Few activities produce such great benefits for so many as volunteering.  Everyone involved in our public schools—teachers, parents, administrators, and, most importantly students—reap great reward when parents and family members volunteer even as little as an hour a month.
Parents are welcome in the school, and their support and assistance are sought.  PTA provides parents with opportunities to work on behalf of the schools and to help improve student performance.
 
 

THE FIVE TYPES OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Home-school communcation  -- Involves the exchange of information between parent, teacher and school and family to assist the child in learning.  This exchange of information needs to be done in a variety of ways to increase the opportunity for understanding.  Good communication serves as the foundation for all other home-school partnership activities.

Parents as supporters ­ Represents the traditional role that many parents have played, such as attending open house or student performances, chaperoning field trips, conducting campus clean-ups or organizing a book fair.  These activities are ones with which both parents and teachers tend to feel the most comfortable.  The school should set a goal to have all parents involved in at least one support activity during the course of the year.

Parents as learners ­ Means that most parents have an opportunity to increase their knowledge about the school life as well as opportunities to increase their own parenting skills.  Multiple ways need to be used to provide learning opportunities.

Parent as teachers ­ Reflects the crucial fact that parents are a child’s first and foremost teacher.  Schools need to encourage and foster this role even after the child starts school.  Home learning activities represent one important strategy.  Classroom volunteer programs also provide opportunities for parents to teach and help teachers.

Paents as advisors, decision makers and advocates ­ Means that parents have the opportunity to share with teachers and administrators their views and influence decisions on issues that affect their children.  Many schools have established school site advisory councils to help parents play this role.  An active PTA also serves as a valuable advocacy group for students and the school.  Training needs to be provided for parents willing to undertake these advisory and advocacy roles.