Schools Engaging Families

The National PTA provides great Back-to-School resources to get you started on your way to an awesome year of engaging families and your community:

Plan Your School Year

Engage Your School Community

Support for Families

Read the full article here.

The PaTTAN East office has relocated to Audubon (Norristown), Pennsylvania, in an easily-accessible office park within a few miles from King of Prussia. We look forward to welcoming you to our new address:

2500 Monroe Blvd, Suite 110

(Resources shared with permission from Patricia Weinzapfel)

Choose The Right Font

To communicate effectively with families and community, research has shown the actual letters you use are just as important as the words and information you share. We want to make sure all of our families get the information they need to help their children at home.

Be aware that some fonts may be harder to read for your parents or caregivers who struggle with reading or have dyslexia or a visual challenge. For readability:

• Use just one simple and familiar font per communication.
• Avoid italics and using all capital letters; use bold sparingly.
• Don’t use underline unless it’s a link.
• Use font size 12pt to 14pt.

Here are some sans serifs, accessible font suggestions:

• Arial
• Helvetica
• Tahoma
• Calibri
• Verdana

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Avoid Formality

When you communicate with parents and caregivers, you may be tempted to use a very business-like, formal tone. After all, we’re schools, we’re part of a formal system that is charged with developing and turning out well-educated people. But if we are too formal, too business like, it can seem impersonal to families. That will not work in our favor as we try to build relationships.

We want to be seen as different from other systems. So, let’s make sure our letters communicate in a way that is conversational, concise, clear, and compassionate.

The 2026 PAPBS and MTSS Integrated Implementers’ Forum, One System, All Learners: Advancing Integration in PBIS & MTSS, will be offered in a hybrid modality. The in-person option will be hosted at PaTTAN Central with a completely virtual, synchronous attendance option available. Presenters will be both in-person and virtual. Registration is anticipated to be open soon.

Check out these free, one-hour training sessions on various topics in special education, the FAMILIES TO THE MAX (F2MAX) Foundational Training Courses. From August through December, one of these five presentations are offered twice a month (noon or 7 PM) on topics such as Presuming Competence, Collaborating on School Teams, Access to the General Education Curriculum, and more. Casual sessions, Virtual Villages, are offered following the trainings to discuss the content and other areas of interest.

F2MAX is the OSEP-funded PA Statewide Network of professionals and families whose mission is leading change for children with diverse needs by maximizing opportunities in the home, classroom, and community.

Please share this informational flyer with families of your students.

Pathways Forward: Navigating the Future Together

Resources and Information Sessions for Youth 10-21 and Their Families

This professional webinar series, Pathways Forward: Navigating the Future Together, is designed to support transition success at home, school, and work.

**NOTES:

• Target Audience: Youth, parents, and families (please share.)
• This training is funded through the Pathways to Partnership (P2P) Grant, a Disability Innovation Fund grant awarded to the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.
• To participate, students must either have an active OVR case (confirmed by OVR) or submit a completed OVR-244 Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Request Form must be submitted with registration!

Contact hmangis@pattanpgh.net for more information.

The 2026 Bridging Knowledge to Know-How: Empowering Pennsylvania Educators and Partners Conference at The Lancaster County Convention Center, August 4-7, brought hundreds of educational practitioners, families, related service providers, and youth together to gain knowledge and learn current best practices in the areas of Autism, Low-Incidence Disabilities, and Secondary Transition.

Highlights of this year's hybrid event included amazing keynote sessions; Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network (PYLN) Advocacy awards, PA Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Award; the Bridging Together Family Fun Night and Night Out at the Ballpark; over 150 scholarships awarded to school teams, pre-service teachers, and families; posters, trending topics, and exhibitors; Camp InsPirAtion and Computer Science Camp for youth ages 4-21.

SAVE THE DATES! 2027 Bridging Knowledge to Know-How Conference

August 3 - 6, 2027

State College, PA

Join colleagues and partners nationwide for a Family Engagement Leadership Summit, hosted by the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center. This seventh annual professional learning event is for teachers, leaders, family liaisons, families, and community partners dedicated to advancing effective family-school-community partnerships, K-12. The Summit brings research to action, providing tools necessary to work together.

Please share this PaTTAN family resource, the Quick Start Guide to Special Education Bundle of our popular, helpful publications directed at families and caregivers of students with (or thought to have) disabilities.

Students may face extended absences due to physical or mental health challenges, disciplinary issues, family responsibilities, or other life events. When these students return, they are not simply re-entering a classroom; they are rejoining a community.

This downloadable PDF, School District Re-entry Plans Resource Guide, is a fillable, calculable form that is designed to support Pennsylvania educators in helping students successfully transition back to school after a significant absence.

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) wants to recognize the incredible determination of children and youth with exceptionalities! Presented each year at the CEC Convention & Expo, the Yes I Can Awards recognize 12 outstanding students with exceptionalities. CEC is looking for nominations in six categories: Academics, Arts, School & Community Activities, Self-Advocacy, Technology, and Transition.

Nominate a student who has demonstrated outstanding achievement for a chance to be recognized at this year's CEC Convention & Expo from March 10 – 13, 2027, in Columbus, Ohio.

The Nomination Deadline is September 30, 2026.

Nominate a Successful Student here.