Parent Involvement for the 21st Century

Words:	1589
Subject:	Family, Life & Experiences
Pages:	7
Topics:	Family

Strategic plan for parent involvement at Aberdeen School (a K-12 school)

Goal

Work together with parents to help their children learn and develop academically.

Objectives

To create an excellent relationship between parents and school to overcome learning barriers.
To incorporate parents in the students’ study
To produce a calendar that would improve the success and development of students
To incorporate community services with ideas obtained from classwork.

Crucially, parents should help their children succeed academically. In this context, students perform better when their parents are involved in their learning endeavors. Besides, institutions must ensure that parents are given a chance to support students academically, psychologically, and socially. Additionally, students’ needs must be considered. In the proposed strategic plan, the academic calendar should be explored to enhance the academic performance and development of students through parents’ involvement. The most appropriate way to engage parents in their children’s study is by giving them freedom of expression. The plan will eventually make them comfortable. For parents to offer academic support to the students, the principal and teachers of Aberdeen School (a K-12 school) must discuss learning barriers with the concerned parents (Callison, 2004). Additionally, parents should be regularly informed on the progress and performance of their children in school.

Besides, the plan requires the school to offer some programs that will improve the parents’ ability to support their children’s studies. These programs will give parents some ideas and skills to advance the academic performance and development of the students. Finally, Aberdeen School (the concerned K-12 school) acknowledges that providing parents and students with enough time to improve academic performance and development is a vital learning strategy (Callison, 2004). To show that the parents are involved in the academic improvement of the student, they must be engaged in some significant ways that would assist them in giving the students some backup. The plan requires that parents should communicate with students regularly. Students’ presence and academic performance must be closely monitored.

The table below shows Aberdeen School’s strategic plan for parent involvement from 2012-2014.

Objective 1: Creating excellent relationships between parents and the school to overcome the learning barriers.
1^styear The frequency of connection between the principal, teachers and parents Number of parents taking part in the discussions organized by the students Number of parents present when some activities are taking place in school	2^ndyear There is going to be a massive improvement in the rate at which the principal, teachers and parents interact. Additionally, the level of parent satisfaction will be advanced as evidenced in the assessment of the parents. At the end of the academic year, many parents will actively take part in the discussions organized by the students as evident in the assessment of the parents. At the end of the academic year, many parents will be part of the activities carried out by the school as evidenced in the parents’ evaluation
Strategies Evaluate parent participation and satisfaction by establishing and implementing surveys Educate the parents at the conferences organized by the students in school.

Objective 2: Plan to incorporate parents in the study of their children
1^styear Parents will ensure: Punctuality among students Student attendance in school. Creating some clubs in high schools that will improve the academic performance Creating parent associations with delegates taking part in the developments within the school Creating parent workshops to improve their ability of helping the children learn.	2^ndyear Parents should: Make sure there is an improvement in the punctuality of students Ensure there is high rate of student attendance Many clubs will be introduced in the school to improve the performance and development of students at the closing date of the academic year. Finally, students’ representatives should be present in the meeting held by the parents organizations. Additionally, four conferences are organized per year as shown by the attendance register. At the end of the concerned academic year, the school will provide three or four workshops with different topics chosen depending on the interest of the parents as shown in the attendance registers.
Strategies Check for relevant topics to be used during the workshops involving parents. Make the record of resource reachable at the parent workshops. Enhance the connections between the organizations and school. To encourage the exchange of ideas between the organization and the school.

Objective 3: Plan to produce a school calendar that would improve the success and development of the student through parent involvement
1^styear The parent committee shall present their results If the reports are found to be appropriate, some vital programs will be created and applied in the second year	2^ndyear More suggestions from the committee will be put in place as realistic and appropriate at the closing date of the final year. The success of the programs will be estimated, and conclusions made. Improved turnout and increase in the number of graduates are will signify success.
Strategies Establish a school committee and administrators consisting of parents to analyze data on the consequences of school calendar on the education standards. Find out means of transforming the timetable to give teachers the chance to share more ideas with the parents concerning the student in question.

