At DSST Public Schools, families play a vital role in helping students thrive and strengthening school communities. To support meaningful family engagement, DSST offers multiple opportunities for families to get involved, connect with one another, and contribute to student success.
Two of these opportunities are the Family Advocacy Network (FAN) and Family Groups. While both create avenues for family participation and leadership, they serve distinct purposes and operate at different levels of the organization.
Family Groups
Family Groups are school-based organizations that bring together parents, guardians, and family members who are interested in supporting their campus community. Similar to a traditional Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Family Groups provide families with a structured way to participate in and contribute to the life of their school.
Each Family Group establishes goals and priorities based on the needs and interests of its school community. Activities may include supporting school events, coordinating volunteer opportunities, organizing fundraising efforts, strengthening family engagement, or providing feedback and perspectives to school leaders.
Because Family Groups are campus-specific, their work is focused on enhancing the student and family experience within an individual school community.
Family Advocacy Network (FAN)
The Family Advocacy Network (FAN) is a network-wide initiative designed to help families deepen their understanding of public education while building advocacy and leadership skills.
Through a year-long series of learning experiences, FAN participants explore topics such as the structure of public education systems, issues affecting students and schools, civic engagement, public education advocacy, and effective leadership. Participants also have opportunities to connect with families from across the DSST network and engage with education leaders and community partners.
Unlike Family Groups, FAN is not focused on the operations, concerns, or needs of a specific campus. Rather, it is designed to help families develop the knowledge, confidence, and skills necessary to become informed advocates for students and strong public schools.
Different scopes, complementary purposes
The primary distinction between Family Groups and FAN is one of scope.
Family Groups focus on supporting individual school communities. Their work is grounded in the unique needs, priorities, and experiences of a particular campus.
FAN focuses on public education advocacy and leadership development across the DSST network. It provides families with a broader understanding of the educational landscape and opportunities to engage in conversations and actions that support students beyond a single school community.
Why they matter
There is no single right way to get involved. Some people are most interested in supporting their school community through volunteering, event planning, fundraising, and relationship-building. Others are interested in learning more about public education, developing leadership and advocacy skills, and championing policies that support students and schools.
Family Groups and the Family Advocacy Network provide different pathways for engagement, allowing people to choose the level and type of involvement that is most meaningful to them.
Those interested in becoming involved in a Family Group are encouraged to connect with their school's Community Engagement and Recruitment Manager (CERM) to learn about opportunities at their campus.
Anyone interested in participating in the Family Advocacy Network (FAN) can contact Aisury Vasquez or submit this interest form to learn more about the program and upcoming opportunities to get involved.