Community Event Brings Williams Families and Staff Together

When educators at Williams Elementary set out to plan a community event, they were intent on accomplishing three main goals: build community, strengthen relationships, and promote literacy among bilingual families. 

“The heart of the event was to make connections with our families,” said Elyssa Benavides, Williams assistant principal. “And to get books into homes, especially for kids in lower-income areas where access might be limited.”

With support from Georgetown Bridges to Growth, The Locker, dual language teachers and the GISD multilingual department, over 120 bilingual books were distributed to Williams dual language students. 

“I think it meant a lot to the families to not only receive new books, but to have so many people come together to share them in person and make that extra connection,” Benavides said.

While these community events often take place on campus, Williams staff wanted to do something a little different for this one: Bring the campus to the families.

“We set up the event in a neighborhood where a large population of our bilingual families live,” Benavides said. “A lot of families came up and told us how much it meant that we made the effort to meet them where they are.”

While students dug into their new books, parents connected with one another, visited with staff and learned more about their child’s campus during Q&A’s and small group discussions. 

“The event provided us with an opportunity to connect with families in their own space, in a more relaxed, authentic way,” said Debra Truett, teacher at Williams. “Overall, the event strengthened trust and created a shared sense of investment in our students’ success.”

Because of the generosity of so many people, families walked away that night feeling more informed, more seen, and more connected to their child’s education.