@Cissy White You're the best. I love that you are so boldly putting it out there!
To begin with, you know that your question is laden with like 10,000 $1,000,000 questions. You may be new to this arena, but you're a quick study, so of course you have all the questions everyone in education has been grappling with for eternity:
- How to include ALL VOICES?
- How to bridge PTAs mission with the broader school community?
- How to engage parents with busy lives, distance, etc? And for what purpose?
- How to diminish inequities potentially inherent in income, racial, cultural differences?
For starters, I think you may want to Simon Sinek this one with your fellow school council members.
WHY? What are you wanting to accomplish and WHY? Is your desire to share ACES information shared by a majority on the council? If so, for what purpose? Are you looking to have parents find one another for support with these ACES experiences? How might it look for parents that are actively living ACES? Are you hoping to bring trauma-informed principles into the school via the parent's voice?
A lot of people are going to tell you, "do a needs assessment; survey people." I say, slow down, titrate, give space and time, start what may be a very meaningful conversation with your fellow council members. Truthfully, these conversations are where the healing can begin - for all.
If you have already had this conversation with your fellow council members and you are in agreement about your shared desire to bring ACES science/information to the parent community, begin with your next set of questions. Why? For what purpose? What do you hope to accomplish? What format/vehicle will most likely help you accomplish what you set out to do? How might you spread the word? What's your social network within the council? Who do they know and who knows that person that might help you bring in folks on the periphery of the school's social network?
You know this stuff is my wheelhouse. You know I am eternally indebted to you. I will help you...whatever you decide to do with moving this forward, I am happy to be whispering in your ear or standing by your side.
You go, girl! Be Bold, Be Brave, Be Slow...and KEEP IT REAL! XO, Em