One of the many threats of the global pandemic is that age-old relational fissures have come to the fore under the pressure of the inordinate stress, isolation, and loss experienced by students, families, educators, and leaders. But it has also been those same relationships that have had the power to see us through the trauma of the last few years. The key to any and all efforts to recovery — from learning recovery to healing emotional wounds – are relationships built on respect, empathy, and trust.

Parent Teacher Home Visits is a proven approach to building these types of relationships. Our training and model have been adapted to allow educators and families to connect despite ever-changing safety conditions. We have also offered a framework for educators and leaders to use as they reflected upon and organized their recovery efforts entering the 2021-2022 school year. This framework – which consists of three, interlocking components of Building Educator Capacity and Resilience, Building Trust with Families, and Creating a School-Wide Culture that Prioritizes High-Impact Family Engagement — remains a relevant and timely resource for school systems grappling with how to prioritize their limited time and human resources to maximize student success.