Family Engagement Plan

Welcome to Global Arts Plus Upper Campus. Our campus lays a foundation for creativity and exploration of the arts. When polled, Global Arts families said that GAPU is an “inclusive, supportive, engaging and creative community.” 

The Global Arts Plus approach to teaching and learning is grounded in the belief that the arts can play a central role in how children learn, and in helping them to excel in their course of study. At Global Arts Plus, we have created an academic/arts partnership that enhances the classroom learning environment and academic performance of all of our students.

The Family Engagement Plan (FEP) is organized into four impact areas. We will be working together this year to build positive and goal-oriented relationships in each area. Families and staff at school developed this plan together.

Welcoming Environment

Our school has staff member(s) available for families to discuss this plan and ask questions.

• Family Liaison: Ericka Dennis (email) ericka.dennis@spps.org; (651)744-3381

Our school communicates with families in many ways.

• Our teachers send home monthly class newsletters.  Our school emails families a monthly school wide newsletter, the Global Arts Plus translatable Family Smore. We use Mass Notification to text and email school updates, events and information. Additionally, we utilize our teaching and educational assistants to connect with our families in their home language.
• Our well-laid out school website makes it easy for you to stay up-to-date with important information.    
• When families call, email, or send a note, we do our best to respond within 24 hours.  Our weekly whole school Friday Gatherings bring the entire school and family community together to share student work.
• Monthly drop-in Fireside Principal Chats make it possible for you to converse with the Principal in partnership with other families.  

The achievement gap, or rather the “opportunity gap,” between students of color and white students in Saint Paul Public Schools is unacceptable. Our school is working to change practices and systems by identifying the barriers that make it harder for students of color to succeed and for their families to support their learning.

• For more about our work on racial equity, contact: Principal Lesly Gamez

Transitions between schools can be challenging, and we work to help families as their children start and leave our school. 

For new students and families, we support the transition by:

• Fall Open House/Meet the Teacher (late August)
• School Tours (on-going)
• Shadowing(on-going)
• Hosting a table at the SPPS School Choice Fair
• Hosting a Counselor-led Transition Night at GAPU in May for Rising 5th and 6th grade students and their families

For students and families moving to the next school in their pathway, we support the transition by: 

• Provide counseling lessons in 5th grade classrooms regarding the Middle School Transition
• Coordinate a 4th grade field trip to visit the Upper Campus on May 28th, 2025.  Students tour the school, hear from a 5th grade teacher and students, meet support staff and admin, and learn more about upper campus.
• Coordinate a 5th grade visit to the 6th grade classrooms to learn more about 6th grade from the 6th grade teachers. Planning Document
• Provide a 6th grade Student Panel in each 5th grade classroom to discuss 6th grade and answer student questions
• Provide Registration Night information to families via newsletter and schoology updates
• Share high school information and registration nights to 8th grade students via Schoology updates and/or Foundations class reminders
• Provide 8th grade transition lessons about High School via counseling curriculum 
• Coordinate with high school counselors to provide support for student course registration

Family Partnerships

Our school-parent compact establishes the shared responsibility for student success between the school, families, and students. Families and teachers work together to develop the compact. 

Copies of the compact are available: 

• Back to School Open House
• Annual Title 1 Night
• Main Office
• Family Liaison Office (rm 1510)

The compact will be updated:

• GAPU staff will collaborate with parents and students to update the compact in Spring 2026.

A Family-School Compact for Achievement is an agreement that parents, students and teachers develop together. It explains how parents and teachers will work together to make sure all students get the individual support they need to reach and exceed grade level standards. Jointly Developed with Parents

There are many opportunities for families to build connections to the school and to each other.

• Annual Title I Meeting 
• Family Nights
• Weekly Friday Gatherings
• Monthly PTA meetings
• Volunteering 
• Winter and Spring Conferences
• After school Art performances      
• National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) will be on February 9, 2026  

We work to make these meetings and events available for every family in the school.

• Meetings and school events are scheduled well in advance and reminder texts and emails are sent out several times to give families plenty of opportunities to attend.
• Transportation and interpretive services are provided upon request for school meetings.
• Food is provided by local businesses for a small fee during most evening family night events.
• Childcare and interpretive services have been provided for PTA meetings upon request.    
• We use Language line, Bilingual EAs and translatable monthly newsletters to maintain connection with families of English Learners

Our school supports families as advocates and provides opportunities for parent leadership

If you have concerns about their child's learning, please feel free to: 

1. Contact the Teacher 
2. Speak with Administration
3. Reach out to the Family Liaison to assist in advocating    

We utilize information from surveys, monthly Principal Fireside Chats, formal and informal meetings and conversations with families to determine what annual professional development that staff will receive  about working with families.

In addition to routine informal conversations with families about school improvement (SCIP) and family engagement (FEP), Global Arts Plus Upper Campus (GAPU) hosts two quarterly FEP and SCIP planning sessions with GAPU families to update its engagement and improvement vision for the next academic year. 

Teaching and Learning

Our school shares information about state standards, assessments, and student achievement with families in multiple ways:

• Middle School Report cards and progress reports will be posted on Schoology for Quarter 1 on 11/17, Q2 on 2/6, Q3 on 4/17 and Q4 on 6/12 
• 5th grade report cards: 11/4, 3/24, and 6/15 
• Parent-Teacher conferences are held:   
  • November 6th and 11th from 4:30 to 7:30 PM. 5th grade has an additional scheduled conference date on Friday, November 7th.
  • March 26th & 31st from 4:30 to 7:30 PM. 5th grade has an additional scheduled conference date on Friday, April 3rd.
• Monthly Friday Principal Fireside Chats
• Weekly Friday Gatherings
• Family nights  & PTA meetings

Our school will engage in personalized learning as a key strategy to accelerate student achievement. Parents can get more information using many tools.

• Parent log-in information can be accessed at spps.org/onestop or by asking the school clerk
• iPads - Every student receives a school issued iPad. provide any information that parents need to know about iPads at your school. Please review iPad Handbook 
• Schoology –Students’ classes, assignments, grades, and teacher emails can be accessed on the Schoology app.

Many before- and after-school enrichment and support opportunities are available for students

• Athletes Committed to Educating Students (ACES) is offered before school (7:30-9:15) Monday-Friday from September-May 
• Extended Day Learning (EDL) is offered after school from 4:00-6:00) October-May on  Mondays & Wednesdays 
• Various seasonal athletic teams offered
• After school Theater
   

Community Partnerships

Our school develops community partnerships to provide additional support for students and their families

• Upstream Arts
• Twin Cities Opera Guild,
• EDL
• Perpich Center for Arts Education
• Artist-Educators through residency programs
• Macalester College Student Tutors
• ACES mentors

This plan is available as part of our school’s SCIP, or School Comprehensive Improvement Plan. Printed copies are available in the office.