Parent and Community Involvement

Key Concepts     Help Families Fill Basic Needs     Encourage School-Home Communication       Welcome Families at School           Give Families a Voice     Distribute Information       Support Parents as Teachers and Learners

The following key concepts have been selected by the R3CC Parent and Community Involvement issues team. Each of these concepts is accompanied by actions the school, usually through a formally established parent center, can take to reach out to parents. Make referrals to community service and health-care agencies Establish food cooperatives Provide day-care and recreation programs and information Provide transportation to school event Coordinate a home-visitor program Translate notes and materials sent home Have awards dinners to honor students and families Display student accomplishments and creations in a parent center Provide mediation services for school-home conflicts Sponsor special events, such as family breakfasts Schedule office hours before and after school for parent convenience Sponsor sports, arts, and other performance events to encourage parent presence at school Coordinate parent volunteer programs that provide library, cafeteria, playground, field trip, and tutoring support Involve parents in classroom support activities such as photocopying, book binding, and lamination Seek out parent skills (such as carpentry, computer knowledge, cooking, or storytelling abilities) that could become parent-led workshops for students, teachers, or other parents Ensure parent representation on school decision-making committees Assume responsibility for an issue of school-wide concern, such as drug awareness or the importance of reading with children at home Form alliances with other school and community organizations Advertise the parent center with brochures, newsletters, open houses, and calls home Survey families about their informational needs, and then respond to them Collect and display pamphlets and booklets of interest to parents Provide translated information for non-English speaking parents Provide or sponsor classes and workshops of interest to parents, including computer, GED and ESL classes for their own education, as well as classes to help them better help their children's learning Set up a lending service where families can borrow educational books, games, and materials for use at home.