Dec. 22, 2015 -- Boulevard Elementary relaunched its Families and Schools Together [F.A.S.T.] program this fall, after a long hiatus. The parent empowerment program will also be offered in the spring.
Principal Shelley Pulling was excited to relaunch the F.A.S.T. program at Boulevard.
“I wanted to bring the program back to provide support for our families in a way that is meaningful to them,” said Pulling. “Our goal is to help our families with managing all of their responsibilities every day, between work and making sure their children are prepared for school each day. People are busy and we wanted to find a way to help!”
Luckily, Betsy Race, longtime CH-UH teacher and guidance counselor, new to Boulevard this year, had run an F.A.S.T. program for years at Canterbury.
Race is the Boulevard’s lead F.A.S.T. coordinator joined by Karen Allen, school social worker. Two parent alumni of the program are carefully selected to be parent leaders. Two community health care providers, often counselors or social workers, lead the parent group.
A national program, F.A.S.T. was started under the ADAMHS Board, with the goal to reduce drug and alcohol use in adults to promote better parenting. It’s now housed under Children and Family First. Funding comes from solely from county, state and federal sources. The District provides the safe, comfortable space to meet regularly.
Race describes how the six-person team oversees the entire 8-week program.
“Families are recruited by grade level to facilitate focused activity planning,” said Race. “Everyone in the family is invited—everyone—creating a multicultural cross-section where young parents can learn from grandparents and vice versa.”
“Each evening features carefully planned activities focused on interpersonal connection and skill building,” said Race.
After dinner, there are family activities, play and crafts for kids only, and a parents and caregivers group. Empathy, patience and listening are practiced in the parents group, through paired listening and sharing sessions.
“The parent and caregiver activities are especially focused, purposeful and intentional,” added Race. “If we can help build connections between parents, we can foster an environment where parents see the each other and their school as resources. The goal is to offer guidance and coaching through the activities, empowering parents. We are not the authority; parents are the authority. It’s a whole child – whole family approach. The families learn a lot, and graduation is a big deal at the end.”
Learning and fun extends to the communal dinner table. Over the course of the eight weeks, each family brings a main course to feed everyone, and the team provides side dishes.
“When an unfamiliar ethnic dish is offered, it opens a cultural conversation that the families can explore together,” said Race.
Nine families are participating at Boulevard this fall, with 25 or more children coming each week over the eight weeks.
“Families get really close,” said Race. “They end up asking advice, and giving advice, sharing rides. They get comfortable with us and with each other, and that means they feel comfortable asking for and accepting the help their child needs to succeed in school. Families are more likely to come to conferences, call me when they need help, or reach out to another parent.”
Still, there is occasional criticism of the program.
“Sometimes someone will say, ‘just nine families?’ It’s not a pizza party for 150, it’s not a sweeping reach-everyone enterprise. Our goal is to empower parents and effect change on a deep level, to create sort of cultural tipping point of engagement. That takes a more intimate setting, a safe space.”
It’s sort of the starfish theory of empowerment: maybe we can’t reach everyone, but we reached that one.
“The F.A.S.T. program is only as good as those committed to it,” Race said.
Race anticipates an early spring F.A.S.T. session at Boulevard. In Cleveland Heights-University Heights, Families and Schools Together programs are also running at Canterbury and Gearity, but every school is eligible. To see one at your school, contact your principal.