Blog By: Fredrick Kendricks, Sustainable Community Schools Parent Coordinator
Some spaces are more than physical locations. They represent belonging, connection, and the opportunity to strengthen relationships.
Teamwork Englewood has been working alongside Englewood STEM High School since the school opened, supporting efforts through the Sustainable Community Schools initiative that strengthens connections among students, families, the school, and the broader community. The opening of a dedicated parent space is one of the many investments we have made to sup
port that work and create more opportunities for parents and families to be engaged partners in their children’s education.
Parents are not simply visitors in a school building, they are essential partners in creating thriving schools. At Englewood STEM, we heard from parents who wanted more than a place to enter the building. They wanted a place to belong: a welcoming environment where they could volunteer, connect with one another, access resources, and remain active partners in their children’s education.
For some parents, the experience surrounding “Door 13,” while created with intentions around safety and operations, had become a barrier to that sense of connection. Yet, the desire of parents to be heard and more deeply connected to their school never disappeared.
Through conversations with parents and school stakeholders, we began exploring how the space could better reflect what families said they needed. Together, parents, school staff, and community partners worked to transform Door 13 into a space that affirms and respects parent presence.
This work reflects the Sustainable Community Schools pillar of Authentic Engagement of Parents, Families and Communities and the principle of Shared Leadership and Collaboration.
As Cecile De Mello, Executive Director of Teamwork Englewood, shared, “Parents wanted a space inside the building to go volunteer more but to also be present and be able to network with each other.”
The unveiling of the newly transformed space was a celebration of that collective effort. Englewood STEM Principal Christopher Shelton emphasized the importance of these relationships, noting that “when we have strong partnerships amongst teachers, parents, and students, we see a direct correlation with students doing better in school.”
This space is more than a room. As Sara Roebuck, Englewood STEM SCS Resource Coordinator, shared, “This space is not just a space. It is a tool for equity.”
For families, the space represents an opportunity to connect, access resources, volunteer, and have a greater presence within their children’s school community. It is one more step toward building the strong relationships between families, schools, and communities that help students thrive.
As Englewood STEM Parent Marquita Kippers shared during the celebration: “This is our space… This is our home, Parents! Come join us.”
Welcome home.
Want to see the day in motion, featuring the voices of Englewood STEM faculty and parents?
Videography by T.R.U.E. Photo
Fredrick Kendricks
SCS Parent Coordinator
fkendricks@teamworkenglewood.org
