Our Approach
At Groundwork Consulting, LLC, we believe in leveraging research-backed methodologies to drive meaningful change in family-school partnerships. Our approach is rooted in the "Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships (Version 2)," developed by Dr. Karen Mapp, a Senior Lecturer at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. This framework serves as our guiding light, helping us identify the essential goals and conditions necessary to establish robust family engagement systems that empower families, uplift students, and align with the academic vision of educational divisions.
One of our core principles at Groundwork is proximity—getting close to those most impacted, namely students and families. By understanding their unique needs and challenges, we craft tailored strategies for effective family engagement within each educational division we serve.
Through dynamic and interactive training sessions, Groundwork cultivates a new generation of engagement champions equipped with the tools and insights needed to implement impactful engagement practices. Our focus extends beyond mere attendance metrics; we're committed to fostering authentic relationships with families, thereby fostering trust and collaboration that drive improved student achievement outcomes.
We recognize that sustainable change requires more than just top-down directives; it necessitates building the capacity of individuals within systems to lead, engage, and sustain the transformation journey. Moreover, we deeply value the expertise and wisdom of those directly impacted by educational systems, anchoring our work in their perspectives and experiences.
As founder Shadae Harris leads our team, her passion for educational equity and community empowerment serves as the driving force behind Groundwork's mission. With her guidance, we remain dedicated to fostering inclusive and transformative family-school partnerships that lay the groundwork for a brighter future for all students.
Dr. Shadae Harris
President & CEO
Dr. Shadae Thomas Harris is a luminary in the realm of national engagement, a visionary who has dedicated over 25 years to constructing robust systems that uplift students and families. In the past six years, as Chief Engagement Officer, Dr. Harris has stood as a beacon of transformative leadership within Richmond Public Schools, spearheading initiatives that have significantly reduced chronic absenteeism. Her tenure is marked by an unwavering commitment to forging genuine relationships with families and community partners, tirelessly advocating for educational equity, especially for communities of color and those historically marginalized.
At Richmond Public Schools, Dr. Harris was the architect behind the groundbreaking Office of Engagement, achieving unprecedented success in reducing chronic absenteeism by nearly 20% in just two years, tripling the state's growth in this crucial area. Her visionary leadership also saw the birth of the division’s first language justice team, ensuring that the voices of multilingual students and families are heard and respected. Dr. Harris’s work has earned her national recognition as a preeminent authority on family engagement and the mitigation of chronic absenteeism. Her expertise is sought after by esteemed institutions like Harvard's Family Engagement Institute and Attendance Works. Moreover, Dr. Harris has had the distinguished honor of speaking at the White House, where she addressed the nation on her impactful efforts to increase student achievement through an engagement lens.
Dr. Harris’s rich academic tapestry, crowned by her Doctorate of Education Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, equips her with the profound insights and tools necessary for enacting meaningful change. Her scholarly journey began with a Bachelor's in Education and Child Study from Smith College, followed by a Master's in Education from Harvard University. Her career, rooted in the classroom as a 4th-grade teacher and blossoming into an elementary school principal, laid the cornerstone for her formidable leadership in educational engagement and policy innovation.
As Dr. Harris steps into her new role as President and CEO of Groundwork Consulting, LLC, her steadfast dedication to educational excellence continues to illuminate the path forward. She is a trailblazer reimagining engagement, setting new paradigms for connecting and centering our efforts on those most affected—students and families. Her work continues to elevate the national dialogue, driving forward the quest for justice and equity in education.