Loudoun County School Board Recognizes Family Liaisons for Community Impact
At its recent meeting, the Loudoun County School Board honored family liaisons for their instrumental role in supporting students and families facing significant challenges. These professionals are pivotal in ensuring that children have their basic needs met so they can arrive at school ready to learn and succeed academically.
Sarah Boies, an Outreach Services Supervisor, emphasized the dual mission of family liaisons: to enhance family engagement and to provide critical support to students and their families. Initiated in Loudoun County during the 1990s, this program has witnessed an increasing demand for services over the years—a trend highlighted by the recent statistics indicating that as of December 2024, family liaisons had assisted over 4,160 families and approximately 5,210 students.
Family liaisons are strategically positioned in schools based on their Title 1 status—a designation given to schools with a high percentage of students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program. Title 1 schools, which serve populations of 50% or more eligible for these programs, receive dedicated family support, while schools with 40% or more qualify for additional resources. The growing reliance on these liaisons underscores the pressing needs within these educational communities.
Jane Kennedy, Family Liaison at Dominion Trail Elementary School, characterized the role as essential, referring to liaisons as “wonderful” and “a huge resource.” Daily tasks include collaborating with the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), managing assistance programs, and facilitating communication between parents and teachers, especially in instances where language barriers exist.
Dominion Trail’s Principal Jeffrey Joseph echoed these sentiments, noting the critical role family liaisons play in fostering a cohesive school environment. School Board member Lauren Shernoff highlighted the pride schools feel in their family liaisons, a testament to their value in the educational ecosystem.
Among the initiatives spearheaded by family liaisons at Dominion Trail are a food pantry, which recently served 18 families and 53 children, and the Pack Leader program, allowing parents to engage directly within classrooms. Additionally, a new soccer program for children aims to further community integration and physical activity.
Despite the affluent reputation of Loudoun County, significant discrepancies in wealth reveal that many families within the community face economic hardships. Kennedy pointed out that around 50% of children at Dominion Trail qualify for free or reduced meals, with some schools reporting figures as high as 95%. This disparity illustrates the ongoing need for support services, despite the county’s overall wealth.
Kennedy has observed an increase in demand for essential support services and referrals to community resources over recent years. From fewer than 90 weekend meal bags distributed in 2022 to over 140 currently, the reliance on these services is rapidly escalating.
Financial resources pose an ongoing challenge for family liaisons. In her efforts to secure funding, Kennedy has cultivated relationships with community partners, including the Backpack Buddies Foundation, which provided ,000 to initiate the food pantry, and the Loudoun Education Foundation, which manages 17 food pantries across schools.
Kennedy’s passion for her work transcends daily challenges. She recently recounted a poignant moment when her volunteer husband engaged with children who had benefited from the food pantry, reinforcing the community bond these liaisons help to foster.
In her appeal for greater community involvement, Kennedy urges local leaders and citizens to lend their voices and resources to strengthen the social safety net. She emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts aimed at uplifting families, ultimately allowing children in Loudoun County to fully participate in the educational advantages the region offers.
