Families and Schools Together (F.A.S.T.)
Families and Schools Together (F.A.S.T.) is a prevention/ early intervention program coordinated by Family Services and the Green Bay Area School District, serving children in Kindergarten through 5th grade and their families. Fun and innovative activities enhance family functioning by increasing communication between family members.
F.A.S.T. aims at preventing school failure, delinquency, and substance abuse in elementary aged children, while empowering parents and promoting child resilience. Throughout the program, families gain knowledge of community resources and parents become more familiar with their child’s school environment.
The Families and Schools Together program is designed to open the lines of communication between families, their school, and the community, thus strengthening the family unit as a whole.
Program Goals
The F.A.S.T. program strengthens communities by:
Building good communication among family members
Teaching families to express their emotions to one another with respect
Helping children achieve success in school
Helping parents learn about and work more effectively with their children’s schools
Providing information to parents about available community resources
Reducing the stress that parents and children experience from daily situations
Preventing substance abuse in children at a young age
Providing fun activities for the whole family
How F.A.S.T. Works
F.A.S.T. groups meet once a week for 2-1/2 hours in the evening at the child’s school. The program runs for eight consecutive weeks and provides the family with:
A free evening meal, free childcare, and transportation if needed
Adult supervised games and activities for children
A quiet time for parents to exchange ideas with one another about parenting, school, their community, and life in general
One-on-one quality time for parents and their children
Information about community and school resources
Fun activities for the entire family
Free prizes for all participants
Referral Process
School personnel refer families who they feel will benefit, typically children with skill difficulties, poor peer relationships, or academic challenges. Program participation is voluntary.