Establish a sense of community and foundation of trust with parents and guardians. On the Same Team offers current research and real classroom examples to guide school and district leaders in building Families and Educators Together (FET) teams. Discover how the FET framework can help create strong family-school partnerships and foster a culture of inclusion and support for underrepresented groups. This book will help K-12 leadership: Differentiate between family involvement in schools and the authentic, mutually beneficial collaborative partnerships behind FET teams Facilitate a successful and inspiring launch of the framework with key preparation steps Prepare for common roadblocks and identify potential barriers to successful implementation Foster the habits and skills behind a successful FET team leader Use team-building activities, as well as sample email messages, questions to ask primary caregivers, calendars, timelines, and other practical resources Contents: Introduction Chapter 1: Understanding Families and Educators Together Teams Chapter 2: Building Your Teams Chapter 3: Preparing for the Launch Chapter 4: Making Your First FET Meeting a Success Chapter 5: Being a Great Team Leader Chapter 6: Taking Action and Sustaining the Momentum Epilogue Appendix A: Frequently Asked Questions Appendix B: Organizational Tools Appendix C: Outreach Materials Appendix D: FET-Initiated Projects That Became Statewide "Promising Practices" References and Resources Index