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PARENT INVOLVEMENT 2180 POLICY

The board believes that the education of children is a joint responsibility, one it shares with the parents, family, and the community. The district is committed to developing and maintaining strong partnerships among parents and schools to increase student achievement and develop positive attitudes about self and school. The key factor in the home parent-school partnership is the relationship among the school, the teacher, and the parent. Educators are professionals who manage a variety of instructional resources. Parents are an essential resource in the learning process of their children. Organizational support from the school directors, district administrators, and building administrators enables schools and teachers to effectively develop the partnership with parents. The intent of this policy is to increase awareness of those actions already in practice, wherever possible making them more efficient, consistent, and effective, as well as to generate new ways of strengthening the partnership.

To ensure that the best interests of the child are served in this process, a strong program of communication and/or collaboration between home and school must be maintained. The board directs each school to establish processes that enable parents to:

• understand their children’s school experiences,
• participate as volunteers in school,
• support student learning at home, and
• participate in important decisions affecting their children.

The board believes that it is the parents who have the ultimate responsibility for their children’s in-school academic achievement and behavioral conduct. During school hours, the board, through its designated staff, shall strive to serve the interests of parents in providing for the safety, health, and welfare of their children. The board directs the superintendent to develop activities that will enhance home-school cooperation and communications.

For the benefit of children, the board believes that parents have a responsibility to encourage their child’s performance in school by:

• Requiring that the children observe all school rules and regulations;
• Sending children to school with proper attention to their health, personal cleanliness and dress;
• Maintaining an active interest in their student’s daily work;
• Reading all communications from the school;
• Attending conferences; and
• Participating in school activities.

The district agrees to use the seven guidelines to parent involvement in practice throughout the district:

• Every school climate is open, helpful, and friendly.
• Communications with parents/guardians are frequent, clear, two-way and in languages other than English, when possible, through the use of printed material and interpreters.
• Parents are treated as collaborators in the educational process, with a strong complementary role in their children’s school learning and behavior.
• Parents are encouraged, both formally and informally, to give input in decision-making processes.
• The building and other administrators will actively encourage the parent partnerships.
• The schools encourage volunteer participation from parents and the community at large.
• The schools recognize their responsibility to forge a partnership with all families in the school, not simply those most easily available.

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