Policies & Practices: Making The Home- School Connection Source: Early Childhood Today The Essential Link in Providing Effective Programming That Meets The Needs Of All Young Children By Kimberly B. Moore PhD June, 2003

“Children's families are the most important influences in their lives. Working together to provide optimal growth and challenging experiences for children must start from the very first day each child arrives at school.” Communication is essential Two-way street. Effective. A reciprocal process that both families and programs embrace. Sensitivity and understanding. Identify best approach strategy – native language? Patience – takes time to build trust. Build partnership.

Administrator and staff Provide clear, consistent communication in a way that families can understand and access. Create ways families can be involved in school events. Welcome and respond to their suggestions. Ask families how much communication they want. Aim for meaningful connection between the school, parents and community perceived in a holistic way. Expectations

Families Ask as many questions as possible. Read the communications sent home. Believe in and understand your open door policy. Support your curriculum with their talents. Make suggestions and offer ideas to help you assist their children. Share family events and changes that affect their child's development and behaviors. Bring and pick up their child on time each day.

Family Orientation Plan it in advance. Can be done before the school year begins or within the first few weeks. The event can show off the classroom, the routine, and curriculum and allow children to "tour" their families through the room. They can describe what they do in each learning area. The goal is to help families understand why you teach the way you do and to recognize what their children learn from these experiences.

Set the stage with staff. Devote a good portion of one staff meeting to home-school communication. Expect teachers to learn family names. Require respect when talking to families. Ask parents to complete a personal history record about their child and share it with the classroom teacher. Ask each family how they prefer to communicate. Send home a picture and a personal note to each family during the first two weeks their child is in the program. Develop a Parent Support Group. Strategies for Leaders and Administrators

YOU ARE INVITED! School Name: _______________________________ Invites our families to: [] A Family Event [] A Parent and Teacher Conference [] A Parent Workshop Topic: ___________________________________ [] A Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Meeting [] Another Important School Meeting or Event: __________________________ [] A Classroom Event Teacher Name: _______________________________ Date: _______________ Time: _____am/pm to _____am/pm Place: At the School or Other Location: _____________ In the Gym or In the Cafeteria or In Room#_____ Cost: Free or Cost: $__________ Parents Only Event? Yes / No Children can participate? Yes / No Childcare provided? Yes / No Food is provided Free? Yes / No Food is available to purchase? Yes / No Interpreter is provided? Yes / No School Address: __________________________________ School Phone Number: (____)________________________ *More information from the school about this event may be attached in an English format for you to have translated. Sue Wolf, Renton School District 2007