It is the mission of Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District to provide leadership and services to local school districts.
It is the vision of Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District to be an indispensable partner with every district we serve.
MiFamily Engagement Centers serve as a nexus for resource development and capacity-building for those supporting educators, providing educational programs, linking families to community resources, and reaching out to families to better equip them in becoming partners in their child’s education. The centers serve as a system of support (not a physical location) and are administered by intermediate school districts with funding from MiLEAP.
Char-Em ISD is part of Region 2, which includes Manistee ISD, Northwest Education Services, and Wexford-Missaukee ISD. Questions? Contact Carolyn Beltz, Region 2 MiFamily Engagement Center Coordinator, at beltzc@charemisd.org or (231) 308-0248.
Introducing Region 2’s ‘Promising Practices in Family Engagement’
What can we learn from the family engagement work already happening across our region? Our new “Promising Practices & Learning” document highlights approaches and lessons emerging from the first round of Region 2’s Mini-Grant Program.
Beyond celebrating individual projects, this resource helps us identify practices worth learning from, adapting, and building upon. As we continue investing in local initiatives, we’re also working to strengthen how we gather and share what we’re learning. We invite you to explore these examples and consider what might be useful in your own setting.
2026-27 Region 2 grant recipients
Celebrating Our 2026–27 Family Engagement Grant Recipients!
We’re excited to announce that 17 projects have been awarded approximately $150,000 through the Region 2 MiFamily Engagement Center’s 2026–27 Mini-Grant Program! Schools, libraries, and community organizations across Northwest Michigan are putting family engagement into practice through initiatives focused on literacy, attendance, family leadership, student well-being, and more.
Thank you to our applicants, review panel members, and community partners for their contributions to this year’s grant process.
This year’s awardees are:
Equitable Family Engagement: Guided by Parent Voice Help Me Grow Char-Em | $7,420
Expanding Family Engagement in Early Childhood Communities In Schools of Northwest Michigan | $11,170
Indigenous Culture, Education & Family Engagement Title VI Indigenous Culture and Education Consortium | $10,000
Family Learning Adventures East Jordan Elementary School | $7,000
Growing Together: Families as Partners in Learning Central Day Care Center | $5,000
Little Learners PoWeR! Book Bags | $8,000
Nature Play with Little Big Petoskey District Library | $1,920
Building Mighty Bucks Pine River Area Elementary School | $2,000
Student Led Conferences Forest Area Middle/High School | $2,500
Family Bridge Program Cadillac Area Public Schools | $5,000
School Success Partnership Program Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency | $30,000
Enhancing Family Engagement & Attendance Communities In Schools of Northwest Michigan | $25,000
Creating Connections Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan | $25,000
Stronger Together: A Day of Wellness, Connection & Support Charlevoix Elementary School | $1,820
Compass Family Nights Petoskey United Methodist Church | $3,000
Growing Together in a Digital World Leelanau Montessori Public School Academy | $3,500
Next Gen Presents Pulse: Dance of the Earth Great Lakes Center for the Arts | $6,000
Our recent Systems Scan Report highlights a crucial finding: Relationships are truly foundational to effective family engagement. The report emphasizes that strong partnerships between schools, families, and communities are key to fostering learner success and achieving positive child/student outcomes. We encourage you to delve deeper into the full report to explore these insights further.
