Family Engagement Practitioner Highlight
We are honored to celebrate and recognized
Dr. Chisel Valdez as the 2024 Innovations in Family Engagement Award Winner. Through her tireless efforts, Dr. Valdez has created a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive school community where families are true partners in education.
Her innovative practices and unwavering dedication to family engagement have not only improved student outcomes but have also strengthened the bonds between the school district and the community.
We congratulate Dr. Valdez on this well-deserved honor and look forward to seeing the continued positive impact of her exemplary family engagement practices.
Dr. Chisel Valdez
Director of Family Engagement for Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia, is a seasoned educational professional with more than two decades of experience in the education sector. Over the years, she has served as a lead teacher, assistant principal, principal, Director of Federal Programs, and Director of Family Engagement.
Dr. Valdez facilitates interactive training opportunities with district leaders, principals, assistant principals, and local school family engagement staff to build staff capacity to support and implement effective family engagement programs.
As the Director of Family Engagement, Dr. Valdez leads cross-divisional family engagement teams in program implementation, training, resource development, and activities to engage families as co-authors for the success of their children.
Dr. Valdez also supports the creation of customized school action plans, including resources, tools, innovative workshops for families, and training to aid schools in reaching their delineated goals. She leads the onboarding process and community input meetings for all new Title I Schools and focus groups to provide families with opportunities to offer feedback and input for decision-making.
Dr. Valdez firmly believes that family partnerships are crucial to ensuring academic success for students. She passionately advocates for equity, removing barriers to engagement, and supporting all students and families to ensure they have the tools they need to thrive.