Role of Parent in Your District

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Implementing a Parent Portal is putting tools in everyone’s hands to support connections between school and parent. The Portal only reflects the values that already exist in the school or district. So if your district is already investing with parents to create a school community that includes everyone, then a Portal can help strengthen those connections. If there is little parent engagement, a Portal is not likely to make it better. The work is a human endeavour that is helped by technology – technology cannot create community by itself.

Engaging parents begins at each school, because that is where their children are. What does parent engagement look like at your school? Are parents welcome? Anytime, any day? Are parents viewed as partners in their children’s learning? Or do parents feel they are just fund-raisers for school activities?

Here are comments from some parents about how they are connected with their child’s school. Which of these are happening in your school or district?

Being on parent council, volunteering in class, chatting with teachers, school activities (concerts, pot lucks), parent teacher interviews

Speaking to teachers and principal, report cards, member of the parent council, talking with other parents

Changing the home reading books weekly, volunteering twice weekly with local reading program, reading student agendas and helping with homework

Online learning, especially in junior/senior high and now in grade 5/6, school-distributed newsletter/notices/etc, parent council program to email council notices/information to parents

Sally's Good Ideas

Be sure you have a good understanding of the role of parent in your school or district.