family empowerment

2021- 2022 School Year

CONTEXT

The 2021-2022 school year is the fourth full year, and the fifth total, of this innovative work. We expanded throughout the Charlotte area to five more schools and piloted a virtual model with a school in Durham. In total, we supported 12 schools and an estimated 11,600 students and their families. This year’s work focused on family insights, with an increased spotlight on community partnerships and financial literacy. We partnered with schools to host 34 family-focused events, brought out over 3,711 attendees, and connected families to 68 community partners.

Cartoon blue bear mascot with arms crossed, smiling, wearing a black hoodie, above text reading "BRUNS" and "Avenue Elementary" in blue and black
Illustration of a fierce tiger's head with orange fur, black stripes, and sharp teeth.
Illustration of a bald eagle with outspread wings behind the text 'IDLEWILD Eagles'.
A colorful shield-shaped emblem divided into sections with illustrations of artistic and academic symbols, featuring faces and a dog, with a banner below that reads 'Arts + Academics = Success'.
A school emblem shield with a yellow lion's head on a blue background, the words 'Sugar Creek Charter School', 'SCCS', and 'EST. 1999', with yellow laurel branches at the bottom.
Logo featuring a navy blue Spartan helmet with the word 'SPARTANS' curved above it.
A tiger leaping over a red letter T with a gray shadow.
Red paw print with black outline and the letters S and M inside the largest pad.
Logo of Healthy Start Academy, founded in 1997, featuring a shield with a graduation cap, a magnifying glass, and an open book.
Wilson STEM Academy logo featuring a shield with a circuit chip, a banner, and stylized letters 'W' and 'Wilson' in red and black.
Red circular logo with a stylized letter M in the center.
Logo for Movement School Eastland with the year 2020, featuring a circular design, a stylized sun or face with geometric patterns, and two small flags, one with a book symbol and the other with a flag symbol.

Fallynn Montalvo
Parent at Idlewild Elementary School

“I strongly encourage parents to participate in committees such as PTA or the family engagement committee – it helps build the relationship between fellow parents and learn more about the needs of the school.”

11,600

total students served

collected

surveys

3501

attendees

at events

3701

outcomes & trends

Below is data from all 12 of our partner schools. This is based on 3,501 survey responses from families representing 4,554 students, accounting for families with multiple students at the same school.

24% Increase

BRUNS ELEMENTARY

The school connects students and families to community services

From Beginning-of-Year to End-of-Year Survey

20% Increase

movement freedom

From Beginning-of-Year to End-of-Year Survey

The school connects students/families to expanded learning opportunities

Families

Top Requested Resources

PHYSICAL HEALTH 43%

MENTAL HEALTH 38%

FINANCIAL LITERACY 36%

JOB TRAINING 36%

ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY 31%

Students

Top Requested Resources

ACADEMIC SUPPORT 51%

HOMEWORK HELP + TOOLS 48%

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS 38%

MENTORING 36%

ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY 31%

Engagement

Growth Across the Year

ATTENDED AN EVENT AT SCHOOL +11%

CONNECTED WITH OTHER PARENTS +5%

ADVOCATED FOR MY CHILD +5%

More information under Community Partners on how we supported families on these identified needs.

net promoter score

NPS is a metric used in customer experience programs. We are using this to measure the satisfaction of families at each school. The scale ranges from -100 to +100, anything positive is good, above 70 is considered great, and above 90 is world-class!

highest increases

highest scores

overall elementary school trends

Below is data from our elementary school partners – Bruns (PK-5), Healthy Start (K-5), Idlewild (PK-5), Movement Eastland (K-2), Movement Freedom (K-5), Sugar Creek (K-5), Thomasboro (K-5), and University Park (K-5). 

Families

Top Requested Resources

PHYSICAL HEALTH 50%

HOUSING ASSISTANCE 39%

FINANCIAL LITERACY 36%

MENTAL HEALTH 35%

ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY 34%

Students

Top Requested Resources

ACADEMIC SUPPORT 60%

HOMEWORK HELP + TOOLS 56%

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS 53%

PHYSICAL HEALTH 41%

MENTORING 40%

Engagement

Growth Across the Year

ATTENDED AN EVENT AT SCHOOL +18%

ADVOCATED FOR MY CHILD +6%

CONNECTED WITH OTHER PARENTS +6%

INCREASED CONFIDENCE TO SUPPORT MY CHILD AT HOME +4%

Perception growth

15% Growth": When I was into the school, I feel the school is inviting and this is a place where parents "belong"

12% Growth": The school connects students and families to expanded learning opportunities

11% Growth": The school connects students and families to community services

overall middle school trends

Families

Top Requested Resources

PHYSICAL HEALTH 47%

MENTAL HEALTH 37%

FINANCIAL LITERACY 37%

HOUSING ASSISTANCE 33%

ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY 32%

Below is data from our middle school partners – Healthy Start (6-8), Sedgefield, Sugar Creek (6-8), Thomasboro (6-8), Wilson, and Movement Freedom (6th only). 

