GCPS’ AKS at Home sessions support families of young learners

Families are important partners in a child’s education. GCPS has launched a new initiative called AKS at Home so that families can learn ways to help their children practice the key skills they are learning in language arts and math, whether students are learning at home or at school. For instance in kindergarten, the first sessions focused on key skills like recognizing the letters of the alphabet and their sounds, and learning to count objects in sequence using the names of numbers.

“We’re starting this initiative with foundational skills in language arts and mathematics for our youngest learners since they are new to the school experience, knowing that these basic skills are the foundation for future school success,” says Dr. Clay Hunter, assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instructional Support. “These tools will give their families a window into the classroom and an opportunity to get involved and reinforce what their children are learning.”

Families with students in grades K-5 can participate in live Zoom sessions—specific to their child’s grade level—or watch recorded sessions. Helpful tipsheets are available online. Earlier this month, more than 2,000 families participated in K-5 sessions designed to reinforce key skills learned during the 1st nine weeks of the school year.

The sessions connect families with academic support for their child and support for their role in their child’s learning. Mari Beth Cameron, a parent instructional coordinator at Jackson ES, says connections—with information and with staff—make the sessions valuable for families. “The AKS at Home online sessions not only provide instruction for parents on the skills their children are learning, but also an opportunity to connect and interact with GCPS staff who can support them and offer some positive reinforcement at the same time,” she says.

And, those virtual connections allow all families to participate. “This is an activity that we can do together at home to practice this skill,” says a 2nd grade parent whose daughter with autism is high functioning. “Thank you for offering these sessions to everyone in the district, not just the neurotypical or mainstreamed students.”

Live virtual K-5 sessions for Unit 2 are planned for Oct. 27-Nov. 5 to support learning in the 2nd nine weeks of the year. (See the schedule in the box.)

The district is rolling out new Zoom sessions and tipsheets each nine weeks, continuing K-5 sessions and extending the help to families of middle and high school students at a later date. The sessions are hosted by parent instructional coordinators and parent outreach liaisons who staff Parent Centers in the district’s Title I schools. However, the sessions are open to all GCPS families.