NY Times and the CDC still recommends avoiding large indoor gatherings. If it must be indoors, how about the civic center where there’s enough room for social distancing?

• “Cuando tendran las graduaciones..TRANSLATION When will they have graduations…”

• “Wish there was a kindergarten graduation, even for virtual students so they feel a sense of accomplishment.”

About 5% of all Possip recommendations to schools this week related to returning technology to schools. Families wanted to know if they had to return iPads, laptops, and other technology products and what the logistics were for that process. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:

• “Do they return virtual laptops and hotspots?” 

• “When to return laptops” 

• “Las computadoras se las van a dejar? TRANSLATION: Are the computers going to be dropped off with you?

• “Info on where/how to return laptops”

 

4% of all Possip recommendations to schools this week related to communicating grades and academic progress to families. Families discussed wanting more communicating in regards to academic progress, sending grade updates to families, and updating grades online in a timely fashion. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:

• “You’ve handled the most challenging year with consideration and grace. Thank you. Please encourage teacher to grade and update Schoology regularly and OFTEN. This happens for the most part but if I don’t know how my child truly is performing I can’t partner or parent properly. “

• “Cómo estuvo en las clases mí escolar TRANSLATION How was my student in classes”

• “Since all the grading appears to be being done electronically, it would be helpful to have the all the assignments for each quarter posted on powerschool at the beginning of the quarter. Some teachers post assignments a little early and some the day they are due, but others wait until a 0 has been given to add to powerschool.”

• “Frustrated that Social Studies grades weren’t posted until yesterday.”

 

Here is a parent resource that may be helpful based on what we are hearing.

• Possip Blog: How To Send Your Child’s Teacher Feedback 

 

We also shared these resources with our partner schools…

 

• Possip Blog: 3 Key Points to Sharing Academic Progress with Families
• Possip Blog: 4 Tips for Communicating Academic Progress 

 

We’d love to hear from you. What else do you need or want to see? Do these parent praise and insights align with what you see?

The post Family Trends from May 17th Through May 23rd appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

AAPI Families and Education Equality in the United States

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) activists have a longstanding history of expressing solidarity with global civil rights and liberation movements. Through activists, we’ve seen substantial changes in our nation’s history. A crucial component in movements is not only the leaders and activists we become acquainted with, but the litigation challenging the status quo. Today, we are sharing two cases involving AAPI families and education equality.

 

Before Brown v. Board determined school segregation to be unconstitutional, there was Tape v. Hurley.

 

Tape v. Hurley

California. September 1884. Joseph and Mary Tape attempt to enroll their eight-year-old daughter, Mamie Tape, in a primary school in San Francisco. The affluent Tapes lived in a primarily white neighborhood and hoped to enroll their daughter in their neighborhood school. However, court-backed racism hindered their attempts to enroll Mamie.

 

When the Tape’s tried to enroll Mamie in their neighborhood school (Spring Valley Primary School) the Principal, Jennie Hurley, touted a school board anti-Chinese policy to prevent them from enrolling her. 

 

When they filed a lawsuit against Hurley and the San Francisco School Board, they won. However, the fight was far from over.

 

The Tape’s, who migrated to the US as young children, were prepared to continue fighting for what was right.

 

The school district was ultimately able to keep Mamie out of Spring Valley Primary School. San Francisco opened schools for Chinese students only, and administrators continued to find legal loopholes to prevent Mamie from enrolling.

 

While Mamie Tape never attended Spring Valley Primary School, more and more Chinese children were able to attend white schools in San Francisco. 

 

The San Francisco school system was finally integrated in 1971, nearly two centuries after the Tape’s first challenged it. However, discriminatory practices still limited Chinese students’ educations.

 

The Tape’s unwillingness to fold to Spring Valley’s racist policies helped set the stage for other litigation that fought against discriminatory education.

 

Lau v. Nichols

 

California. January 1974. All classes in San Francisco schools were taught exclusively in English. Despite this, less than half of Chinese students received supplemental English instruction. This left many students, including Kinney Kinmon Lau, struggling in the classroom.

