Resources for Families
Family Resources
Supporting Your Child’s Identity Development
Middle school is a time of intense identity development. Your child may form a new relationship to their gender, sexuality, faith, ... read more
Better Together Family Engagement Summit
On October 28, nearly 500 people gathered to share, learn, and celebrate the impact of Family Engagement on children and youth. The ... read more
Massachusetts Reframing Academy
A four-session course held January 19, February 2, February 16 and March 2, 2023 from 9-10:30am Register for Reframing Academy - ... read more
Strengthening Partnerships Training of Trainers
2022-23 Training of Trainers Series Family Engagement is not a one person job. It is an equity-driven, coordinated program that ... read more
A Queer Reading List for Middle Schoolers
During middle school, your child and their friends will more actively start exploring their sexuality. They may identify as ... read more
What is Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Screening? – Tip Sheet for Families
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Self Care for Middle School Parents
{:en}Taking care of middle schoolers can be a challenging task. The child that you thought you knew is rapidly changing. The parenting ... read more
Talking About Relationships in Middle School
As children enter the teen years, caregivers often grow nervous about the prospect of forced conversations about sexual and ... read more
Data Literacy Tip Sheets
Data Literacy is the ability to read, understand, and talk about data. Data is simply information that you can use to help you ... read more
What is Educational Achievement Testing? Tip Sheet for Families
{:en}Do you have questions about the educational achievement tests your child is taking in school? Check out this tip sheet to learn ... read more
Accentuate The Positive: Helping Your Middle Schooler Accept Themselves
{:en}Middle school is a time of incredible exposure. Young people between the ages of 10-14 undergo seismic shifts in their ... read more
We Need To Talk About Teacher Burnout
Have you ever felt mentally exhausted, dreaded going into work, and found your work troubles were negatively affecting your personal ... read more
Powerful Parents
For Black History Month, I've been reading about the impact that African American parents and self-advocates have had on both racial ... read more
Welcoming Newcomers: Advice for Middle School and Above
In the summer of 2021, the United States withdrew all of our troops from Afghanistan, where we had been an occupying force for twenty ... read more
An Anti-Racist Reading List for Middle Schoolers
Adolescence is a time when many young people explore multiple aspects of their identity. Many start to view race and ethnicity through ... read more
A Reading List for Lunar New Year
The Lunar New Year holiday is a great opportunity to learn more about Asian, and in particular, Chinese, cultures and traditions – ... read more
Career & Technical Education: Insights from Language-Diverse Families
{:en}In October 2021, our parent organization, the Federation for Children with Special Needs spoke with nearly 500 parents and ... read more
Positive Solutions Train the Trainer
View Flyer: Google Docs Overview Through a grant provided by the Department for Elementary and Secondary Education, the ... read more
Truth and Consequences: Middle School Discipline
During adolescence, young people’s brains experience rapid growth. This is especially true in middle school. Tweens are hungry for new ... read more
Parenting Books About Middle School
Looking for some guidance on how to parent tweens and teens? Check out these excellent books that feature concrete, practical ... read more
Online Resources for Curious Kids
Rainy day? Too hot to be outside? But just because you’re indoors doesn’t mean you can’t explore the world around us! ... read more
Meeting Families Where They Are
Let's meet families where they are... not where we want them to be! read more
Money as You Grow: Help for parents and caregivers
{:en} The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a U.S. government agency that makes sure banks, lenders, and other financial ... read more
I Don’t Know What to Do This Summer! 2021
Are you struggling to find activities for your child this summer? We know it can be difficult to navigate the changing guidelines and ... read more
Attendance Tips for Families
{:en}Here are some ways to support your child's motivation, sense of belonging, and desire to attend school. Read on for some ... read more
Initial Learnings, Still Time to Respond! 2021 Family Engagement Survey
We have begun exploring initial results, but there's still time to respond to the 2021 Statewide Family Engagement Survey! ... read more
Acceleration Roadmap: Pathway to an Equitable Recovery
On May 25, 2021, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released the Acceleration Roadmap: Pathway to an Equitable ... read more
Summer Learning Fun: Tips for Parents and Caregivers
These are great ideas for what parents and caregivers can do before, during, and at the end of summer to ... read more
The Family Institute for Student Success (FISS) Graduations
One of MASFEC's initiatives is the Family Institute for Student Success (FISS), a program run by PIQE in collaboration with DESE and ... read more
May Family Literacy Calendar
Our family literacy calendars are designed to reinforce reading fundamentals and the love of reading. Flowers, gardening... and ... read more
