Amanda Matthews
Lincoln Elementary Community School Coordinator
When parents are involved in their child’s education, that child is more likely to succeed. This is why Lincoln Elementary Community School in South Salt Lake is committed to increasing parent engagement. However, one barrier to this at Lincoln is the high percentage of families who do not speak English as their first language. Often, this makes it difficult for teachers to communicate to parents how their child is doing in school, what needs their child might have, and how parents can support their child’s success. Additionally, with a high percentage of refugee and immigrant families at Lincoln, cultural barriers and miscommunications also exist.
This year at Lincoln during SEP conferences (or Parent Teacher Conferences), we were able to expand our ability to communicate with parents by working with a member of the Promise Refugee Youth Collective and International Rescue Committee to provide additional interpreting services as parents met with teachers. It was exciting to have interpreters available for parents, not just in Spanish, but also in Nepali, Burmese, Karen, Swahili, Somali, and Arabic. We look forward to further developing our relationship with, and demonstrating our commitment to, non-English speaking families by continuing to find ways to communicate and involve the whole community. We know that by engaging all parents in their child’s academic pursuits, we can have a positive impact on their success in school. Thank you to our Promise Refugee Youth Collective and to the dedicated teachers and administrators at Lincoln for supporting our efforts to increase parent engagement at Lincoln Elementary Community School! Thank you for LIVING UNTIED!
