The Importance of Family and Community Engagement in Schools

The value of positive teamwork within any organization cannot be overemphasized. In the context of the school, engagement among all stakeholders is absolutely critical to the success of the students and the overall success of the institution.

Photo credit: Taken from Great Valley School District 

For the next six weeks I will be part of a community of educators and parents reflecting on the importance of partnerships within the schools. Majority of the participants are educators with varying roles. Although I am an educator myself, this week my reflection on the topic of engagement will be from a parent perspective.

What are the questions I need answers to:

• What kind of environment is the teacher preparing to facilitate my child's learning?
• Are communication lines open for me to be heard on critical issues?
• How can I get involved in my child's learning within the school?
• Can I get feedback on my concerns in a timely manner?

The list could go on and on... what really matters is atmosphere that is created by the school for my concerns and that of my child or other families to be addressed. In going through the book Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family/School Partnerships, I find that the arguments purported for family and school engagement quite hit the target. As a parent I can identify with the statistics that partnership and student academic achievement are closely linked. This has definitely been evidenced in the success of my child's journey to this point. So how do I get involved?

• I get to know my child's teachers 
• I find out what the school needs to make the learning environment better (if I can't provide it, I help to find sponsors or other volunteers)
• I volunteer my time to assist in any way possible -  there is always a place where a parent volunteer can be facilitated
• If meetings or events are planned and parents need to be there, I'm there...It makes a difference (remember a large gathering starts with one)
• I recognize the efforts of the staff and try not to criticize or throw blame 

Open Door School Policy

On the Family Engagement Rubric four options of family school partnerships are presented. The school definitely has an open door policy.  Parents are free to go in and discuss any issue of concern. Living in a multicultural neighborhood the school administrators recognize the need for communication in several languages. The principal and office staff are careful to ensure that important documents are translated in a language that parents can follow. School administrators recognize the need for partnership and so they do whatever they can to facilitate the process.  Sadly though, with all the stress on the benefits of involvement and partnerships, many parents simply don't find the time to get involved.

I am happy to be a part of this six weeks journey with #ptcamp. The shared resources and experiences from educators and parents makes the conversation rich and engaging. Looking forward to week 2.