Editor’s Note: The following letter was read by the Framingham Teachers Association President Wednesday night during public comment during the School Committee meeting and then submitted to SOURCE media as a letter to the editor.
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FRAMINGHAM – The Framingham Teachers Association is proud and excited to work with the district in re-invigorating the Parent Teacher Home Visits program which was introduced in Framingham in 2017
when the then director and assistant director of the multilingual department approached the association to partner with them.
The Parent Teacher Home Visit model is based on a program that originated in Sacramento, CA 25
years ago. This model has 5 non-negotiables:
- Visits are voluntary for both families and staff and must be arranged in advance
- Educators are trained and compensated for all visits
- Visits focus on building relationships of trust by asking families to share their “hopes and dreams” for their child
- Educators visit a cross section of students – they are not targeted interventions for academic, attendance or behavioral concerns
- Educators go in pairs and share reflections about what was learned at the visits
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In a 2015 Johns Hopkins study, it was found that students who received a home visit had 24% fewer absences at school and had a more positive attitude toward school.
In a 2014 study, it was found that there was an increase in parent involvement and promoted trust and a sense of self-efficacy for educators, parents and students
In another 2014 study, teachers who conducted home visits reported an increase in job satisfaction and a renewed energy for the profession.
Participating districts discovered that the home visits promoted cultural proficiency between school and the community they serve.
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On Friday, August 26, 37 FPS staff members received home visit training and will join those that had previously been trained. Thank you to Superintendent Bob Tremblay for recognizing the significance of this program and funding this training.
Also, thank you to Dr. Mudambi, the Director of the Multilingual department for being part of the initial
conversation with the association and for her help in planning the training for our staff members on August 26.
Information will soon go out to the community about the Parent Teacher Home Visit model to fully inform families of the mission of the program.
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If you have any questions about the home visit program and training, please reach out to the FTA office. It is our hope that we continue to nurture this program in Framingham. The FTA is committed to Framingham’s future and to the success of all our scholars, and this program aligns with our commitment.
To all my educator peers across the district, welcome back to school! Have a fantastic year.
Christine Mulroney
President
Framingham Teachers Association
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MassBay Community College 
Saint Bridget School