DEPARTMENT: Pre-K 4 SA
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Sarah Baray, Ph.D.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Puentes al Futuro/Bridges to the Future family engagement program pilot update
SUMMARY:
This is a staff briefing of the Puentes al Futuro/Bridges to the Future family engagement program, which Pre-K 4 SA piloted from January through May 2019.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together Foundation, Inc. (MATT) is a 501(c)4 organization whose mission is to facilitate essential learning strategies and tools to bilingual families and individuals so that they may thrive in their school and work environments. To support this mission, MATT created the Puentes Family Engagement Program. Puentes was intentionally designed to align with the cultural values of Latino and bilingual families. Participants receive bilingual home learning activities and practice being "Maestros" in their home. The goal is to help families recognize their role as teachers who support children's learning by promoting language, culture, and community as assets.
On November 13, 2018 the Pre-K 4 SA Board of Directors authorized the execution of a Memorandum of Agreement with MATT in an amount not to exceed $35,000. The MOA allowed the transfer of the Puentes program currently administered by MATT to Pre-K 4 SA. MATT transferred all digital material to allow implementation of the program. The purpose of this transfer was to allow Pre-K 4 SA to provide training and support to programs wanting to use Puentes in their family engagement models.
ISSUE:
From December 2018 through February 2019, the Pre-K 4 SA family engagement team enhanced the Puentes program to include four additional aspects that support families as teachers of their children: 1) a key bilingual children's book for each session; 2) information on brain development; 3) outdoor activities; and 4) two community outings. The team also built on the name Puentes and renamed the program Puentes al ...
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