Self-Regulation Activities for Young Children
{:en} Between the ages of 2 and 6, we humans undergo one of the most dramatic developmental shifts of our lifetimes, ... read more
3 Tips To Help Your Child Grow Into A Self Advocate
{:en}I am an adult with a disability, one which is most associated with children, so when parents discover that I am an example of ... read more
Community Council Members Wanted
A new pilot program of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Kaleidoscope Collective for Learning, is working to ... read more
Building Empathy in Young Children
Empathy, defined as feeling and acting out of compassion for others, is not an inherent human trait, but a skill that built over ... read more
Getting Ready for Kindergarten
Kindergarten is the first year of formal school for most children in the United States. In kindergarten, hands-on learning activities ... read more
Ways to Build Positive Relationships with Schools
Relationships nurture the partnerships that are needed for children to succeed in school. Positive relationships with the school and ... read more
April Family Literacy Calendar
Our family literacy calendars are designed to reinforce reading fundamentals and the love of reading. They say that April showers ... read more
Understanding District Report Cards
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Novak: What is Universal Design?
MASFEC is pleased to unveil a new resource on family engagement, developed in partnership with Katie Novak, internationally recognized ... read more
Universal Design for Family Engagement
MASFEC is pleased to unveil a new resource on family engagement, developed in partnership with Katie Novak, internationally recognized ... read more
Learn and Have Fun with Mathu
This year, MASFEC has benefited from the creative and joyful approach of virtual educator-and-author-in-residence Mathangi ... read more
When You’re Stuck Inside
{:en} During cold winter weather, and while pandemic restrictions remain in place, families are spending a lot of time inside, and ... read more
March Family Literacy Calendar
Our family literacy calendars are designed to reinforce reading fundamentals and the love of reading. March is Women's History Month, ... read more
DESE Office of Student and Family Support
Family engagement is a key lever for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to contribute to ... read more
Snow Science for Preschoolers
{:en} Winter means snow, cold temperatures – and science! The following activities are a great way to help children explore ... read more
Super Symmetry: Symmetry Activities for Preschoolers
{:en} Symmetry occurs when an object or living thing has two halves that look exactly the same. Learning about symmetry at an ... read more
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
{:en} The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has created these resources to help inform the public about the COVID-19 ... read more
Visions of Community Virtual Conference
Visions of Community, the annual conference of the Federation for Children with Special Needs, offers unparalleled information and ... read more
What is Family Engagement? Jen’s View
I was an educator in multiple settings before becoming a parent and have experienced family engagement on both ends of the spectrum. I ... read more
Night Activites
{:en} Winter days are short, which means there is more time when children can see the night sky. This is particularly exciting ... read more
February Family Literacy Calendar
Our family literacy calendars are designed to reinforce reading fundamentals and the love of reading. February is African American ... read more
Talking to Children About Violence at the US Capitol
In the wake of the events of January 6th, 2021, many of our educators, families, and children will struggle in the coming weeks. As ... read more
Family, School, and Community Partnership Fundamentals
In June, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released Strengthening Partnerships: A Framework for Prenatal through ... read more
January Family Literacy Calendar
Our family literacy calendars are designed to reinforce reading fundamentals and the love of reading. For our January calendar, we ... read more
Caregiver Self Care Strategies that won’t add to your To-Do List
Most articles about self-care try to convince you to do something: buy a product, exercise more, eat less, or otherwise add something ... read more
Small Children, Big Feelings
{:en} Between the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread financial struggles caused by quarantine and lockdown, drawn-out conflicts over ... read more
A Family Guide to Distance Learning
{:en}The Center for Public Research and Leadership created this guide for families to use during remote learning. Five key ideas ... read more
Zoom for Families
Need some help getting started with Zoom? read more
Language Access Needs
{:en}This virtual conversation about Language Access Needs in Boston Public Schools was hosted by Boston City Councilor Annissa ... read more
Figuring It Out: School Reopening Webinar
A discussion on school reopenings presented by representatives from the legal, medical and educational communities. Presenters: ... read more
Google Classroom Help
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Help for IXL Learning
Are your children using IXL for remote learning? Do you need some help navigating IXL? Here are some useful resources: IXL Parent ... read more
What is special education?
