District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Kaya Henderson today announced the launch of a new Community Action Team (CAT). The new team in the Office of Family and Public Engagement will work in and with the community, facilitating new conversations and strengthening relationships with families and community members. They will listen to feedback and share news and information about DCPS initiatives and efforts.
“Our new staff are hitting the ground running. They’re forging relationships and starting conversations to help families connect more deeply with the work happening in our schools,” said Chancellor Henderson. “This new DCPS team will be our eyes and our ears in our neighborhoods, engaging and interacting more with our families, and providing information and support in a new way.”
The four team members each represent two wards and come from a variety of professional backgrounds, all with experience in community organizing and engagement. Their work will include hosting meetings and engagement sessions, and attending events in the community to learn about and focus on community needs and priorities. They are all District residents and three of the four new team members are native Washingtonians and DCPS alumni.
“We are excited to take our engagement efforts to a deeper level with the addition of our new team members,” said Josephine Bias Robinson, chief in the Office of Family and Public Engagement. “For engagement to be meaningful and lasting, there needs to be a direct connection with our students, families and stakeholders where they can see, hear and touch us. The CAT members will enable us to be more present in conversations with the DCPS community in ways we have not been before.”
The CAT members will develop and maintain collaborative partnerships with other DC government agencies and will serve on local and school based committees. This new team will also host trainings for families and for schools to improve community relations and provide more information directly to the community.