Objective 4: Plan to incorporate community services with ideas obtained in class work
Support the communities by improving civic and individual responsibility Contribution of the students to the development projects in the society.	When the academic year comes to an end, the school will be able to check what the community requires and at the same time improve on their performances The community will be able to gain from superior social education. Besides, the relationship between the students and the community will be improved.
Strategies To improve social growth by supporting participation in communal activities. Students to be motivated by the parents to positively participate in service learning for their advantage and that of the society as a whole.

Research that supports the plan

Collision (2004) claims that improved regular communication between the principal, teachers, and parents greatly improve the students’ test score. Additionally, Dunlap (2000) concludes that the production of the school calendar improves the academic performance and development of the student. According to Cox & Strange (2010), it is agreeable that parents support students’ success by actively taking part in the activities and discussions organized by the students. This indicates why it is important to establish and implement a plan that will enhance parents’ involvement in the students’ study in a “K-12 school”. Additionally, from personal high school experience, punctuality and regular class attendance improve the academic standards of students. Besides, the society also plays a pivotal role towards the success of the student. Introduction of clubs in the institutions will also improve the performance since students are able improve their communication skills.

Community resources that can support student learning

Through viable resources, the community can be greatly involved in the students’ academic endeavors (Nichols & Nichols, 2001). By raising funds or looking for sponsors, the community can construct learning facilities and other viable school projects. Additionally, community based organizations can support students’ learning by providing social amenities. Work study programs in the community also greatly contribute towards the support of student learning. It familiarizes them with the working environment (Nichols & Nichols, 2001). Besides, they can easily get jobs after college because they have working experience. Holiday learning programs and other cultural provisions can actually support students’ learning capabilities.

Nichols & Nichols (2001) indicate that community health hospitals provide medical services to the teachers and students. Besides, community schools can provide cheap learning by supporting poor students who cannot afford school fees. Public libraries established by the communities also assist in the students’ learning by providing them with reading materials when out of school (Dunlap, 2000). Additionally, annual educational shows organized by the communities also provide support since the students are able to practically see what they have learned in class. Community industries give students an excellent opportunity to connect the ideas obtained in class with the practical operation of the machines (Dunlap, 2000). Essentially, the community is responsible for shaping the characters of students and makes them grow up as responsible and respectful people in the society.

The role of parents and the family in supporting student success

The entire family or parents have played important roles in ensuring that their children are supported to study effectively (Martin, Fabes, R & Fabes, 2009). Parents must ensure constant communication with teachers and students. Through this, they should know the weaknesses of the students both in school and at home. Besides, this will improve the academic performance and development of students. Additionally, a remarkable association of parents, teachers and the students positively influence the performance of the student (Martin, Fabes, R & Fabes, 2009). Moreover, parents hold vital information concerning their children. Their participation in the implementation of policies related to character and social life significantly help improve the grade of the student. Besides, they provide essential learning materials like books that motivate students and contribute in the achievement of success.

According to Cox & Strange (2010), it is conclusively agreeable that parents support students’ success by actively taking part in the activities and discussions organized by the students. Members of the Parent Association will actively take part in the developments occurring within the school. These are aimed at improving the grades of the student. Additionally, by attending parent-teacher discussion and committee meetings, the student’s concern is taken care of both at school and at home. Through providing extra activities after school, the student is able to make use of their time at home. Parents act as role models to students through guidance; children are able to acquire new skills in and out of school.

References

Callison, W. (2004). Raising test scores using parent involvement. Lanham, MD: ScarecrowEducation.

Cox, D, & Strange, C. (2010). Achieving student success: Effective student services in Canadian higher education. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Dunlap, R. (2000). Reaching out to children and families: Students model effective community service. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Martin, C , Fabes, A & Fabes, R. (2009). Discovering child development. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co.

Nichols, J & Nichols, K. (2001). General education assessment for improvement of student academic achievement: Guidance for academic departments and committees. New York, NY: Agathon Press.