{:en}This short animated video describes what special education is and is intended to do in Massachusetts. You can find more ... read more
Engaging Engagement?
Let's start by wondering who the families are that we serve and why families, schools and educators might want to partner. Seems like ... read more
Diwali: Bringing Light into the Darkness
This year (2020), Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, falls on November 14. Whether you are a practicing Hindu, a parent ... read more
Family Engagement is Making Headlines
A number of education journals and news websites have focused on the subject of family engagement since hybrid and fully-remote ... read more
Should you worry about your child’s behavioral health?
{:en} HandholdMA.org is a family-friendly site to help families navigate the mental health system in Massachusetts. Handhold’s ... read more
Helping Your Child with Financial Literacy
{:en} Build your kids’ money skills! This site has games and activities that can help your children and young adults gain money ... read more
December Family Literacy Calendar
Our family literacy calendars are designed to reinforce reading fundamentals and the love of reading. This month’s calendar ... read more
An Indigenous Reading List for Thanksgiving
At Thanksgiving time, all over the country, children in the early grades will learn the story of the Mayflower. Unfortunately, ... read more
Fall Science
Autumn means falling leaves, hot apple cider – and lots of opportunities for preschool science! Young children are natural ... read more
Navigating DESE’s District Report Card Website
This video, from MASFEC, the Federation for Children with Special Needs and the Department of Elementary and Secondary ... read more
Understanding District and School Report Cards
What can you learn about your child's district or school from the District Report Cards? read more
Monster Math! Halloween Activities for Preschoolers
Looking for a way to get into the Halloween spirit without leaving the house? Try doing some Monster Math! These activities for ... read more
November Family Literacy Calendar
Our family literacy calendars are designed to reinforce reading fundamentals and the love of reading. This month's calendar celebrates ... read more
Connecting Families / Conectando familias
MASFEC partners with a number of community organizations to organize and host support and discussion groups for families. We directly ... read more
An Election Reading List
This November’s election is poised to be one of the most turbulent in recent memory. Even if you haven’t explicitly told your ... read more
October Family Literacy Calendar
Happy National Book Month! We hope you enjoy this month's ideas for having fun while building a love of reading, stories, sounds, and ... read more
What is Family Engagement? Sherri’s view
If you ask a roomful of people to define family engagement, you often get a roomful of answers! I’ve found many people have their own ... read more
Welcome to MASFEC!
Welcome to the Massachusetts Statewide Family Engagement Center (MASFEC)! MASFEC strengthens the capacity of educators, families, and ... read more
September Family Literacy Calendar
The MA Statewide Family Engagement Center has launched a new series of family literacy calendars, designed to spark conversation and ... read more
Beyond Random Acts: Family, School, and Community Engagement as an Integral Part of Education Reform
Family Fun Home Activities
More Books: Where to Find, Keep, and Read Them. Check It Out Dear Juno by Soyung Puk (Grade K–1) Juno may be ... read more
Parent Tips for Raising Strong Readers and Writers
How Parents Can Support the Common Core Reading Standards: The Common Core State Standards are national standards that say what K-12 ... read more
Tips For Parents With Kindergarteners
Play with letters, words, and sounds! Having fun with language helps your child learn to crack the code of reading. The tips below ... read more
Dual Language Learners – resources
On the Disadvantages of Parents Ceasing to Speak the Birth Language with Bilingual Language Impaired Children - ... read more
Barriers to Parent-School Involvement for Early Elementary Students
The purpose of this report The purpose of this report is to describe basic descriptive statistics on barriers to parent-school ... read more
Beyond Random Acts
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Reading Rockets | Tips for Parents of Babies
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