In this episode of Learning Lab, Christina and Kaylah sit down with Chyrl Johnson, a cosmetology teacher at Macon YDC in Georgia Preparatory Academy, to explore parent engagement rooted in empathy, respect, and humanity.

Chyrl shares how treating students the way she would her own children shapes everything. Through monthly phone calls, letters home, and joyful family engagement events, she shows how consistent, caring outreach strengthens trust, increases student engagement, and sparks meaningful conversations between students and their families. Chyrl reframes parent outreach not as an obligation, but as a meaningful responsibility, grounded in the belief that families deserve to be part of their child’s story, even in secure settings.

This episode is a powerful reminder that when educators treat students as humans and families as ...