Do you ever feel like your school public relations plan is missing something? Take a look at your school-parent community partnership. How often do your students’ families come to your school? Do they have reasons to look forward to their time on your campus?
While living in Anchorage, Alaska, some years ago, our oldest child attended kindergarten at Northern Lights ABC Elementary School (NLABC). Once a month this school would invite students’ families to attend an assembly. During the first half of the event, there would be a performance by one of the grades based on a patriotic theme. During the latter half of the assembly, the principal would present academic and citizenship awards to students. We enjoyed their reading program awards, and my daughter worked hard to meet checkpoints during the year in order to finally get a special t-shirt for reading over 5,000 pages.
My husband and I enjoyed going to the school to watch our daughter receive an award or perform in an assembly. At the assemblies, we met our daughter’s friends as well as their families. We also marveled at how much the school managed to fit into a kindergarten day. Since that time, we have had children attend seven different schools in three different school districts. To be certain, every school has its strengths and weaknesses, but every time we move, I can’t help but compare our new school to NLABC school. Their parent engagement was exemplary.
According to Joyce Epstein of Johns Hopkins University, there are six types of involvement in a school-parent community partnership: parenting, learning at home, volunteering, communicating, decision making, and collaborating with the community. A successful partnership offers a broad range of school, family, and community opportunities that engage all parties and, most importantly, meet students’ needs. Epstein affirms that these partnerships are not add-on programs or independent projects—they are effectively integrated with school goals and overall district goals.
Creating frequent opportunities at the school to engage parents (and grandparents too) refreshes your school public relations, helping families feel connected to your school. In general, parents enjoy supporting their children by attending events in which they were involved in one way or another. According to Epstein, parent, family, and community involvement means different things to different people. Here are some ideas of activities you can hold at your school that will foster parent engagement.
Six Typical Ways to Engage Parents
The Usual:
- Open houses: These are typically well known, expected, and pretty much a staple on any school calendar. These events give families a chance for school orientation at the beginning of the school year.
- Assemblies: As I mentioned above, assemblies give schools a chance to strengthen school brand and public relations by showcasing combined efforts of faculty and students, sharing a wide variety of messages with the families and classmates—either through spoken words or music. These events can vary based on age group, but all schools benefit from well-run assemblies.
- School tours: Try offering monthly tours on a set date. Benefits of establishing a set time for tours limits disruptions to classroom time, allows for your office to professionally direct prospective students and their families, and shows that you set a priority on welcoming in new students.
- School lunch: Be sure your students’ families know they are welcome to join their students for lunch during school. This is a great opportunity for parents and grandparents to feel connected to your school. If your school isn’t open for lunch, schedule a special day to invite parents or grandparents to join their child for lunch.
- Student presentations: This is a great chance to showcase artwork, research projects, or classroom projects. Some schools do “waxless museums” as an event where students share their research on a historical figure or host a “Greek night” after their sixth-grade class has finished their unit on ancient Greece.
- Thank volunteers: Encourage volunteering by hosting an appreciation luncheon. At the end of the year, take time to thank volunteers by hosting something, such as a luncheon, for them at the school.