The Foundation for Vancouver Public Schools supports family and community engagement events across the district throughout the school year, helping schools create meaningful opportunities for families to connect with educators, build relationships with one another, and become active partners in student success.

At Washington Elementary, these events play an important role in strengthening the connection between home and school and encouraging family involvement in a child’s education throughout the year.

Before the school year even began, Washington welcomed incoming students and their families to two August Adventures events. During the art adventure, families enjoyed story-based activities inspired by favorite books, including creating “fire-breathing dragons” while reading Dragons Love Tacos. At the Lego adventure, students worked together to tackle creative building challenges, finding imaginative solutions to build bigger, stronger bridges or figuring out how to build a tower from the smallest to largest Lego blocks. These activities strengthened teamwork while helping students make new friends and reconnect with classmates.

In September, 200 students and family members joined staff for the school Picnic in the Park. Families gathered on the school lawn for hot dogs, games, and community building. Students practiced literacy skills, selected free books to take home, and explored math concepts through hands-on activities like a giant Connect Four and oversized foam dice. The neighborhood association also joined in the fun, donating food for the gathering.

These family engagement events help strengthen school-home partnerships, foster a sense of belonging, and create opportunities for students and families to learn and grow together. Through support from the Foundation, schools like Washington Elementary can continue building connections that help students thrive both in and out of the classroom.