Principal Jason Heard couldn’t reach his parents.

It wasn't just that they weren't involved in their child's education. They didn't understand it. At Cross Keys High School, 86 percent of the student population is Hispanic or Latino. Many of their parents speak English as a second language, if at all.

An A — or an F — was just a letter on a piece of paper.

Heard, who became Cross Keys’ principal in 2014, felt reaching the parents would boost student achievement. A recent state report showing the school’s graduation rate increased nearly 33 percent was proof that parent outreach is working, he said.

About the Author

Keep Reading

(Illustration: Jessi Esparza / AJC)

Credit: Jessi Esparaza/AJC

Featured

Inventor Lonnie Johnson stands with his Super Soaker water guns at JTEC Energy on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. Johnson, a former NASA engineer, is currently working on a new energy technology through his company’s JTEC device that turns thermal heat into usable energy. (Natrice Miller/AJC)