Your School Community

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Is your school a community? Are parents welcomed? Are they treated like any other visitor? We see the signs “Visitors Must Report to the Main Office” strategically placed to catch anyone that doesn’t belong. What if the sign said “Parents and visitors please sign in at the Main Office”? Or even a sub-text “A Special Welcome to Our Parents”?

Do you have rituals to welcome parents when their children are new to your school? Do teachers and parents know each other? Are there a few volunteers that carry the load or is there a cadre of parents that share in activities (many hands make light work)? Is your school the place your children go, or is it more of a community in which you are all members?

Answers to these questions will paint a picture of your school community today. You may be happy with the answers. If not, just adding technology will not create the community you desire. Think about addressing these issues first.

Look for resources on the Parent 2.0 wiki to help address parent engagement at your school.

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