EDTalks: The Power of Informed Parents

In this EDTalk, Rosie Lais and Natty B. Hels share information on new guides Great MN Schools developed to help families better understand what their kids should be learning each year in English language arts and math. They share what they have learned from beta testing with nine community organizations and over 250 Minneapolis families. Families who use the guides are better equipped to be learning advocates for their children and more likely to provide support at home, connect with teachers and seek additional learning opportunities. Rosie Lais is the director of community resources at Great MN Schools, where she blends her strategic and relationship-building skills to ensure that every family has the tools they need to navigate the K-12 system for their children. She began her education career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama, where she served as national coordinator for the Leadership Development for Global Education program. An alumna of Minneapolis Public Schools, she earned her master’s degree in public administration from Princeton University. Natty B. Hels was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia. Early in her career she worked as assistant director of an early learning center, where she witnessed the importance and value of high-quality education in supporting the health and well-being of children and youth. After immigrating to the U.S. in 2015, she began working at Centro Tyrone Guzman, where she currently serves as the youth programs director. She is proud to be part of an organization where she can work with her community and follow her passion for supporting children and youth. This EDTalk was live streamed from Icehouse in Minneapolis on May 8th, 2023. EDTalks is presented by AchieveTwinCities in partnership with Graves Ventures, a project of The Graves Foundation. For more information on EDTalks or to watch EDTalks videos or listen to audio podcasts, visit achievetwincities.org.