Written by Paige DeLozier

The power of year-round family engagement in K-12 classrooms

With the support of families and the right family engagement strategies, you can create classroom celebrations and activities that your students will remember, cherish, and learn from throughout the year.

I still remember the day of our school-wide “Holiday Hop,” when my second-grade class represented Kwanzaa. I was thrilled to arrange the beautiful kinara and unity cup at the front of my classroom, ready for the students to arrive. Having prepared for the event, I hoped my students would enjoy learning about this rich tradition as part of their holiday journey down the hallway.

Sure enough, they left with big smiles after dancing to festive music, making black, red, and green beaded necklaces, and reading about Kwanzaa’s beginnings—before hopping to the next classroom to learn about Hanukkah.

More than the decorations, what stood out was the sense of curiosity and inclusion each student experienced. However, I also realized how much more powerful these experiences could be if we partnered more closely with families—not just during the winter holidays, but throughout the year.

If we invite families to share their voices, traditions, and ideas all year, we create truly vibrant classroom communities.

Discover 4 proven strategies to make families feel welcome – Read this blog post

1 – Celebrating community heroes: Recognizing local leaders in the K-12 classroom

Communities thrive because of the everyday individuals driving positive change. Yet, it’s common for schools to repeatedly acknowledge only a select few—often those less directly connected to students’ daily lives.

Imagine if schools also spotlighted the inspiring figures students interact with regularly. From longtime small business owners and elected officials to volunteers making a difference, local heroes come in many forms.

Tips for recognizing community heroes:

• Survey students and families about local role models
• Feature community heroes at assemblies or newsletter spotlights
• Partner with local organizations for school events
• Highlight heroes from diverse backgrounds to reflect your community

2 – Enhancing literacy with family read-alouds and cultural stories

Author Philip Pullman reminds us, “After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.”

Inviting families and community leaders to share stories—whether written or oral—with students is a powerful way to promote literacy, increase family engagement, and build meaningful community partnerships. Storytelling sessions improve student listening skills, auditory comprehension, and questioning abilities. They also inspire empathy and cultural awareness, allowing students to learn about experiences and perspectives different from their own.

How to boost engagement through storytelling:

• Host family story nights or classroom guest speakers.
• Encourage students to interview relatives or local leaders.
• Share stories in multiple languages to reflect your community’s diversity.
• TalkingPoints includes ready-to-use At-Home Learning Activities that make it easy for teachers to share activities families can do at home with their students

3 – Virtual field trips and global learning: Sharing family origins

Field trips are immersive experiences that support curriculum goals and connect classroom learning to the real world. However, organizing traditional field trips can be expensive and time-consuming for many schools.

That’s where virtual field trips for schools shine. Using online tools, you can take students on journeys across the globe—visiting famous sites tied to their family histories or classroom topics—without ever leaving campus. 

This approach not only makes global learning more accessible but it is also an excellent way to incorporate culturally responsive teaching. Invite family members to participate, sharing stories from their own travels or life in other countries to deepen connections and enrich the experience.

Discussion prompts after a virtual field trip:

• What countries and cultures are represented in our classroom or school?
• How many continents do these backgrounds cover?
• What are some famous or meaningful locations from each country or region?

4 – Authentic recipes day: Exploring culture through family food traditions

What would a celebration be without good food? Inviting families to share recipes, snacks, or treats from their culture is a fantastic way to introduce students to holiday traditions and favorite foods from around the world. These cultural food celebrations in schools help everyone learn about each other’s heritage while making family engagement activities more inclusive.

Food contributions are especially meaningful for families who can’t attend in person. Sharing a recipe or a special treat allows them to participate, showcase their culture, and be part of your classroom community.

Ways to include food traditions in the K-12 classroom or virtually:

• Host a tasting event and let students vote on their favorite foods.
• Research and present the story behind each new dish together.
• For virtual classes, organize a recipe swap—send recipe PDFs or images through a platform like TalkingPoints so every student can try them at home.

Bringing people together around food helps create a sense of belonging and ensures every culture’s flavors are celebrated—no matter the season.

5 – Feedback and co-planning: Partnering with families for inclusive celebrations

Of course, the most important part of engaging families in schools is in partnership, gathering feedback, and collaborating to positively impact student outcomes. And culturally-responsive practices rely on school leaders and staff knowing the community well.

Stay connected with families year-round using your TalkingPoints account:

• Create and send polls to gather feedback and answer questions quickly.
• Invite family members to classroom celebrations by attaching PDFs to announcements.
• Share photos and videos of celebrations so those who can’t attend feel included.

See TalkingPoints in action – Watch this 90-second video

Celebrating 10 years of partnership and impact

For a decade, TalkingPoints has supported students, families, and educators through the power of effective family-school partnerships. As an education technology nonprofit, our award-winning communication and family engagement platform has improved outcomes for districts and students across the country.

We connect 9 million+ educators, students, and family members annually and have facilitated more than one billion conversations—building trust, fostering relationships, and fueling student success. Named by Common Sense Education as “the best overall family communication platform for teachers and schools,” TalkingPoints drives measurable gains in attendance and academic achievement, backed by rigorous, causal research.

Join us in building a future where every child has the support they need to thrive.