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Schools

Greendale Principal Gives Tips on Parent Involvement in Schools

A new report shows that parental involvement has a bigger impact on student achievement than some people may realize.

As students head back to class, many parents are left wondering how to best help their child get off to a successful start in school this year. In addition, parents who are new to the community or to a specific school may be unsure of the different ways to get involved at their child's school.

A new report released by The National School Boards Association’s Center for Public Education, entitled "Back to School: How Parent Involvement Affects Student Achievement," examines various ways that parents can get involved.

"Families working in close partnership with teachers can have a measurable impact on their child’s academic achievement, particularly when they are focused on helping students do well in school," said Patte Barth, Director of the Center. 

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"While parent involvement is no substitute for good classroom instruction, it can make the job much easier for everyone -- teachers, parents, guardians, and students themselves."

According to Principal John Weiss, there are many ways for local parents to participate no matter what level their child is at.

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Weiss listed various opportunities such as joining the PTO, serving on a committee, attending events at school, going to parent/teacher conferences, chaperoning field trips and helping in the classroom.

A press release from NSBA list some major findings in the report:

  • Parent involvement is high. About nine in 10 parents report having attended a school or PTA or PTO meeting in the past year, while eight in 10 attended a parent-teacher conference. Family income is not a factor in the level of parent involvement; low-income families are as likely to report being involved as those with higher incomes.
  • Parent involvement can produce better student outcomes. A Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) synthesis of 51 studies showed that students with involved parents were more likely to: earn higher grades and
    scores; enroll in higher-level programs; be promoted; earn credits; have better attendance and social skills; graduate and attend college. However, not all parent involvement is related to student gains.
  • Six categories of parent involvement. Johns Hopkins researcher Joyce Epstein identifies these as:  Parenting (schools help with parenting skills); communicating; volunteering; learning at home; decision making; and community collaboration. 
  • Of the six categories, support for learning at home produces the biggest student gains. SEDL found that “programs and interventions that engage families in supporting their children’s learning at home are linked to higher student achievement.”  Other studies have found that targeted outreach to parents also has a beneficial impact on improving attendance and helping students prepare for and enroll in postsecondary education.

 

Weiss cited service learning projects and community events, such as the upcoming 'Panther Pride Tailgate' party, as ways families can become more involved with the schools.

Paying close attention to communication being provided by the schools is also a way for parents to become more involved and to know what is happening in their child's school. Weiss says the schools have gotten a lot of positive feedback from parents since they switched from a monthly to a weekly online newsletter last year.

He said teachers and administrators understand that parents are busy and sometimes feel pressured to be volunteering all the time. However, he recommends that parents pick one or two things they want to do.

"If you want to get involved, but you're not sure how, don't be afraid. Just contact your child's school."

He also pointed out that there are opportunities for parents to work at home on volunteer projects if they don't have time to come in to the schools. 

Overall, Weiss said the most important thing for parents to keep in mind is that parental involvement demonstrates the value parents put on schools and learning, which then translates to students who put a higher value on their own education.

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