 

The Lau’s—immigrants from Hong Kong—were approached by lawyer Edward H. Steinman to get involved in a class-action suit against the San Francisco Unified School District. Kinney’s mother Kam Wai Lau agreed to join the legal battle after teachers at her son’s school told her “she had to do something for herself” when she complained about the language barriers.

 

The Lau’s—along with 13 other plaintiffs—sued the district for a violation of the 14th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

 

The Supreme Court handed down a unanimous decision that San Francisco schools’ language policy violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It stated that federally funded school systems were responsible for resolving language deficiencies. 

 

Although the history of education equality rarely highlights the Lau’s story, it remains a key turning point for English as a Second Language (ESL) students. It established the precedent that schools provide some form of bilingual instruction or supplemental English to support non-English speaking students.

 

Implications for Today

The Tape and Lau cases remind us of the power of parent and family voices. Both legal battles started with a parent wanting a better education for their child. The Tape’s wanted desegregated schools, and the Lau’s wanted better support for non-English speaking students. While their primary motivation was their children, the Tape and Lau families’ courage impacted thousands of Chinese students in the San Francisco area. Their cases also established precedents that impacted equal education in the United States as a whole.

 

This is just a glimpse into the story of AAPI families and education equality. As AAPI Heritage Month is coming to an end, we want to continue to celebrate these everyday heroes and the impact of their legacies on us today. 

The post AAPI Families and Education Equality in the United States appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

10 Trends in Feedback this Year Leaping Forward by Looking Back

Join us on Wednesday, May 12 from 4-5pm CST for a virtual town hall to learn the top feedback trends from this school year. A panel of parents and educators, including Possip’s CEO Shani Dowell, will discuss their reactions to this year’s top trends. Register today!

The post 10 Trends in Feedback this Year Leaping Forward by Looking Back appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

Family Trends from May 10th Through April 17th

Possip received over 23,000 responses submitted by parents, family members, and caregivers this week. We read all of the praises and insights sent in throughout the week of May 10th through May 17th. If your school uses Possip pulse checks, you may have heard about trends from your specific school about trends in your community. It may also be helpful to know what topics other parents are discussing with their school across the country. Possip has schools in 26 states and we want to share our findings from all of our families. Here is a quick summary of family trends from May 10th through May 17th from across the country.

Last week, 81% of families responded that they were happy with their child’s school, with the remaining saying they were mostly happy or not happy with their child’s school.

 

We saw a few positive trends from families across the country:

The majority of praises from families continue to be for teachers and all the work they do. Families appreciate how teachers have worked so hard during this challenging time and are keeping students safe as they return to in-person school. A few representative comments from actual families this week:

• “ I praise them for being able to keep staff and students safe during this pandemic”

• “I’ll praise the teachers!! I know it’s not easy but keep up the wonderful work!”

• “Given the last year that we’ve had, I truly commend the teachers and administrators for all that they’ve done to try to make virtual/hybrid learning experience less challenging given the circumstances”

• :Continue to do a great job with the many trials & challenges the teachers were faced with! I’m thankful!”

 

Here are the top two most frequently discussed feedback for schools across the country:

11% of all Possip recommendations to schools revolved around school reopening plans and requesting information about next school year. Families are asking about 2021-2022 school year calendars, continued virtual learning options, safety protocols, and school start dates. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:

• “Has any decisions been made for the coming school year

• “Will school reopen in September?”

• “maybe let the parents decide whether they want their children to do virtual, in-school, or mix of both”

• “I’m concerned that you won’t provide school based virtual options for students in the fall. I’m still not comfortable sending my child in person and at the same time I wouldn’t want him to attend a centralized virtual academy”

• “Where can I find the new calendar school for next year?”

• “When will school start next year? Will it be in person? Ensuring safety protocols.”

 

11% of all Possip recommendations to schools this week related to academic needs. Families discussed wanting more communicating in regards to academic progress, sending grade updates to families, missing assignments, and providing more academic support for struggling students. Families asked questions about more tutoring options for students, questions about their student’s academic progress or grade. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:

• “Si como van mis niñas en las notas? Translated: Yes how are my girl’s grades?”

