Engaging Parents for Support and Success

1
Engaging Parents for Support and Success

• Parent Participatory Democracy
• Alameda Community Learning Center 2006-7

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The Challenge of Parents Turning Communication
into Collaboration

• How do we channel parental concern, interest,
  questions, expectations, support, complaints, and
  suggestions into cooperation?

3
ACLC Solution Empowerment
The table is round

• Parents on Governing Board
• Parents on Committees
• Curriculum
• Program Evaluation
• Finance
• Personnel
• Parents run
• 501c3 corporation
• Parent Asset Committee
• Parent forum

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Benefits to the School

• Program Growth and Enhancement
• Healthy lunch program shows good food choices and
  parental caring
• Expanded curriculum with parents as learners and
  educators (Family education nights and parent-led
  seminars)
• Over 800 substantive volunteer hours each year

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Benefits to the School

• Parents as models for participatory democracy
• Learners witness and interact with adults
  contributing to their community
• Learners in leadership engage in community
  building and negotiation with adult members of
  governing committees.
• Parents as members of the governing and support
  organizations provide a wealth of ideas,
  resources, and services (accounting, statistical
  analysis, operational management.

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Empowerment Participation Meaning
Empowerment

• Parents and Learners reinforce community
  contributions together with facilitators.

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Engaging/Recruiting Parents

• Newsletter
• Listserv
• Back to school night, biannual parent convention
• Foundation outreach
• Parent role models
• Parent forum

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Learner-Led vs. Parent Teacher Conference

• Learners lead our parent conferences.
• Parents see Learners taking responsibility for
  their own education and school community.
• Parents provide feedback to learners on their
  leadership and ideas.

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As a result, parents become passionate advocates
for the center
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Our results

• Parent satisfaction high complaints are few and
  focused on solutions
• Parent donations increasing every year
• Parents show up for
• school board meetings, strategic planning, field
  trips, ultimate tournaments, learner led
  conferences, personnel and finance committee,
  lunch time supervision, Governing Board,
  conversation, potlucks, emergencies, building
  projects

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ACLC selected as 1 of 20 exemplary charter
schools in California
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What can other schools do?

• Options include
• Parent forums
• Follow-up with parent participation
• Invite parents into classroom to share their
  expertise and experience in the community
• Expand governance structure to include parents
  and learners
• What can you do?