LAKEPORT, Calif. – Superintendent April Leiferman and key team members from the Lakeport Unified School District recently visited Big Valley Rancheria Boys and Girls Club to actively engage parents and students in dialogue about how to improve education in Lakeport schools.

Stakeholder engagement is an important component of the Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP.

In an effort to obtain more equitable input from all education stakeholders, Leiferman decided it would be more effective to take a team to where the parents are, instead of asking the parents to come to them.

Lakeport Unified Board members Phil Kirby and Lori Holmes, Terrace Middle School Principal Rachel Paarsch and Lakeport Unified Family Advocate Schad Schweitzer joined Leiferman in this team effort.

Leiferman began the evening with a presentation focused on the “California Way,” the strategic plan the California Department of Education has set forth to improve schools.

She also explained the California Dashboard, a Web site where parents can see how their children’s schools are performing.

The evening wrapped up with a round table discussion on potential improvements and solutions to the concerns that were voiced.

“A lot of great ideas and suggestions came out of the conversation,” said Leiferman.

Topics discussed included spotty Internet service on the reservation; not enough computers; transportation issues; and how to take a more positive approach to discipline.

“I’m excited to work with the LUSD team and Big Valley Rancheria stakeholders to find solutions to these issues,” Leiferman said.

A very important takeaway from the meeting was increased support for the students from Kristin Amparo, Boys & Girls Club director, Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians.

Amparo is working to obtain permission slips from tribal parents, which will allow her to check their students’ progress such as grades and attendance through the “Aeries Portal.” Aeries is the software system that Lakeport Unified utilizes to track student data that must be reported to the state.

Leiferman said that they are working to provide Amparo with office space on the LUSD campus with Schwietzer, so that she can meet with students and parents on campus.

This Family Resource Center will be a place for parents to receive support services from the family liaison, district nurse, tribal education liaisons, and other support services. Leiferman will coordinate with all tribal liaisons to provide the same services for all native students.

The Lakeport team was excited about the outcome of the evening.

“We hope that this is just the beginning of more meetings to increase our stakeholder engagement, which in turn will allow us to serve our Lakeport Unified School District students better,” said Leiferman.

The LCAP is a three-year plan for each district, which spells out goals and progress indicators; stakeholder engagement; and action, services and expenditures.

Each district is required to create an LCAP in order to receive state funding.

California law requires that each school district post their LCAP on their Web sites. Lakeport Unified’s LCAP is located at www.lakeport.k12.ca.us.

Jill Ruzicka is communications coordinator for the Lake County Office of Education.