• “More teacher communication especially if kid not turning work in.”

• “Teachers need to keep in touch with the parents more”

• “More parent teacher conference especially now that there virtual learning so the parents can know what’s going on with school work. Etc.”

• “To be more transparent when It comes to the kids grades and missing assignments”

• “Would be nice to get progress reports”

• “Students need more tutors.”

• “How will we know what our kids didn’t learn this year and last? What standards weren’t addressed?”

 

Here are a few suggested parent tools and resources based on what we are hearing.

• Possip Blog: Virtual Learning or In-Person Learning: The Parent Decision 
• Possip Blog (specially for families with students who have an IEP that need academic support): Navigation Your Child’s Needs & IEP In a Virtual World 

 

We also shared these resources with our partner schools…

 

• Possip Blog: 5 Tips to Support Student’s Academic Growth
• Possip Blog: 3 Key Points to Sharing Academic Progress with Families
• Possip Blog: 3 Keys To A Reopening Plan That Parents Can Support 

 

We’d love to hear from you. What else do you need or want to see? Do these parent praise and insights align with what you see?

The post Family Trends from May 10th Through April 17th appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

Family Trends from May 3rd Through May 10th

Possip received almost 7,000 responses submitted by parents, family members, and caregivers this week. We read all of the praises and insights sent in throughout the week of May 3 through May 10. If your school uses Possip pulse checks, you may have heard about trends from your specific school about trends in your community. It may also be helpful to know what topics other parents are discussing with their school across the country. Possip has schools in 26 states and we want to share our findings from all of our families. Here is a quick summary of family trends from May 3rd through May 10th in praise and insights.

 

Last week, 85% of families responded that they were happy with their child’s school, with the remaining saying they were mostly happy or not happy with their child’s school.

 

We saw a few positive trends from families across the country:

Shout-outs and praise for teachers and all they do for their students. Families shared praise for teachers still being effective instructors during this difficult time and appreciation for the support teachers gave students over the year. A few representative comments from actual families this week:

• “As a parent, we do appreciate the effort made to keep the learning- teaching process going well. Your supply of teaching aids is great. Thank you so much for all the hard work & relentless commitment”

• “My child’s teachers go above and beyond to keep him engaged in class, while juggling needs from other students. He is learning and retaining a lot of information. I can see his academic growth.”

• “My daughter comes home everyday saying how she had a great day and how much fun she had! I appreciate how the teachers have gone above and beyond during such crazy times.”

Praises from families that improvements in carline or drop-off and pick-up procedures for schools that have reopened.

• “So appreciative of how quick and efficient you all are with drop off and pick up, while working hard to keep the kids safe.”

 

Here are the most frequently discussed feedback for schools across the country:

8% of all Possip recommendations to schools revolved around COVID safety measures and school safety protocols. Families are sharing feedback about quarantine procedures, questions about vaccination requirements, comments about masks, and communication about COVID cases. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:

• “”When will vaccinated parents be allowed to visit the school? As a parent of a kindergartner who has never seen the inside of the school, this would be nice :)”

• “Too many quarantines and slips of no proper student tracking. Student sitting close to a positive case who was pulled from class was never told to quarantine.”

• “I’d like to see the mask go.”

• “Please send a note home with children that have been selected for COVID testing advising the parents the child was tested – even if there was a negative result. 

 

5% of all Possip recommendations to schools this week related to curriculum feedback. Families shared feedback and ideas for ways to make the school curriculum more effective. We heard specific feedback about projects being assigned close to testing that leads to student burnout, requests to decrease screen time and laptop use, and feedback about specific classroom curriculum. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:

• “More essay instruction in english

• “Too many big projects in between testing and closing out the year. Kids are already burnt out. Make the projects smaller or give regular work”

• “Continued usage of YouTube videos in replacement of true teaching…”

 

4% of all Possip recommendations to schools this week related to information requests and questions about next school year. Families want to hear updates on what the plan is for next year in terms of reopening, COVID procedures, and grade level transition processes. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:

• “I would like to hear from teachers as to how they think the all-remote option is working, what can be improved, and what is planned for next year. “

• “For those students who will be getting new teachers next year it would be nice to have a sort of get-together with them so the students and parents could know a little of what to expect for next year.”
• “I would love more information about transitioning from 6th grade to high school. I wish there was more information for parents.”

