Research shows that when family members are involved in their child’s school—as decision-makers, volunteers, and advocates—student performance and school culture are stronger.

We implement Milwaukee Public Schools Family & Community Engagement framework so families and staff can collaborate to support individual student achievement and overall school progress.

Parent and Family Engagement Opportunities

Parent Coordinator Sara Bailey runs the AAL Parent Center and helps coordinate our School Engagement Council (SEC). Parents and family members can connect with her at baileyse@milwaukee.k12.wi.us or (414) 604-7300. The Parent Center is in room 17 and is open during the school day. Parent involvement is a proud and powerful tradition at AAL thanks to our Parent Teacher Association and SEC.

School Engagement Council (SEC)

Join our SEC to learn about AAL attendance, budgetary, and academic matters. Families and staff meet monthly to review our school’s progress with Principal Rian. SEC members make decisions, and revise plans to support student success. SEC meetings may also address student behavior, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports updates, and more.

SEC meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the conference room, unless otherwise noted.

District Advisory Council (DAC)

Learn about and advise on district programs and strategies related to our Title One School-wide Program during monthly meetings of the Milwaukee Public Schools District Advisory Council (DAC). Each school sends two delegates to meetings; alternates may attend as well.

Family Events

Get to know other AAL families during school info nights, open houses, and celebrations. More information is available on our Parent Teacher Association page.

Family and Staff Communication

Students feel extra motivated when teachers and parents work together to reinforce high expectations and positive learning strategies.

Here are tips for building a strong parent-teacher relationship and staying up to date on school news and family events.

• Collect school and teacher contact information at the beginning of the year. Gather this information from teachers, during open-house events, or visit our staff directory.
• Sign up for Campus Parent Portal to receive real-time updates on your child’s progress in school.
• Use Remind and SchoolMessenger, communication tools that make it easy to stay up to date on AAL school events and activities.
• Sign up for the MPS Family Friday Newsletter for district-wide news and updates.
• Keep an eye out for our AAL newsletter.
• Attend parent-teacher conferences. If conference days and times don’t work for you, ask your child’s teacher if you can schedule a virtual appointment or phone call.

Supporting Your Child During the School Day

Family involvement leads to better grades, better attendance, improved test scores, higher self-esteem, and better behavior for children. Supporting your child’s success includes:

• Making sure your child arrives at school on time every day (7:25 a.m.).
• Calling the attendance line when your child will be absent, at (414) 604-7300. We must be sure every student has arrived safely and follow up with any who are absent. We must also record absences correctly.
• Observing the 2:10 p.m. dismissal time. If your student does not use AAL transportation or attend our after-school camp, they must be picked up at 2:10 p.m.
• Completing your Milwaukee Public Schools volunteer application to become an AAL volunteer.

Supporting Your Child’s Education at Home

Supporting your child’s learning at home can include:

• Helping your child with homework. At home, have a quiet time and place for homework.
• Exploring learning programs and games together. Login through Clever to find programs like Smarty Ants, My Path, Discovery Education, and Flocabulary.
• Sending your child to school with a bookbag daily and checking the bookbag nightly. Lots of important paperwork travels from school to home and back in their bookbag.
• Reading with or having your child read every day.
• Ensuring your child gets at least nine hours of sleep every night.
• Connecting. We understand that there are often obstacles that affect families. If you would like to talk to a school counselor, psychologist, social worker, or parent coordinator, please reach out. Our goal is to collaborate with parents and families to build a strong support network for students.