Each month a school-based parent liaison will be recognized for his or her service to the staff and families of FCPS. The November recipient of this recognition is Sarah Connolly, parent liaison at Aldrin Elementary School.
For 10 years in her role as a parent liaison at Aldrin Elementary School, Connolly has ensured that the Aldrin families who come from a wide variety of cultural, linguistic, and ethnic backgrounds are warmly welcomed into the school and grow to see themselves as valued members of the Aldrin “family.” Through in-person, phone, and written interactions, Connolly works tirelessly to give these families the knowledge and identify the resources that help parents understand and become involved in their children’s education.
Connolly speaks Spanish which helps immeasurably in communicating with the Spanish speaking families, and she shows the same care and involvement in reaching the wide range of other cultural and linguistic groups within the school.
Just as important, she helps the Aldrin administration and staff communicate and interact effectively with families across different cultures and languages. Connolly understands that the families she serves come from a wide variety of economic, cultural and educational backgrounds. Her collaboration with the staff in this area allows the school to value each family’s unique background and address its particular needs. Connolly’s involvement includes a wide range of contributions, from explaining school policies to parents to helping families successfully navigate the deep challenges of family reunification.
Principal Shane Wolfe describes Connolly as, “an invaluable communication link among Aldrin families, our staff, and the wider Northern Virginia community. It is through her talents that all of our Aldrin families, teachers, and students can experience the strong sense of inclusion that we strive for at Aldrin Elementary.”