COURSE OVERVIEW

The research is clear: kids thrive when schools and families partner to support student success.  How do you engage hard-to-reach families and what are the practical steps you can take to collaborate with the families for school improvement?

In this Professional Learning Community style course we’ll explore those questions and lessons from Ari Gerzon-Kessler’s book On the Same Team, Bringing Educators and Underrepresented Families Together (provided to participants at no cost).

Participants will have a chance to share and learn about what’s working across Alaska and will be expected to support a family-educator team project.

Target Audience:  School leadership, including administrators, teachers and school staff and family leaders with a desire to strengthen partnership between home and school. We strongly recommend you take this course with at least one other person from your school or district (for collaboration and support)..

Live online sessions Tuesdays: Sep 22, Oct 6, Nov 3, Dec 1, Jan 5, Feb 2, Mar 2, Apr 6

All sessions will take place from 4:15-6:15pm. 

Attendance is required for credit.

Credit: One optional 500-level UAA Credit is available.  Pass/No Pass

Credit registration is separate and will be provided to participants in November.  Karin Halpin will confirm your credit eligibility. 

Participants who successfully complete all activities will receive credit.  During the synchronous sessions, presenters will present content, share research findings, and model instructional strategies. Participants will interact through structured opportunities to chat, collaborate in break-out rooms, engage in partner discussions, and demonstrate understanding with the use of whiteboards and polls.

Assignments will be directly related to the content in both the synchronous and asynchronous sessions and will include activities to integrate course content into the classroom.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

  • This PLC begins September 22, 2026 and ends April 13, 2027
  • The registration deadline is November 2, 2026.  Late registrations are not accepted.

FEES

No cost to participate in this PLC.  

*UAA credits and books are available at no cost to participants in Aleutians East Borough, Anchorage, Bering Strait, Craig, Dillingham, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kodiak, Kashunamiut, Lower Kuskokwim, Lower Yukon, Nome, North Slope Borough, and Northwest Arctic Borough school districts. 

PRESENTERS

Emily Ferry: As the coordinator of the Alaska Family Engagement Center, Emily works with school districts and families across the state to improve family engagement practices.  The Alaska Family Engagement Center is a statewide hub for family-school partnership tools and training hosted by the Association of Alaska School Boards.

Karin Halpin: Karin has carried her passion of strengthening partnerships between home and school during her 27 year career in education in Alaska.  She brings the lens of teacher, coach, and administrator to the conversation.

Mollissa Udevitz:  Molissa has a decade of experience teaching, facilitating, and leading programs in partnership with schools across the state.