• “Any news yet on whether kids will go back full time next year?”

 

Here are a few suggested parent tools and resources based on what we are hearing.

• Possip Blog: 5 Ways Families Can Support School Communication
• Possip Blog: How to Support Students Emotionally With Returning to School 

 

We also shared these resources with our partner schools…

 

• Possip Blog: Messaging to Families During Difficult Decisions
• Possip Blog: How Schools Are Communicating (Tips for Communication of Next Year Information)

 

We’d love to hear from you. What else do you need or want to see? Do these parent praise and insights align with what you see?

The post Family Trends from May 3rd Through May 10th appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

In a Year of Pandemic Job Loss for Working Mothers, I Found Support from a Women-Owned and Led Company

Sara Peters wrote this personal story on the impact of the pandemic on working mothers. We wanted to share it through other outlets. That process reminded us that often the voices of mothers are quieted. So this Mother’s Day we wanted to celebrate mothers. We also wanted to remember the ways we can make our country and world better for moms. Thank you to Possip team member Sara Peters for having the desire and conviction to share her story.

This story is so important. As a company that works in education, we saw the impact through the stories of hundreds of thousands of parents and caregivers. Many teachers and school and district leaders are also moms. So they were navigating the challenges of parenting – and educating. We hope you find some appreciation for yourself if you were a working mother. Or we hope you find some policy ideas no matter what.

My story as a working mother could have ended with pandemic job loss in March 2020 as it did for many working mothers — here’s why it did not. – Sara Peters

My story is not unique. In the midst of pandemic job loss, millions of American women know my story all too well.

One year ago, March 2020, I was a working mother.  While I worked part-time, I had a balance that worked for my family of five.  My three young children were in school, and I had a network of support—friends, caregivers and activities– to help me juggle it all.

However, the part of my story that IS unique is the ending. 

Over the first 10 months of the pandemic, at year’s end in 2020, 5.4 million American women had lost their jobs.  This is 1 million more lost jobs than men during the same time.  Many articles circulate about the disproportionate impact of pandemic job loss–on women, especially women of color, who have faced the most job loss due to systemic racism.  There are a multitude of reasons for this– women are over-represented in the service sector, which continued to take a significant hit due to Covid-19 related closures.  According to a study by the Center for American Progress, 13 percent of total jobs lost in the recession were in healthcare and education—where women represent 77 percent of employees.

But for women across all sectors, caregiving responsibilities suddenly forced many of them out of the workforce.  Mothers, in particular, had to absorb childcare and schooling responsibilities when all the supports around us crumbled.  Mothers of small children have experienced pandemic job loss at three times the rate of fathers in the pandemic. In fact, mothers of children 12 years old and younger lost nearly 2.2 million jobs between just February and August 2020.

Why am I not a part of this statistic?  Why am I still a working mother today?  I can count myself among the ranks of the still-employed because the Founder & CEO of my company is also a woman. 

How exactly did this fact translate into me not losing my job?

When my children’s schools closed their doors, I found myself, like so many mothers, an all-of-a-sudden societal safety net.  I immediately picked up the schooling duties for a 5^th grader, 1^st grader and preschooler, and additional household responsibilities, and quickly realized it was simply untenable.

And this is where my story could have ended. 

Instead, I took a leave of absence, which was met with implicit understanding by my company’s leader, who is also a mother to school aged children.  When we realized we were all in this for the long haul, I extended this leave of absence through the summer.  I was able to step back, without having to step completely away.

As some normalcy resumed, and schools began to re-open, Possip met me with flexibility and understanding. I was able to resume work in a reduced capacity, but not at reduced responsibility. This grace and support shows me the appreciation I receive as a multi-dimensional person. My motherhood is not deemed a complication; it is an asset. 

