CONNECT Cohort

Digging Deep: PRA’s 15-Year Journey to Cultivate Community Engagement

For our final session of the 2024–25 school year, CONNECT members heard from Patty Kelly, Community Operations Director at Prospect Ridge Academy (PRA), who shared her school’s intentional and evolving approach to family engagement and culture-building. Patty highlighted how PRA reestablished its volunteer base post-COVID, introduced low-barrier ways for families to get involved, and leveraged platforms like social media to extend community beyond school walls.

Key Takeaways:
✅ Start with purpose – Align all engagement efforts with your school’s core mission
✅ Keep it simple – Use small, consistent invitations to build connection and belonging
✅ Make it visible – Elevate community through authentic stories, Reels, and shared celebrations
✅ Lead with culture – Strong engagement starts at the top and lives in every touchpoint
✅ Honor involvement – Recognize and appreciate volunteers, even in simple ways

🎥 Access the presentation slides and recording in the Documents tab of the CONNECT cohort online community: https://coloradoleague.org/group/connect-cohort/documents.html

Thanks again for a fantastic year of learning and connection. We'll be in touch this August with details on the 2025–26 CONNECT lineup!

📝 Help us plan for next year by taking our 1-question survey: https://forms.gle/93hMyYAm3cXF5sNcA

Created: May 09, 2025 01:05:59 PM