Parent Involvement
Goals:
- Encourage parent involvement and engagement by leading a comprehensive, menu-based parent program that addresses the needs of the families to strengthen the school-family partnership.
- Increase continued parent involvement and engagement in children’s education throughout preschool-3rd grade.
- Provide support for educational attainment, career opportunities, and personal development for parents and family members.
Resources
Parent Involvement Calendar
Purpose: Parent Involvement is a critical element in the CPC program. We would like to ensure that parents have every possible opportunity to get involved regardless of their circumstance. Different types of parent involvement activities and events must be offered and at different times of the day. The calendar should be useful tool for the families and allow parents to identify events they would be interested in attending.
Instructions: List and highlight daily activities, events, and workshops on the calendar. Include the time and location of each activity/workshop. The Parent Involvement Calendar is to be completed by the PRT and approved by the principal before the beginning of each month. These monthly calendars are sent home with the children on the first of every month. Additionally, calendars are available in the office and posted where it can be seen by visitors and parents when entering the building.
School-Home Agreement
Purpose: Parents read and sign the agreement as a sign of their commitment to participate in the program. The agreement is also signed by the principal or the Head Teacher to show the school’s commitment to provide a high-quality program.
Instructions: Upon recruiting a child/family, the PRT or PIL assists the parent in completing and signing this document. A copy of this agreement is kept at the site.
Family Needs Assessment
Purpose: This is an annual questionnaire that is completed for each family in the program. It inquires about family needs and interests and times available for in-school activities. It also provides an opportunity for families to describe needs for social services available in the community.
Instructions: The Parent Resource Teacher (PRT) or Parent Involvement Liaison (PIL) assists families in completing this assessment at the beginning of each year. They then use the information to determine what types of activities to include and how to best deliver them to create the year’s Parent Involvement Plan.
Parent Involvement Log
Purpose: Schools use this to document the time each family participates in school events, volunteers at school, or attends the various programs offered by the PRT or PIL.
Instructions: Logs are completed monthly to provide the school with parent involvement data. This data is a way to determine if families are fulfilling participation commitments.
Parent Home Involvement Checklist
Purpose: This checklist is sent home with each child to encourage at-home activities and quality interactions between family members and children. The data collected helps team members better understand the types and amounts of activities parents are doing at home with their children.
Instructions: Parents record the amount of time they or other family members were involved at home in various activities with their child. It is suggested that the PRT or PIL collect the completed checklist during the fall and spring (during parent conferences).
Parent Involvement Plan
Purpose: This is a plan of parent involvement activities for the school year and is based on the results of the Family Needs Assessment of each family.
Instructions: The PRT or PIL completes this plan annually in mid-October with information for each of the years participating in CPC implementation. It is signed by the principal.