I realize I’m fortunate. This pandemic could have derailed my career permanently. I had the financial flexibility to actually be able step back from working.  And I’m tremendously fortunate that I work for a woman-run small business.  I have benefitted firsthand from the “trickle down” benefit of working for a female entrepreneur.  March was Women’s History Month. This month we are celebrating Mother’s Day. In these times and beyond, it’s important to consider the inequity in the workforce. I believe there are takeaways from my story that can help others. As we rebuild as a society, we can ask:

What can companies do now to mitigate the fallout from the “she-cession” for working mothers?

1. Listen to what working mothers need.  Ask working mothers – “how can we support you to be successful?”  As we create the post-Covid workplace, consider things like flexible schedules and thinking outside of the confines of the  traditional 5-day work week and 8-5 workday.  Create company policies that make working and motherhood not just possible, but sustainable.  
2. Support women NOT only in the workforce, but support women in leadership.  With the exodus of women leaving the workforce today, there will be less female leadership tomorrow.  Create intentional pathways for women to succeed and advance up the proverbial latter. 

The decisions companies make today, will have lasting, life-altering outcomes for women, families, working mothers, and the economy down the road. 

Families are stronger when women succeed in the workplace.  Companies benefit from female representation at all levels.  Research from McKinsey shows that company profits can be close to 50 percent higher when women are well represented at the top. Beyond that, as evidenced in my case, women have an immense impact on a company’s culture.

My CEO, Shani Dowell, the CEO of Possip, created an intentional culture to support women at all levels. When all norms of the workplace have been upended, let’s embrace this opportunity before us. Let’s create a better and more inclusive workplace for women.

The post In a Year of Pandemic Job Loss for Working Mothers, I Found Support from a Women-Owned and Led Company appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

Possip Family Trends from April 26 Through May 2

Possip received almost 3,000 responses submitted by parents, family members, and caregivers this week. We read all of the praises and insights sent in throughout the week of April 26 through May 2. If your school uses Possip Pulse Checks, you may have heard about trends from your school about trends in your community. Our weekly family nationwide trends blogs can help you know what topics other parents are discussing with schools in 26 states across the country. Here is a quick summary of family praise and insights.

Family Nationwide Trends Wordle

Last week, 84% of families responded that they were happy with their child’s school, with the remaining saying they were mostly happy or not happy with their child’s school.

Family Praise Trends

We saw a few positive family nationwide trends from across the country:

• About 30% of our partner schools sent out bonus questions asking families to share praise for teachers. There were many shout-outs and praises for teachers and all the work they do. We heard families describe their student’s teachers as compassionate, dedicated, motivating, communicative, and caring (just to name a few). A few representative comments from actual families this week are:
  • “So grateful for the Teachers! They go above and beyond to make sure the Children have what they need.”
  • “Son muy importantes para nuestros hijos y un gran empuje en sus estudios Translation: They are very important for our children and a great boost in their studies”
  • “Teachers take on a lot especially now doing virtual school and face to face learning.  I just wanted to let the teachers know that they are TRULY appreciated.  I’m forever grateful and thankful for them. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE xx FAMILY’S HEART.”
• Families also articulated gratitude that their students feel safe post-reopening and gratitude for how campuses are trying to build community during this time. 

Here are the most frequently discussed feedback topics for schools across the country:

Family Feedback Trends

• 8% of all Possip recommendations to schools revolved around increasing communication to families. Families are asking for timely responses, more communication about testing logistics, and clear communication for student quarantine situations. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:
  • “What is the time expectation for returned emails before student/parent follows up?”
  • “It needs to be more communication my daughter did not know what to do all week long while the other kids was testing”
  • “Better communication between the teachers and parents”
  • “Information needs to be sent home when students are quarantined and not a week and a half later.”

