Maple Elementary Elevates Family Engagement Through New Video Series

At Maple Elementary in Shafter, education isn’t limited to the school day — it continues around the kitchen table, in living rooms, and other places where families gather, talk, and learn together. Recognizing that many parents are unable to attend traditional evening events, the district found a creative way to meet families where they are, using simple videos and activities to strengthen connections, support students, and keep the rural community rooted in family learning.

In the past, Maple Elementary hosted parent engagement nights on campus. However, the district found that participation was limited, as parents would often require alternative childcare in order to attend. Because of this challenge, district leaders came together to rethink how they could better connect and communicate with families.

Over the summer, Superintendent Bryan Easter sat down with Community Coordinator Sarah Petkin, Parents as Teachers Caseworker Elizabeth Martinez, and school leadership to identify key areas where families could be supported through meaningful, accessible content. Together, the group developed eight focus areas designed to elevate families and help ensure students are successful both at home and in the classroom.

“We started brainstorming new ways to engage families differently,” Easter said. “That’s when we landed on video content that could be paired with simple activities meant to elevate families.”

For families like the Gonzalezes, the impact has been both immediate and meaningful.

“I’ve been a part of the Maple family for over eight years, and while this video is something new, our family has truly benefited from learning and applying the facts shown in the videos,” said Maple parent Cecilia Gonzalez. “Since implementing these tools, I’ve noticed my children are more focused and in much better moods!”

One standout activity was a family bonding bingo card tied to the third episode, titled “Family Conversations,” which was released during Thanksgiving Break. The activity encouraged families to use their time together to strengthen communication and relationships at home.

This week, Maple released the newest installment in the project, aligned with the district’s 2025 theme, “Keepin’ It Rural — Rooted in Family, Community, and Education.” The latest video, “Life Skills,” highlights the importance of involving children in everyday tasks at home — such as counting money, completing chores, memorizing phone numbers and addresses, and developing responsibility. The accompanying activity is a chore chart sent home with students, a tool parents will especially appreciate heading into the holiday.

District leaders say the connection between strong family engagement and student success is undeniable.

“Our students are growing substantially in academics,” Easter said. “When families are communicating, students are sleeping well, and mornings are more peaceful, kids arrive at school happier and healthier — and that sets the tone for a better day of learning.”

Easter explained that the purpose of the videos centers on the powerful messages that students need to show up healthy and ready to engage. Attendance offers one way to measure how those conditions are being met, and in recent years the district has seen chronic absenteeism decline from 11 percent to under 6 percent.

Since launching the video series, Maple has seen measurable results, and the initiative has positively influenced both campus culture and family involvement. Parent-teacher conferences drew strong participation this year, back-to-school night was highly successful, and communication with families has undergone a complete transformation. Students are even asking their parents at home whether they’ve watched the latest video, showing that the message is resonating well beyond the classroom.

While this video series was created with Maple Elementary families in mind, it is not exclusive to the district. The content is publicly accessible and available for other schools and districts to utilize. 

Easter explained that smaller districts often develop strong partnerships and creativity due to limited funding. Since schools everywhere face similar challenges, he hopes sharing these resources will help others overcome barriers with boosting family engagement and supporting student well-being.

“We believe that stronger families directly impact the success of our Mustangs,” Easter added. “This has been a fun and meaningful project, and we are very proud of the work.”

Below are the two most recent videos. The complete video series can be found on the district’s Youtube HERE.