{"id":71629,"date":"2025-05-14T10:55:53","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T14:55:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/?p=71629"},"modified":"2026-07-25T15:17:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T19:17:05","slug":"everything-besides-the-family-engagement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/2025\/05\/14\/everything-besides-the-family-engagement\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything Besides the Family Engagement Meeting for Success"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cLet me say this loud and clear: the success of your family engagement efforts doesn\u2019t depend on the meeting\u2014it depends on everything besides the meeting.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That\u2019s what Ernesto Mej\u00eda<\/a>\u2019s monthly Facebook Live <\/a>focused on, because far too often, we spend all our energy prepping slides, securing snacks, and printing flyers\u2026 and we forget to ask the most important question: What\u2019s the purpose of this family engagement meeting?<\/b><\/p>\n

And no, I don\u2019t mean the topic. I mean why<\/i> are we holding this family engagement meeting? What are we solving for our families? Why should they care? Why should they come? What\u2019s in it for them? If we can\u2019t answer that clearly, we shouldn\u2019t be surprised when the turnout is low or the energy is flat.<\/p>\n

Relationships Come First\u2014Always<\/h4>\n

Family engagement is built before<\/i> the invitation goes out. If all your interactions with parents are transactional\u2014\"Can you volunteer?\" \"Can you attend?\" \"Can you donate?\"\u2014then we\u2019re not building a relationship. We\u2019re making a request.<\/p>\n

Get to know your families. Ask about their kids. Talk about the neighborhood. Show up to a local event. Relationships aren\u2019t built during a PowerPoint\u2014they\u2019re built in the hallway, at pickup, through a quick conversation that has nothing to do with school.<\/p>\n

Teachers, Admins, We Need You Too<\/h4>\n

You can\u2019t say family engagement is essential and then ghost every meeting. Whether it\u2019s helping with planning, presenting, or even just showing up and saying hello\u2014presence matters.<\/i><\/p>\n

Some schools get creative\u2014mascots, welcome videos, pep rallies\u2014and I love that. But what I care about most is this: did we invite our team to be part of this before<\/i>the day of the event? Did we set people up to shine in ways that work for them?<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Do It Alone\u2014Seek Support<\/h4>\n

You are surrounded by people who want<\/i>to help: coaches, speech teachers, community organizations, local businesses, alumni parents, the folks at the YMCA, the consulate. Invite them in. Let them witness your work. When they see the impact, they\u2019ll bring resources, knowledge, and new energy.<\/p>\n

But that only happens when you build the relationship before<\/i>you ask them to present. The same rules apply here: don\u2019t just reach out when you need something. Build together.<\/p>\n

Your Marketing Needs a Makeover<\/h4>\n

Here\u2019s the truth: if you\u2019re using the same flyer from five years ago and expecting different results... it might be time to freshen things up.<\/p>\n

Marketing is storytelling. Create a buzz. Use student voices. Let teachers and parents share their own testimonials. Tease your next event. Drop a mystery guest. Share a countdown. Post behind-the-scenes clips.<\/p>\n

If TikTok can sell you vitamins in 30 seconds, you can sell a school meeting in 15.<\/p>\n

Bring the Fun Back<\/h4>\n

If no one\u2019s saying \u201cThat was actually fun\u201d on the way out of your event\u2026 we missed a big opportunity.<\/p>\n

Fun doesn\u2019t mean fluff. It means families feel good about showing up. It means they laugh. It means their kids want to come back. Music. Cheerleaders. Games. Giveaways. Even karaoke. (Yes, I said it.)<\/p>\n

Plan something that makes people want to stay. Then plan again to make them want to come back.<\/p>\n

The takeaway I want you to have is that you don\u2019t have to be perfect. You just have to be intentional.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\"Infographic<\/span><\/div>

Everything besides the meeting is what builds the buzz, the relationships, the community. When we plan with purpose, invite with care, and lead with joy\u2014families show up. And when they show up, our schools grow stronger.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get to work.<\/p>\n

At CoolSpeak, we believe that real family engagement starts with heart, trust, and strategy\u2014and no one embodies that more than Ernesto Mej\u00eda<\/span><\/a>. As a proud son of immigrants, seasoned educator, and national family engagement expert, Ernesto brings powerful stories, practical tools, and high-energy workshops that leave a lasting impact. Whether you're looking to train your staff, connect with families, or reimagine your engagement approach, Ernesto can help you build relationships that go beyond the meeting.<\/p>\n

Want to bring Ernesto to your school or district?<\/b> Connect with us today<\/a> to learn how CoolSpeak can support your next event, training, or initiative.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":71631,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[115,116,117,119],"tags":[],"formats":[],"class_list":["post-71629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-engagement","category-professional-development","category-programming","category-student-engagement"],"dsm_author":{"name":"Ernesto Mej\u00eda","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1d4d5fe6d8ba8e6a7f4af7cd577c3f22da4e65d52345c50aec3cbd11dc88cacc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","archive_link":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/author\/ernestomejia\/","biodata":"Family Engagement Expert & Vice President<\/em>\r\nAs the proud son of Mexican immigrants and a first-generation college graduate, Ernesto inspires students, families, and educators with his journey of resilience and dedication to education. He aims to empower others to overcome challenges and achieve the American dream through meaningful engagement and impactful learning experiences."},"dsm_categories":[{"term_name":"Family Engagement","term_id":115,"term_link":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/category\/family-engagement\/"},{"term_name":"Professional Development","term_id":116,"term_link":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/category\/professional-development\/"},{"term_name":"Programming","term_id":117,"term_link":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/category\/programming\/"},{"term_name":"Student 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