Students

Top Requested Resources

ACADEMIC SUPPORT 65%

HOMEWORK HELP + TOOLS 61%

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS 46%

Engagement

Growth Across the Year

ADVOCATED FOR MY CHILD +10%

PROVIDED INPUT TO THE SCHOOL +8%

CONNECTED WITH OTHER PARENTS +7%

ATTENDED AN EVENT AT SCHOOL +7%

Perception growth

21% Growth": The school connects students and families to community services (Sedgefield Middle)

8% Growth": The school connects students and families to community services (All Schools)

overall high school trends

Families

Top Requested Resources

MENTAL HEALTH 45%

JOB TRAINING 41%

PHYSICAL HEALTH 39%

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 39%

Below is data from our high school partners – Chambers, South Meck, and Sugar Creek (9-12). 

Students

Top Requested Resources

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES 72%

COLLEGE ACCESS 66%

JOB TRAINING 57%

ACADEMIC SUPPORT 7%

HOMEWORK HELP 46%

Engagement

Growth Across the Year

ATTENDED AN EVENT AT THE SCHOOL +11%

CONNECTED WITH OTHER PARENTS +11%

INCREASED CONFIDENCE TO SUPPORT MY CHILD AT HOME +9%

MOTIVATED MY CHILD TO DO WELL +7%

Perception growth

16% Growth": When I walk into the school, I feel the school is inviting and this is a place where parents “belong”

13% Growth": The school connects students and families to community services

11% Growth": The school connects students and families to expanded learning opportunities

Maegan Hill,
Parent at Movement School Freedom Drive

“KEEP DOING FAMILY NIGHTS!”

community partners

    • StarMed Vaccine Clinic

      • 45+ COVID-19 vaccine shots administered

    • Dancing on the Go

      • 5 followed up for dance classes 

    • FLOWW

      • 1 followed up for yoga classes

    • MixxedFit 

    • Mecklenburg Health Department 

    • Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation 

    • Durham Health Department

    • Eastway Regional Recreation Center

    • Bette Rae Thomas Recreation Center

    • Wallace Pruitt Recreation Center

    • YMCA of the Triangle 

    • Kohl Family YMCA

    • Two Guys N A Kitchen

    • Be Well

    • Charlotte Community Health Center

    • CW Williams

    • LEAD Charlotte

    • Drums4Life

    • Sports Outreach

    • PrimeTime Sports

    • RISE

    • Girl Scouts

    • Charlotte Ballet

    • First Tee of Charlotte

    • We Rock CLT

    • Make and Grow Charlotte

    • Xclusive Staffing

    • Urban League 

    • Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont 

    • Urban Promise 

    • Year Up

    • US Army

    • US Marines

    • National Guard

    • US Navy

    • University of North Carolina, Charlotte

    • Johnson C. Smith University

    • Central Piedmont Community College

    • Queens University

    • CommonWealth Charlotte

      • 47 families signed up for one on one financial counseling 

    • North Carolina Council for Economic Education (NCCEE)

    • TIAA

    • Carolina Youth Coalition

    • The Academy of Goal Achievers

    • Boy Joy

    • DreamKey Partners 

    • Movement Mortgage

    • Inlivian

    • E2D: Eliminate the Digital Divide

      • 100+ refurbished laptops sold

    • Digital Charlotte

    • Digi-Bridge 

    • Promising Pages

      • Distributed 1,500+ books 

    • Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

      • 30+ families signed up for library cards

      • 20+ families and students signed up for the summer reading program

    • Thompson Family Services 

    • CHADD

    • University City Partners 

    • Elevation Church

    • City of Charlotte Community Engagement

    • International House

      • 60+ families reached

    • Gus the Bus

    • Charlotte Humane Society 

    • Arts and Science Council 

    • Northwest School of the Arts

      • 50+ families got more information about auditions

    • Danielle Carelock Pottery

      • 50+ families followed up for pottery classes

    • Planet Improv 

    • Arts Plus

Throughout this past school year, families were connected to the following community partners based on needs identified by families in pre-survey responses.

