Announcing Walk Alongside International: Parent Engagement Think Tank
Hello, dear community! As you may have heard, there’s an exciting event coming to Saskatoon this spring. Dr. Debbie Pushor and a team of graduate students are hosting a parent engagement think tank with invited international presenters at the Remai Modern in Saskatoon this Spring. The event will take place May 11th through 13th, 2023.
This think tank will bring together parents, educators, and educational leaders with the goal of imagining and enacting a shift to familycentric schools. With a focus on systematic parent engagement, Walk Alongside International participants will be immersed in discussions aimed at re-imagining the school landscape in ways that position parents and families as integral to teaching and learning. In conjunction with presentations and facilitated discussions, there will be several opportunities for experiential learning and collaboration within the community.
We wanted to offer you some more information about the conference before registration opens in the new year.
Conference Details
Location: The main venue is the Remai Modern in Saskatoon, SK. There are several additional breakout venues, one of which is the Alt Hotel which is also our accommodation partner for the event.
Schedule: The event will take place from Thursday, May 11th to Saturday, May 13th.
Thursday and Friday’s programming will take place from 8 am to 4 pm, with an evening reception and social afterwards. During the midday lunch timeslot, participants will experience one of three incredible in-community events where you will get to see this important work in action and learn more about the tangible change we are working towards together. On Saturday, programming will begin at 8 am and conclude at 2:30 pm, so everyone has enough time to travel home.
Attendees: Attendees will register in groups of two or more. School-based teams are encouraged to include at least one parent. Around 250 participants are expected, plus a number of high-profile presenters. You are welcome to begin assembling your group. One member will complete registration for the whole group.
Goals of the Event
Create a shared understanding of parent and family engagement, and how to systematically structure supportive efforts toward creating familycentric schools at all levels of the education system, from policy to practice.
Offer educators and educational leaders the information and inspiration to deepen relationships with parents, families, and community organizations to foster engagement, belonging, and identity in education/schools. As well, to enhance the overall achievement of all students by providing direct, culturally affirming supports and services to students, parents, and families.
Give educational leaders knowledge and skills to effectively lead and facilitate a change in school landscapes from schoolcentric to familycentric in approach.
Give parents an authentic and meaningful voice and place in their child’s learning, both on and off the school landscape.
Information to Come
In the coming weeks, we will be announcing the lineup of presenters, opening registration, and welcoming you to sign up to participate in this transformative experience. Once you’ve registered, you’ll receive more information about the programming and details about booking accommodation if you’re travelling from outside of Saskatoon.
Sign up for our waitlist now so you’ll be first to be notified when registration begins. We have a limited number of spaces, so we want to ensure you don’t miss the opportunity to register.