Skyline High School’s monthly Coffee with the Principals sessions offer an informal way to connect with parents and guardians

A quick look at one way AAPS ensures a culture of dignity, belonging and well-being

Editor’s note: This is one in a series of quick videos showing how AAPS ensures a culture of dignity, belonging, and well-being through intentional actions each day.

Skyline High School’s first Coffee With The Principals of the school year is off to a good start, offering a chance for parents and guardians to connect with administrators in an informal setting.

Ten parents showed up to the first session last week, and the discussion covered a variety of topics.

“We started this because we really want to make sure that we are available to students, to families, parents, and guardians to come and have informal conversations,” said Principal Casey Elmore. “Not everything has to be in a formal setting.”

In order to make the hour more accessible to more people, times and dates alternate, and it is hoped that in the future, some off-site sessions will make it even easier for the community to attend.

“We really want to make sure that we’re hearing the concerns questions, that we’re answering any, you know, unknowns for families so that they feel safe, and they belong here,” says Elmore. “We want everybody to have a safe space to talk to us and to make sure that their voices are heard. And so this is just one more opportunity and way that we’re trying to make sure that we hear them.”

Elmore was pleased with parent engagement at the first event and sees it as an evolving platform to connect with families and understand their perspectives.

The next Coffees with the Principal will be held at Skyline High School on Monday, Nov. 6 from 1:45-2:45 p.m., and on Friday, Dec. 8 from 8:15-9:15 a.m.

The AAPS Dignity, Belonging & Well-being Focus Statement for 2023-24
Through our intentional actions each day, we work together to ensure a culture of dignity so our students learn, grow and thrive within an environment of belonging; we model and cultivate well-being for every child and every staff member as the essential foundation of high-quality, equity-oriented educational experience.