Recently, 58 Carver families from our elementary school programs at Brookside, Kendall, Naramake, and Tracey and our middle school programs at Nathan Hale, Roton, and West Rocks enjoyed a brisk fall day of apple picking at Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, CT.

Walking through row after row of trees on the orchard’s 1,100-acre property, each family happily filled their bags with delicious apples. Lyman Orchards was the natural choice for Carver’s first family engagement activity of the school year; it’s been ranked as the best location for apple picking in Connecticut and included on the Connecticut Office of Tourism’s “Six Things to Add to Your Fall Bucket List.” We wanted to ensure that our hardworking families had quality time together and the opportunity to experience this fun autumn tradition.

Community outings are offered to our families throughout the school year to strengthen Carver’s relationships with our student's parents and guardians. Parent/family involvement in their child’s education is the best predictor of student success*, which is why Carver includes parents and guardians in our programming. 

Carver communicates regularly with parents/guardians not only to provide updates on their children, but to involve them in program development and implementation as well. In addition to our community outings, we offer resources and programs for parents, such as financial literacy workshops. This holistic approach promotes student achievement by supporting and engaging families to help them create a positive learning environment for their children.

We encourage parents/guardians to consider the following strategies of involvement: 

• Proactive and preventative communication with teachers and Carver employees

• Supporting their children’s independence, such as encouraging them to take responsibility for their schoolwork

• Providing structure at home

• Linking education to future success