Family Events & Resources

High School & Beyond Plan – Ready Washington

How to Pay for College

• Paying for College Presentation
• Paying for College Resources
• Tuition Costs
• Scholarships and Grants
• Student Loans
• Running Start, AP, CHS, and IB
• Preparing for College

HBCU College Tour Experience (spring break 2025)

• Register here: flyer
• Learn more: The BE project website

Communicating with School

• Resources from EdNavigator
• 4 Questions to Ask at Your Parent-Teacher Conferences

False Signals: How Pandemic-Era Grades Mislead Families

What is OEO?

• The Office of the Education Ombuds (OEO) was founded by the state legislature in 2006 to support families in Washington state.
• OEO’s Mission: We work with families, communities, and schools to address problems together so that every student can fully participate and thrive in Washington’s K-12 public schools.
• What is OEO EnglishwithSubtitle 02 11 2018 1
• Free, Confidential & Independent Resource
  • Individual support with information and informal conflict resolution
  • Training and Outreach
  • Policy Work

Meet OEO (Intro to the Office of the Education Ombuds)

How to Contact OEO

• Website
• Email
• Toll Free Phone: 1-866-297-2597 (interpreter services available)
• Facebook
• Facebook en Español (Spanish)

School and Child Care Immunizations Information for Families

Ways to best support your scholar’s education

• Your involvement helps support your scholar to make greater achievement. Set a timer weekly to check-in with your scholar on how they are doing and utilize any tools that your school supplies (PowerSchool, Google Classroom or connecting with teachers to get outstanding work info).

Building a relationship with your scholars’ teachers

• Your teacher is the best connection to where your scholar is in their learning journey.
• Be Proactive at the beginning of the school year in getting to know your teachers, school, and office staff. Email introduction is a good start, make sure there is a reply and hold the school accountable for replies.
• Sharing information that can be helpful in the teacher getting to know your child: learning styles, barriers (anxiety, poor experiences in the past, etc).
• Make sure to reach out to them if somethings not going well or you have questions (email for record)

Organizing

• Put days off and events in your calendar under a different color for school stuff.
• Have a family calendar that everyone can see to know what is going on.
• The best organizing options are the ones that work for your student.  The way you organize may not work for your student- let them lead on this.
• Support good attendance by trying to schedule appointments outside of school time if possible.

Reading

• Help your student to become an active reader. Ask them to tell you about what they read and get details from them.  This is important in reading comprehension. Letting older kids read to younger kids builds both of their skills.
• Ensure your kids are reading at least 20 mins per day at home (the type of reading does not matter- graphic novels, magazines, online articles, or chapter books). Knowing your child’s reading level is important and helps you know if they are on track.
• Importance of reading and early learning
• Reading and the school to prison pipeline

2-7 yrs. Brain Development

8-10 yrs. Brain Development

• Support Guide for Parents

Teenage Brain Development

• Teen Brain: Behavior, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
• Adolescence and the Transition to Middle School

Back to school transition and anxiety about school starting

• How To Counter Back-To-School Anxiety
• How to help kids have a successful start to the school year
• Making the Move to Middle School

What is Summer Learning Loss?

What do our students lose over a summer?

Due to a lack of quality learning over the summer, students lose ground. On average, the impact is:

• 2.6 months of math loss
• 2 months of reading loss
• 1 month of learning is lost
• 6 wks. of re-learning old material in the fall

To not lose academic ground, students should do academic work for 2-3 hrs. per week to keep on track from June to September.

How to Prevent Summer Learning Loss

Learning Options & Opportunities for the Summer

Difference Between a 504 and IEP

• Section 504 (of the Rehabilitation Act)
  • Anti-discrimination law
  • Definition of student with a disability is broad (any mental or physical impairment that substantially limits a major life activity)
  • Section 504 Plans generally list accommodations a student needs in school.
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”)
  • Special education law
  • Definition of child with a disability is more specific
  • IEPs (Individualized Education Programs) include areas of “Specially Designed Instruction” in addition to accommodations, related services, etc..

What Every Parent Needs to Know – Protecting the Educational Rights of Students with Disabilities

• English
• Spanish

Tips and Tools for Families – Prior Written Notice (PWN)

• English
• Spanish

IEP/504 Back to School with OEO

OEO Toolkits and Resources

Pierce County Area

• • Tacoma Learns
  • Pierce County Youth Programs
  • Metro Parks
  • YMCA Pierce County

Seattle Area

• • NOMA NW
  • Parent Map
  • Seattle YMCA
  • Seattle YMCA Summer jobs
  • Safe Futures Youth Center
  • Seattle Youth Employment Program
  • UW Youth Programs

Spokane Area

• • 90+ Project
  • Bloom
  • Boy Scouts
  • Boys and Girls Club
  • Camp Fire 
  • Camp Lutherhaven
  • Cat Tales
  • Girl Scouts
  • Northeast Youth Center (NEYC)
  • Relational Riding Academy
  • Skyhawks
  • Spokane Gymnastics
  • Spokane Parks and Recreation
  • Spokane Valley Parks and Recreation
  • Spokane Valley Summer Theater
  • Spokane Youth Sports (SYSA)
  • YMCA INW

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