How Fort Mill Built Stronger Family Engagement

York County’s largest district leverages strategic communication as the foundation for a holistic family partnership approach

FORT MILL, SC—May 30, 2025—Fort Mill School District has implemented an integrated family engagement strategy with streamlined communications at its core, transforming how educators connect with families and strengthening the school-home partnership.

By centralizing their communications through Smore for Teams, part of the SchoolStatus comprehensive family engagement solution, Fort Mill has created a consistent information pipeline that forms the foundation for broader family engagement initiatives, including attendance improvement efforts and data-informed parent conferences.

Strategic Communication Impact:

• 27 newsletters published in April 2025, averaging 667 readers per edition
• Transformation from fragmented messaging to consistent, branded communications
• Enhanced ability to reach families through multimedia-rich content
• Improved data visibility through engagement analytics

“Everyone was using their own thing, or nothing at all,” said Joe Burke, Chief Communication Officer at Fort Mill School District. “We wanted all principals to have access to the same solution, and we needed district-level flexibility to communicate with students, families, our broader community, and even prospective teachers during recruitment.”

Building Trust Through Strategic Communication

Fort Mill’s approach demonstrates how effective communication serves as the foundation for comprehensive family engagement. With Smore for Teams, districts can establish the trust and transparency necessary for meaningful home-school partnerships.

The district particularly values the product’s responsiveness during critical situations. “Just 10 years ago, social media was in its infancy. Now, it’s one of the primary tools for sharing information, and it’s only going to get bigger. Unfortunately, some of the information that spreads there can be inaccurate, incorrect, or incomplete,” Mr. Burke explained.

This ability to quickly disseminate accurate information positions the district as the authoritative voice in its community—a crucial element in building the relationship capital needed for effective family engagement.

Data-Driven Family Engagement

Fort Mill’s communication strategy goes beyond simply sending information. Using analytics tools, the district tracks which content resonates most with families through metrics like click-through rates and time spent reading. These insights help educators tailor their messaging to better serve family needs.

This data-informed approach aligns with SchoolStatus’s comprehensive family engagement philosophy, which emphasizes using communication, attendance, and academic data to strengthen the school-home connection.

Expert Perspective on Effective Communication

Dr. Kara Stern, SchoolStatus Director of Education, notes how Fort Mill’s approach exemplifies best practices in modern education.

“The future of family engagement isn’t just about sending information—it’s about creating consistent touchpoints that build relationship capital with families,” Dr. Stern explains. “Districts like Fort Mill are pioneering integrated approaches where communication serves as the foundation for more meaningful partnerships. We’re seeing schools that implement comprehensive engagement solutions experiencing improvements in attendance, family participation, teacher growth and retention, and ultimately, student outcomes.”

Looking Toward a Connected Future

Mr. Burke envisions their communication platform as central to a broader ecosystem of family engagement. “Gone are the days of educational systems working in siloes. Everything in schools has become community-oriented, and you want to keep people involved and informed so that they’re positively participating in schools.”

This vision aligns with SchoolStatus’s integrated approach to family engagement, which connects communication, attendance monitoring, behavior tracking, and academic progress in suite of solutions to improve student outcomes.

About Smore for Teams

Smore for Teams empowers school and district leaders to create professional, engaging newsletters—no design experience needed. With templates, brand controls, and detailed analytics, Smore helps districts unify communication, connect with families, and build trust in every message.

Media Contact: 
Annmarie Ely
Zer0 to 5ive for SchoolStatus
[email protected]
267.454.4686