Erin Holmes,
Children’s Services Manager, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Independence Regional Library

“This was FANTASTIC!!!  This was, hands down, the best way for us to re-connect with the community and get library cards back into the hands of families.  Additionally, it was a great opportunity for families that already had library cards and maybe forgot, the chance to renew and find their way back to the library.  Thank you so much for including us to be a part of it!  Overall, the event was incredibly impactful.”

financial literacy

Throughout this school year, financial literacy resources and workshops were provided to families and staff at our partner schools. Representatives from community partners focused on financial literacy were present at a majority of school events this past year. In addition, we were able to provide families with at least six unique opportunities for virtual workshops and webinars:

  1. March Money Madness – financial literacy series consisting of six virtual sessions, families from all partner schools were invited 

  2. Healthy – Mind, Wallet, Home – specific financial literacy sessions for Chambers families

  3. Financially Fresh – financial literacy webinar for UPCA families

Financial literacy continues to be one of the top needs identified by families. We hope to track this data in connection to economic mobility and the support of families at our partner schools. A total of 139 families took advantage of these opportunities and attended a financial educational webinar, workshop, and/or program provided by the school. 

A pie chart showing 62.6% of families were able to decrease their debt in the past school year, with an average reduction of $128.47.
A circular chart showing 85.6% of respondents felt their overall financial confidence increased in the past year.
A circular chart shows that 77.7% of people indicated that they intend to save money.
A circular infographic showing that 84.9% felt their overall financial knowledge has increased in the past year.
A circular chart indicating that 66.2% of people were able to increase their savings in the past school year, with an average savings of $113.20.
A circular infographic showing 71.9% in bold black text, indicating that this percentage of people felt their overall financial capability and health increased in the past year, with a red semi-circular progress bar.

parent-leader institute

SchermCo sponsored five families for Innovate Schools’ Parent Leader Institute from April 4, 2022 to April 9, 2022. Families joined parent leaders from across the country for the national annual four-day institute. They were able to build their leadership skills and learned how to leverage the power of community organizing to make transformational changes for students within the community

  • I am interested in this opportunity] ​​so that I can be a better attribute to my children’s school and future. [I am hoping to find a] better way to communicate with our community in and out of the school setting.

    Robin Cathey
    Parent at Thomasboro Academy

  • I’m interested in this opportunity because I’m constantly seeking ways to be a better advocate for disenfranchised students. From PLI, I learned that power is neutral in nature. I learned that organizing begins with a one-on-one meeting with others and that telling your story is the best way to draw others to you and your organization. The PLI feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience that left me inspired, empowered, and excited to organize my community for the betterment of our children.

    Zina Culbero
    Parent at Sugar Creek Charter School

  • I am hoping to gain from this the skills that I can use around me that will uplift and build other parents’ confidence as leaders in our school system and community. One thing that I learned from the institute was how to use my voice to express concerns. In addition to that, I also learned how to approach situations within my child’s school. One thing that I would like to implement in my scholar’s school is more parent feedback sessions. Uplifting parents and encouraging them to use their voices to be advocates.

    Tshyra Pressley
    Parent at Movement Eastland

  • [I hope to gain from this opportunity the] knowledge and skills to successfully create change in the community for the well-being of our children.

    Millye Rhue
    Parent at Movement Eastland

  • I am interested in this opportunity because of my 12-year-old son. We must close the achievement gap. Education is the human rights issue of the century and the charge is led by parents. I learn we all may perceive the same information differently. I learned how to engage as a team and the importance of collaboration.

    Yolanda Price
    Parent at Movement School Freedom Drive

looking ahead

In the 2022-2023 school year, we intend to continue to focus on professional development for staff, tailoring family-focused events on the top needs identified by families via their pre-surveys, collecting more robust data to tell the stories of impact, and advocacy.

thank you!

Wells Fargo – Rod Banks

TIAA – Jillian Peat Hamilton

Movement School Eastland – Chelsea Hobbing, Danielle Rogers, Erinn Evans, Tami Edwards, Katie Johnson, Kelley Jozwiakowski, Katura DeVane

Movement School Freedom – Jamie Sumter, Lauryn Jackson

Healthy Start Academy – Beatriz Brown, Alex Quigley

University Park Creative Arts School – Dr. Regina Boyd, Ebone Ellison, Jenessa Brown

Julius L. Chambers High School – Erik Turner, Alshonda Peoples

South Mecklenburg High School – Marc Angerer, Brian Spaulding, Benjamin Lyall, Staci McBride

Sugar Creek Charter School – Cherie Graham, Eleanor Shell, Savannah Craney, Tawana Wiggins, Cheryl Turner

Sedgefield Middle School – Dr. Eric Tornfelt, Molly Bilderback, Miracle Sheena

Thomasboro Academy – Lauren Stefaniak, Grace Robertson, Jan McIver

Wilson STEM Academy – Jeff Cook, Barry Sherman, Jessica Phifer, Krystal Cartus, Ajia Long, Kimberly Alston

Idlewild Elementary School – Karyn Godsman, Larenda Denien 

Bruns Avenue Elementary School – Brenda Hasan, Nicole Barrow, Mary Frias, Dr. Nathan Currie

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