Engaging Families and Building Community in Berkeley's Schools
Office of Family & Community Partnerships
Maya Hernandez, Manager
Ramona McGary, Parent Outreach Specialist - 510-883-5222
Isabel Parra, Parent Liaison (Spanish) - 510-883-5223
Nancy Johnson, McKinney-Vento Homeless Student Case Manager - 510-644-6529
1835 Allston Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
Phone: (510) 883-5224
Research has consistently shown that when schools and families work together to support learning, everyone benefits: students do better in school and in life, parents become empowered, schools get better, communities grow stronger. To that effect, the Office of Family and Community Partnerships aims to build school, home and community partnerships to establish more inclusive and culturally informed support networks for parents, encourage parent advocacy and promote parental involvement in their children’s education.
The Office of Family and Community Partnerships is staffed by three central office staff members who focus on coordinating and facilitating parenting classes, educational workshops and leadership trainings to equip parents with necessary information, skills, and ability to effectively navigate the school system, support their children's success in school and engage them in school leadership opportunities. Staff also provide direct support to parents and caregivers in need of resources or information to address concerns about their children and conduct district-wide parent outreach efforts for events and programs.
The office also coordinates and oversees the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program, which provides resources and case management services to Berkeley Unified students and their families who are homeless or sharing living spaces for economic reasons.
For more information on how the work of our staff can help parents and families, visit them in Room 2 of the BUSD Annex Building at 1835 Allston Way, Berkeley 94704. Or call the office at (510) 883-5222 (English) and (510) 883-5223 (Spanish).