This week's article is brought to you by Susan Petrocelli, Director of Community RelationsAs educators, we know that parent/family engagement is one of the strongest factors in helping our students succeed in school, yet often we are not sure how to re-engage families that have felt disconnected from students’ academic communities. In the beginning of a child’s education, parents are often involved and engaged in their student’s school activities. However, somewhere around middle school, that interconnectedness dwindles as students grow older and parents’ lives become busier. Unfortunately, this distance can take a toll on student achievement. Fortunately, the implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and creation of our Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) has allowed us to formally revisit the importance of school/parent/community partnerships and direct our efforts toward building these relationships. Goal four of our 2016-2017 District LCAP Goals now addresses the importance of this outreach and these connections: “CJUHSD will provide effective communication and strong relationships with all stakeholders.” As the Director of Community Relations, it is my responsibility to support, plan, guide and collaborate with the site programs and activities that address parental engagement. I have now had the opportunity and privilege to meet with parents throughout our District, and have found through heartfelt conversations that there is a renewed interest on the part of parents and community members to re-engage with our school to help not just their own students, but to support all students.Parents and community members have shared many positive stories involving the positive impact our teachers and sites have had on students. Their positive comments far outweigh any concerns expressed, and this positivity is a direct result of the community relations that take place in our classrooms, offices and play fields every day. But we can do more. Through strong and healthy collaborations that involve parent training programs and parent/community participation in campus life, we will provide the greatest opportunity for our students to succeed. When our students succeed, our entire community succeeds. Thank you for taking time to read my news article. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like more information regarding parent/community partnerships and training opportunities. Follow me on Twitter @CJUHSDCommunity for district-wide information about all the great things happening at our schools and in our community. The following link will take you to a very informative policy brief written by the National Educational Policy and Practice Department about Parent, Family, Community Involvement in Education: Did you know...
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Writing Team:These tips and ideas are a compilation of ideas from the Instructional Coaching Team and from teachers who have contributed Archives
April 2017
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