Monday, November 17, 2008
How do we get them in??
This is my 6th year as principal of a primary school in a rural area in Georgia. Ever since our school system rezoned the primary schools, our school has had a horrible experience with parent involvement. Initially, we were used to PTO's that experienced packed houses when there were meetings!! There were activities scheduled and parents always showed up. Our system used a portion of their Title I funds to hire parent liaisons for each primary school to assist students and facilitate workshops to assist them. The first year, our sessions had at least 40 parents to participate. Now, we have NONE!! Our PTO scheduled a meeting last term and we had 3 parents to attend (approx 400 student population). Parents complain that we do not involve them,but we schedule activities during the day and in the evening. They still do not show up!! This year we planned a Skate Night and there were about 40 parents and children attend. I often wonder if they spend more time wtih recreation activities and just do not have time or is it that our activities are not exciting enough?
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1 comment:
Alphefia
Hi Appolo,
I feel your pain with a parental involvement in the classroom setting. People are so busy and they have other activities or their priorities are much different than they use to be. I am currently working with the New Jersey Education Association on a committee that specifically plans activities that may improve parental invovlement. You must be encourage because if you can get three parents do not stop the next time by word of mouth you may get six parents.
In our district we work along with other stakeholders within the community to get parents invovled in attending workshops, breakfasts, and luncheons. I host a back to school breakfast at my church which is in the community in which I live. A few years ago we started out with maybe 100 attendees; this included the parents and children. In September of 2008, we had over three hundred attendees. We send filers out through the school and we put fliers in the local businesses. We give away free bookbags and supplies after the attendees eat breakfast and attend a workshop for approximately 30mins. Then we have a drawing for the bookbags because we do not have enough bookbags to give to every attendee. However, we have enough school supplies for all of the attendees. I think if you can find a grant that will address the needs of parents and students this may help. We usually provide dinner and a babysitter for students. We incorporate some of our workshops where parents are in one area and students are given activities to do in the next room. Also, we do MegaSkills workshops where the parents and children work as a team to improve their relationship at home which then will be beneficial in approving their behavior in the school setting.
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