The Gary Community School Corporation is proud to announce that Beveridge Elementary School and Frankie Woods McCullough Academy have earned Level 1 Family Engagement Certification through IN*SOURCE, the Indiana Statewide Family Engagement Center.
Level 1 Certification recognizes schools that intentionally listen to families and honor their voices. This achievement reflects each school’s commitment to gathering meaningful feedback from families, ensuring parents and caregivers have opportunities to share their perspectives, and using that feedback to strengthen the school experience for students and families alike.
Through strong participation in the family engagement survey process, families at both schools provided valuable insight into their experiences, needs, and priorities. School leaders and staff demonstrated their commitment to family engagement by actively seeking out family voice and using that information to guide their ongoing improvement efforts.
This recognition is particularly noteworthy given the competitive nature of the certification process. More than 70 schools across Indiana applied for Family Engagement Certification, and only 17 schools successfully attained certification during this cycle. Of those 17 schools, two are from Gary Community School Corporation, highlighting the district’s commitment to meaningful family engagement practices.
“I am incredibly proud of the administrators and staff at both Beveridge and McCullough for the intentional work they have done to center families this school year,” said Jamila Adams, Assistant Director of Curriculum and Assessment and Coordinator of the IN*SOURCE Family Engagement Grant. “True family engagement begins with listening. These schools have shown a genuine commitment to hearing the voices of their families, valuing their feedback, and using that input to strengthen relationships and improve outcomes for students. This recognition is a testament to the culture of partnership they have worked hard to build.”
The certification marks an important step in each school’s family engagement journey and demonstrates a shared belief that families are essential partners in student success. Beveridge and McCullough will continue building upon this foundation as they pursue future levels of certification and expand opportunities for family-school partnerships.
Gary Community School Corporation congratulates the students, families, staff, and leadership teams at Beveridge Elementary School and McCullough Academy on this outstanding accomplishment. Together, we are building a community of lifelong learners, one family at a time.
For more information about the Gary Community School Corporation, visit Garyschools.org.
(l-r) Sharmayne McKinley Principal of McCullough Academy, Matthew Jackson, Assistant Principal of McCullough Academy and Dr. Tyneasha Banks of Beveridge Elementary School.