Page 68 - Superintendent Annual Report 24-25

EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION PARENT UNIVERSITY

The Department of Exceptional Student Education utilizes Parent University as a vital resource for parents of
children with disabilities. The goal of Parent University is to empower and educate parents by providing infor-
mation and strategies to foster student success. Parents receive support to understand specialized education
plans, their legal rights, and how to collaborate effectively with teachers and administrators. Parent University
training topics address knowledge of Special Education laws, advocacy tools, collaboration skills, and behav-
ioral and emotional support strategies. The department hosts weekly parent workshops in English, Spanish,
and Haitian Creole. In FY25, in collaboration with the Welcome Center, over 50 opportunities were offered to
support families through community outreach and awareness initiatives.

FAMILY AND CAREGIVER ENGAGEMENT SERIES WORKSHOPS

In FY25, the District launched the Family and Caregiver Engagement Series (FACES) initiative to support and
empower families and caregivers. Through interactive virtual workshops, participants gain access to practical
tools, strategies, and resources to help navigate their children’s school experiences while fostering academic
and personal success.
The District collaborated with community agencies and expert presenters to provide four workshops offered in
English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese.

Workshop topics included:

• Strengthening Your Child’s Mental Health and Well-being
• Supporting Your Child in Developing a Healthy Relationship with Social Media
• Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention
• Mental Health Awareness Month

The FACES initiative strengthened the bond between home and school by providing families with knowledge
and resources, highlighting the District’s commitment to student success and well-being.

STRENGTHENING STUDENT SUCCESS THROUGH STRATEGIC

PARTNERSHIPS

Throughout FY25, the District collaborated with community partners to enhance engagement within the
community. The Community Partnership Schools initiative exemplifies a model of shared leadership. Since 2022,
the District has partnered with Children’s Home Services, the Healthcare District of Palm Beach County, and
Florida Atlantic University to establish a wraparound model. In this approach, the partners work together to
improve literacy achievement, increase access to healthcare, reduce student absenteeism, and expand college
and career readiness. For each participating school, activities included placing health clinics near schools,
providing food distribution, and establishing councils to gather input from community members.

Building on these collaborative efforts, the District partnered with Boys Town to implement the Well-Managed
Schools initiative for students. This initiative improved attendance and reduced behavioral incidents. The asso-
ciated professional learning series strengthened relationships between teachers and students.

A positive impact is evident at West Gate ES, with a 12.5% decrease in the percentage of students with five or more
absences at the mid-year point, as compared to FY24. Furthermore, mid-year behavior incidents at West Gate ES
decreased by 29%. Roosevelt ES joined the initiative at the start of FY25 and has already shown promising results.
A year-over-year comparison yielded a decrease of 4.7% in students with five or more absences. More notably,

68 SUPERINTENDENT ANNUAL REPORT