Resources for Parents/Guardians
Somerville families have access to a wide range of community resources and support services. Whether you need assistance with housing, food, legal services, healthcare, financial support, or other essential needs, the organizations and resources below can help connect you to the services available in our community.
Resource Documents
School Liaisons
School liaisons play an important role in building strong connections between families and Somerville Public Schools. Our multilingual liaison team welcomes families, answers questions about school programs and services, helps connect families with community resources, and supports communication by coordinating interpretation for school meetings and conversations. Many liaisons are fluent in languages beyond English, helping ensure families feel informed, supported, and engaged in their child’s education. Find your School Liaison on your school’s home page.
Multilingual Services
Multilingual Services supports communication between Somerville Public Schools staff and families by providing various interpretation and translation services. The team collectively speak 22 languages, helping ensure families have meaningful access to school information and resources.
Parent / Guardian English Classes
SFLC Parent/Guardian English Classes help SPS families strengthen their English language skills while learning how to become more engaged partners in their child’s education. Offered in collaboration with The Welcome Project, classes are available during both morning and evening hours to accommodate families’ schedules. For more information, please reach out to Marla Aguirre at Maguirre@k12.somerville.ma.us, 617-629-5400 x 3707 or the SFLC: 617-625-6600 X6966
Developmental Screening
Do you have questions about your child’s learning, growth, or development? The Somerville Family Learning Collaborative (SFLC) offers free developmental screenings for all Somerville families with children from 1 month to 5 years old. Using the Ages and Stages screening system, families can access helpful checklists and resources to better understand their child’s development and connect with support when needed.
Home Visits
The Somerville ParentChild+ Program supports families with children ages 18 months to 4 years by building early literacy, language, and school readiness skills. Multilingual Early Literacy Home Visitors work with families through twice-weekly 30-minute home visits, using books, toys, and guided play to help parents support their child’s development and prepare them for success in school. For more information call 617-625-6600 x6992 or email fvillar@k12.somerville.ma.us.
Somerbaby
SomerBaby supports new families with information, resources, and connections during the early months of a baby’s life. Families receive a home visit from a Family Support Worker, guidance on breastfeeding and home safety, developmental screening tools, referrals to community resources, and a Welcome Baby Bag filled with helpful materials, safety items, and resources in multiple languages. Sponsored by SomerPromise of the Somerville Department of Health and Human Services and supported by the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative (SFLC), SomerBaby helps families access the support they need to give their babies a strong start. This is a free program for Somerville residents. Email somerbaby@somervillema.gov with questions. Or call Flor Apolaya (Spanish/English) at (617) 625-6600 ext. 2347, or Maria Holz (Portuguese/English) at (617) 625-6600 ext. 2345.
SOIA
The Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA) helps connect immigrant and multilingual community members with local government, resources, and important information. SOIA provides support and guidance related to city services, community referrals, legal assistance, civic engagement opportunities, and in-language programming to help residents access the resources they need and participate fully in the Somerville community.
Visit the Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA)
How can I prepare my family in case of an emergency?
It is extremely important that your school has the most updated list of emergency contacts for your family. Please contact your school’s main office to update your information.
The following multilingual resources include useful information about Knowing Your Rights and Family Preparedness planning:
If you need a referral to a state or local agency, require immigration legal support, want information about city resources, or need further assistance, the Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA) has multilingual staff who can help immigrant families living or working in Somerville. You may make a request on-line using this link, email them at soia@somervillema.gov, call one of the numbers below, or visit them at 42 Cross St.
- Spanish 617-625-6600 x2122 or 2624
- Portuguese 617-625-6600 x2123 or 2627
- Haitian Creole 617-625-6600 x2622 or 2625
- Nepali 617-625-6600 x2610
- Mandarin and Cantonese 617-625-6600 x2626
- Other languages 617-625-6600 x2623