Family welcome and involvement
Although many parents of adolescents welcome a break from intense parent involvement requirements of elementary school, others express frustration when their son or daughter suggests that parents are no longer welcome participants at school. Despite students’ growing need for independence, however, high-impact middle schools find ways to involve parents so that they can continue to support their child’s success. One of the ways that middle schools do that is to host welcome events for the parents as well as for the incoming students.
In the Spotlight
John Glenn Middle School of International Studies, Desert Sands Unified School District, a 2004 Schools to Watch™-Taking Center Stage Model School
The school works hard to involve parents in the school culture through an orientation event that introduces them to other parents.
La Mesa Middle School, La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
The La Mesa PTSA Web site (Outside Source) provides parents with easy access to information about the school, activities, clubs, and district activities. In this way, if students forget to give parents fliers about upcoming events, family members can easily check on what is happening by visiting the PTSA Web site. Schools can connect parents, although the school community must provide other ways to obtain the information since not all parents have Internet connections.
Rio Norte Junior High School, William S. Hart Union High School District
Members of Rio Norte’s active PTSA (Parent, Teacher, Student Association) host welcome events to help parents of incoming middle grades students understand what to expect in middle school. The PTSA also tries to involve parents in service at the school so that they have a role and feel like a part of the community.
John Glenn DataQuest School Profile
John Glenn Middle School (Outside Source)
Schools to Watch™-Taking Center Stage—Visitor's Guide: John Glenn Middle School (PDF; Outside Source)
Schools to Watch™-Taking Center Stage
La Mesa DataQuest School Profile
La Mesa Middle School (Outside Source)
La Mesa PTSA Web site (Outside Source)
Rio Norte DataQuest School Profile
Rio Norte Junior High School (Outside Source)
Another time-tested way to involve families in the middle grades is to host a Back to School night in the early fall. At that time, teachers can assure anxious parents that they both know and welcome their children, as well as outline curriculum expectations and provide information about the school culture.
Spring Open House offers a chance to involve parents before their children attend the new school. By working with feeder elementary schools, middle schools can announce upcoming Open House events and invite incoming parents to meet the teachers, view student work, and ask questions about how to prepare their students.
Another successful strategy is to offer a Parents Night in the spring, separate from Open House, when parents of incoming (the next fall) students can meet administrators, counselors, and teachers to learn about various programs and electives, and have a chance to have their questions answered. Some schools also have separate meetings for parents of GATE and EL students before the main sessions begin.
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