• 7% of all Possip recommendations to schools this week related to communicating student academic progress, sending grade updates to families, and providing more academic support for struggling students. Families asked questions about tutoring, summer school programs, and questions about their student’s academic progress or grade. Here are a few representative quotes from families on this topic:
  • “Como esta progresando mi hija Translation: How is my daughter progressing?”
  • “I have a question about tutoring?”
  • “More after school programs and summer school so children can catch up on things they miss or didn’t understand throughout the school year.”
  • “Teachers taking forever to post grades, especially for extra credit that a student worked so hard to complete, so a student has no idea what their actual grade is”
  • “My son is not learning , I don’t know what to do”

Possip Resources

Here are a few suggested parent tools and resources based on these family nationwide trends:

• Possip Resource: 5 Ways Families Can Support School Communication
• Possip Blog: How To Write A Teacher Feedback Email  

We also shared these resources with our partner schools…

• Teacher Appreciation Possip Blog: The Power of Praise during Teacher Appreciation Week and Beyond
• Teacher Appreciation Possip Blog: 10 Ways to Use Possip Praise Quotes During Teacher Appreciation Week
• Possip Blog: 5 Tips to Support Student’s Academic Growth
• Possip Blog: 3 Key Points to Sharing Academic Progress with Families

We’d love feedback from you. What else do you need or want to learn? Do these parent praise and insights align with what you know?

The post Possip Family Trends from April 26 Through May 2 appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.

Baltimore City Public Schools says Possip Texting Platform for Schools Revolutionizes Parent Engagement

Baltimore City Public Schools uses Possip as a texting platform for its district and schools to get feedback from parents through Pulse Checks.

Baltimore City Public Schools values hearing from, and partnering with families. The role of families as partners and contributors to the learning environment was highlighted more than ever during the 2020-2021 school year.

Tina Hike-Hubbard, City Schools’ Chief of Communications, Engagement and Enrollment, says Possip’s multilingual survey texting platform for schools has revolutionized engagement with families. 

We talked to Tina, also a mom of two City Schools students, about what it’s like to parent right now, and how she thinks about communication with families. Baltimore City Public Schools and Possip partnered together to get quick feedback from families on important decisions and projections for enrollment and other programs, increasing family engagement through SMS texting. 

Tina shares more in our conversation about the impact of reaching people equitably and quickly, and the future of communicating with families.

How much engagement did you get from families before Possip?

We partnered with Possip to send our first set of Pulse Checks. We had over 18,000 responses in a week, and now that we’ve sent several surveys we’ve heard from 30,000 people. It has revolutionized the way I think about how we engage with our families. That has been the biggest response we’ve ever had.

The real-time immediate feedback and easy to use platform benefits our district and, most importantly, our families. While surveys are good tools, the use of SMS surveys removes barriers for families that have traditionally been underrepresented. We wanted to also make sure that families had multiple ways to share feedback. So Possip was a game changer.

You mentioned that with Possip’s texting platform for schools you get results faster than ever before. How has this been impactful?

Possip gave us a new tool to get info to and from families. We knew using a texting platform for schools in multiple languages was a way to reach out to families. We want to continue to get their feedback about summer school metrics, safety, etc. These are really key questions we need to make decisions for… as a district, Possip’s Pulse Checks allowed us to make real decisions in real time.

We are taking parent input into consideration. Not only are we getting information from them really quickly, Possip data helped us frame strategy, decision making, and more. It also allowed us to share back with the public what we heard from them, which is important to stakeholders.

As you move into next year, how will Possip help?

A City Schools parent said, ‘You guys have done so well communicating with us. Asking our opinion, and keeping us informed this entire pandemic… you can’t stop doing that!’ To me, her comment was a compliment– she felt more informed than ever before and her opinion had been taken into consideration. As parents and stakeholders, we’ve gotten used to a new way of engagement, communication, transparency, and investment in us.  Building on this sentiment is a part of the new comms plan for the year.

Because of the pandemic and virtual learning, parents have gotten their first birds eye view into what districts across the country are teaching. Parents might experience a sense of loss as schools reopen, and we’ve got to be responsive to that. We want to keep parents informed on progress monitoring as well as district initiatives, opportunities, and resources. We must examine lessons learned during the pandemic, and what has changed. I think the way we communicate with families has been monumentally changed forever.

Thanks Tina and Baltimore City Public Schools for the feature! Click the links to learn more about City Schools and Possip.

The post Baltimore City Public Schools says Possip Texting Platform for Schools Revolutionizes Parent Engagement appeared first on Possip | Parent Engagement Platform | School Feedback App.