Discussion Questions

• What does student voice mean in your school district?
• How do you get beyond "voice" and provide "agency" to your students?
• What can you do to amplify the great work when teachers are unwilling or uncomfortable in sharing their brilliance?

When we only communicate sporadically or limit communication to polished “PR spots” we give the impression that we only connect with the community when we need something. Our ultimate purpose in telling school stories is not to self-promote or to guilt community members into being more actively involved in the school; our aim is to surround our children with trusting, nurturing, collaborative adults who prove they value education by paying attention to it, by committing to improve it. We must therefore acknowledge the truth of what happens every single day in our schools. We are better together, and being transparent with our community is essential for that partnership.