By Melanie Slone
Parents, you have options if you want to reach out to your children’s school or teacher, even if you don’t speak English or don’t understand how the system works. You can always reach out to your school’s community liaison, family liaison, or parent liaison. You can also get food and health assistance through programs linked to your children’s school.
Community, family, or parent liaisons bridge the three worlds of home, school and community for students and parents or guardians making sure, “parents can effectively engage and be a true part of their child’s education, knocking down the barriers and obstacles that might prevent that,” says Kiki Bispo, Family & Community Engagement (FACE) Network Lead in Vista Unified.
Programs that work through community or parent liaisons also connect families with resources or with community partners. Each district has its own program and liaisons.
“The work being done in our community schools is so important to student success,” says Rosana Martinez, the lead community school coordinator for Oceanside Unified School District. “Removing barriers to learning for our families and offering a direct connection to their education is making a difference. We have seen great success in our partnership with parents.”
Escondido School District
Escondido School District (elementary level) has a family liaison at each of the 26 schools. They include family engagement centers with resources including clothing and supplies for basic needs. The program leverages the power of social agencies with the ease of using schools to bring everything together in one place.
All family liaisons are bilingual and bicultural, working in both English and Spanish. There are also social workers and counselors, and immigration status is not a barrier. Everyone is welcome to participate.
These programs also allow parents to be part of the decision-making process at their children’s schools. It may be easier for them to talk to a liaison than to a teacher or principal. Getting involved makes learning easier for their kids and helps them do better in school.
The district Spanish-language interpreter is Dionicio Baca.
Find your Escondido school family liaison.
Escondido Family Liaisons
- Do outreach through calls, texts, emails, and at enrollment and orientation days
- Welcome families and help them enroll their students
- Help parents understand the school system and participate in events
- Provide training through Latino Literacy program to encourage families to read bilingual books that celebrate culture
- Support outreach and education classes
- Link families with transportation, housing, food, mental health, and basic needs
Vista Unified School District
Vista Unified School District has 29 community liaisons, an early childhood education fair to promote preschool, and links with community service programs. Kiki Bispo encourages all parents to learn the education system at all levels so they can support their kids.
The district Spanish interpreters are Marcela Ramos and Maria Fernandez.
Find your Vista community liaisons.
Vista Community Liaisons
- Ensure parents understand the school system in English and Spanish
- Make sure families can communicate effectively with the school and teachers, principal, counselor
- Empower parents to act in committees
- Connect families with resources and partners
- Provide workshops or presentations for parents
- Walk parents through the school platform
- Send mass emails, texts before events
- Help families in the parking lot at pick up and drop off
Oceanside Unified School District
Under the leadership of Rosana Martinez, each of the six schools under the Oceanside Community School Initiative offers a unique program, including student- and family-centered hubs. The goal is to improve student outcomes.
The six community schools offer health services, basic needs such as food distribution, and partners with enrichment activities for students.
At the district level, Diane Kemp López and her team provide free translation and interpretation support for families, so language is never a barrier. Diane is certified in community interpretation and works with parents in Spanish regarding events, policies, and district functions.
San Marcos Unified School District
Anileydi (Ani) Diaz-Chavez is the San Marcos Unified Parent Liaison. She connects families with student enrollment support and afterschool program information, as well as organizing workshops and resource fairs.
Ani can guide parents through a hands-on practice on school platforms so parents can access grades and check assignments in their chosen language.
Students and families in the district can connect to medical, dental, and food services through San Marcos Elementary. The district also has six schools with bilingual community liaisons. Ani encourages parents to reach out in any way they can. Every little bit helps their students succeed in school and in their future.
Anileydi (Ani) Diaz-Chavez: anileydi.diaz-chavez@smusd.org
The district Spanish interpreter is Oliver Soufi.
