Recap: January Beyond the Bell panel

The Mind Trust and EmpowerED Families are proud to present Beyond the Bell, a series of four events that cover important education issues alongside eight Indianapolis community partners. The January event was hosted in partnership with CAFE and La Plaza. 

Each Beyond the Bell event begins with dinner and a panel discussion featuring K-12 education experts. The panelists for the January Beyond the Bell event were: 

• Dr. Michelle Jackson, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning at Indianapolis Public Schools
• Flora Jones, Director of Student Pathways the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE)
• Dr. Nataki Pettigrew, Education Consultant for CAFE
• Masimba Taylor, Principal at Warren Central High School

The conversation was moderated by Indianapolis media personality Karen Vaughn. Below is a summary recap of the informative panel discussion. The conversation has been edited for clarity and length. 

Reading skills are so critical, not only in school but for success after graduation. What can families keep in mind about building literacy skills in their children?

Pettigrew: Literacy is the foundation for everything to come. The foundations of being successful in post-secondary starts in pre-k and elementary. Families can build a strong literacy framework in their home by: 

1. Reading to your child. Make sure your child always has a book in their hands. 
2. Go to the library. Build a habit of visiting and finding books that interest your child.
3. If you recognize a challenge, address it. Reading challenges don’t go away on their own, they get larger. Don’t wait to contact their teacher about what you are seeing. 

Jackson: Families should also know what tools your school is using to measure your child’s literacy skills. A common one is DIBELS. They have practice tools that teachers can send home to you. Also, re-read passages and books with students to build their confidence. Parents should also understand what the science of reading is and why it’s important to focus on phonics-based learning. 

Jones: Find out what your child’s interests are. If they love mermaids, get all the mermaid books you can find. Just like adults look for books and magazines that interest them, kids want to engage with things they like and love having a choice in what they read. 

We all know keeping students in school is important. What practices are schools and districts using to improve attendance?

Taylor: Although we are doing better with attendance, our numbers are still higher than they were pre-COVID. We are about engaging with families to understand why absences are happening and how we can support them where they are. In high school, parents often feel like they’ve done everything they can and student’s just won’t go. If you are struggling with this, engage with school social workers, counselors, family liaisons, and others at your school who have resources to help. 

Pettigrew: Students who are absent at least 2 times per month see a negative impact in their academics and overall outcomes. We understand illness, mental health, and unavoidable situations, but staying home without a clear reason has an impact on a child’s attitude toward school and what they are learning. 

The way we think about learning is changing, including our state’s high school diploma requirements. What are some of the new requirements and how are schools responding?

Jones: We realize that not every student wants to go to college immediately after high school. Employment and military enlistment are legitimate pathways that students can prepare for in high school. At IDOE, we worked with schools, districts, the higher education community, and employers to see how we can help ensure every student is ready for life after graduation, no matter their path. The new diploma is about looking at a child’s individual plan and preparing them for their future. 

Jackson: Most schools start giving interest surveys to students starting in middle school to help them discover their career strengths and interests. IPS uses Xello. You can ask your child about what their survey results are and what careers are interesting to them. You can also ask your school when surveys are taken and how they are exposing students to different careers and post-secondary options. 

Taylor: Many times we hear students say, “I didn’t know that career or program was an option.” We are looking at opportunities from pre-k to 12th grade to make sure students are exposed to as many pathways and careers as possible. For high school parents, it’s important to talk to counselors to be involved in creating your child’s schedule, know the credits they need, and talk to the school to see what they should be doing each year to prepare for life after high school. During these visits, parents can ask these questions:

1. What credits does my child need to graduate? Are there advanced courses that are available to them?
2. What seal (enrollment, enlistment, or employment) are they on track to earn?
3. When does my child create their schedule?

How are your schools creating a support system for attendance, testing, and long-term goals for students?

Jackson: At each level – elementary, middle, and high school – your student should have learning goals they are working toward to keep progressing. Assessments like ILEARN and NWEA are an important part of that and aren’t necessarily a bad thing. If we don’t know where students are, we can’t support them. Parents should ask: 

1. What assessments (besides ILEARN, IREAD, and the SAT) are you giving my student to measure their learning?
2. How and when can I see what their results are?
3. What do my child’s scores mean? What math and reading skills do they need to improve on?
4. What is the school doing and what can we do at home to improve those skills?

Parents play a critical role in their child’s education. How can schools engage parents in the learning process?

Jones: Parents should feel empowered to visit their child’s school, or if that’s not always possible, connect with teachers and school leaders on a regular basis. If my child is with you 8 hours a day, I need to know how they are doing. 

Pettigrew: Schools should be active in reaching out to parents. The reality is that doesn’t always happen. If you can’t make it to progress report night, email and schedule another visit or a phone call. Make sure the school knows you are there and that you aren’t going anywhere. 

Taylor: Please keep the energy coming in high school! We want you just as much as the elementary school does. Sometimes as kids get older we feel like we can lessen the reins a bit, but they still need positive support and reinforcement when things need to improve. 

Jackson: You can also get to know staff by showing up to athletic events, club meetings, and other extracurricular events. Sometimes the best relationships start outside of the classroom. With all of the technology we have now there are ways to communicate if you can’t make it to the building. 

Thank you to our panelists, moderator, CAFE, La Plaza, and attendees who made the January Beyond the Bell conversation powerful and engaging. Register for the next conversation on February 11th, 2025. You can find all Beyond the Bell dates, locations, and partners here.