Smart Source 2015-16 Executive Summary | Page 18

Family, Community, And Student Involvement Establishing community partnerships is a practice schools can use to provide additional resources and programs to students and families. Furthermore, schools should involve families to help them feel connected to the school and promote healthy behaviors at home, and engage students in providing input about programs or policies that impact them at school. One of the ways schools can help ensure family and community involvement is by providing access to facilities to help promote physical activity and help the community feel connected to the school. In general, schools provide greater access to all outdoor facilities as compared to all indoor facilities (Figure 9.1). FIGURE 9.1 Percentage of schools that allow community access to facilities In general, the strategies schools should use for engaging families in health and wellness align with how schools should engage families in any effort: informing families, meeting with families, hosting events for families, and obtaining their input/feedback. In general, secondary schools appear to engage families less than elementary and combined schools (Figure 9.2). Additionally, while over two-thirds of schools provided families with information about school health policies, strategies, and services, fewer schools engaged families at more in-depth levels, such as meeting with parent organizations, hosting health events, and gathering feedback on health and wellness activities. FIGURE 9.2 Percentage of schools with family engagement strategies • 16 •