1. Parent Engagement Effective strategies Miriam Villegas Sandy Barba
El Sol Science & Arts Academy Teacher
Sandy Barba
El Sol Science & Arts Academy Room Parent and PTO Treasurer

2. What does the research say?
Regardless of family income or background, students whose parents are involved in their schooling are more likely to have higher grades and test scores, attend school regularly, have better social skills, show improved behavior, and adapt well to school.
When parents are involved at school, the performance of all the children at school, not just their own, tends to improve. The more comprehensive and well planned the partnership between school and home, the higher the student achievement.
Henderson, A.T., and K.L. Mapp A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement
Many research studies support what teachers instinctively know: Students do better academically and socially when schools build positive relationships with their families.

3. Why is Parent involvement important?
For Teachers
Creates an effective partnership with parents.
Extra hands in the classroom.
Helps you to “really” know your parents and take advantage of their diverse talents.
Keeps communication open
Identify leads (room parents) that can help you communicate with other parents in classroom)
Engages working parents
Reduces amount of time working on tedious tasks, thus focusing on student learning .
Copying, grading, data entry
Preparing materials for learning stations
Cutting, gluing, coloring, etc.
Extra hands: Be prepared, have volunteers notify you when they will come in and have a list of things you would like them to do.

4. Why is Parent involvement important?
For Parents
Involved in Childs educations and success
More time with Child
Show child the importance and value to education
Approachability-Feel more comfortable asking teacher questions
Accountable for my child education
Advocate for your Child
Ownership and Pride

5. How to engage parents
Know your purpose for involving parents-What do you want parents to do?
Create an environment that welcomes participation.
Start Early
Communication
Everyone can help
Accommodate Family Needs
Showcase Students
Involve Family in Learning
Get Involved outside the class
1. Do you want them in the building to simply raise their awareness? Do you want them to help model behavior in the classroom? Do you want them to help with sports, music, or academic fund raising? Doyou want them involved in the classroom? Test review and preparation?

6. Welcoming environment
Signs that greet families warmly at the school door, the central office, and the classroom should be in the languages spoken by the community.
A school-based family resource center providing information, links to social services.
Opportunities for informal meetings with staff and other families also contributes to a family-friendly atmosphere.
PTO free events
Coffee chats with administration
If facilities permit, have a parent room.

7. Start Early Set Expectations Early
School registration packet
Mandatory 20 Hours Parents Volunteer Work
Pre-school to 8th grade
Emphasize at back-to-school night
Use Room Parents
Outline how they can help you
Set guidelines to limit instruction interruptions

8. Communication Have open line of communication
Use Social Media & Electronics
Professional Class Facebook
Text
Use Room Parents to send and retrieve information
We obtain parents contact info for ourselves for those that are open to it.
Set Parameters on time frames of communication
Thursday Packet Routine

9. Everyone Can Help Use different parents talents
Talk to your parents, you would be surprised
Some are great at getting donations
Some can help you cut paper
Some can help you coordinator kinder Play
Some can help only mornings clean tables
Some can help every other Friday during flex

10. Accommodate Have a translator handy for your monolingual parents
Meet evening or before school
We have two PTO meeting
Offer incentives for parents to attend meetings.
All documents should be translated

11. Showcase Students Parents love to see what their kids work
Parents love to show off their kids
Recognize all students if possible once during the year in class or during assembly
Take the time to put up the students work

12. Showcase Students
Take pictures of them working and put it next to the project
Poste video clips on Social media if allowed
Invite parents into classroom to help present project (i.e. hold up project while student presents it)

13. Family Involvement
Assign practical homework that requires family conversation and actions
Make it a home connection to what is happening in the classroom.
Invite parents to students presentation during school time
Have special family events
Literacy night, math science night, etc…
Kinder Family Tree Project
First grade animal project
Second grade Family Pumpkin decorating

14. Teacher Involvement Family Social should be attended by teacher too
Teacher involvement in PTO and their committees
Attend school festival/activities for the families shows you care

15. Final Thoughts…
Any role a parent takes on or time invested to become more involved in their child’s education is time well-spent, even if it doesn’t always occur directly alongside their child or within their classroom.
Insure parents know how much their volunteering is appreciated.
School wide: Volunteer recognition breakfast, certificates.
Classroom: Make it more personal; a letter of gratitude goes a long way. May include a small gift. ,