7 Ways to Get Involved in Your Kid’s School

The school year is fully underway in every school across the nation, some for more than a month already! If your schedule is so tight you cannot imagine how to stay on top of your kids’ learning, here are some easy helps for you! With six kids of my own, fourteen years in the classroom and over two decades working with kids and families, I know you can’t do it all. Here are seven ways to get involved; if you can’t do them all, no worries. Pick at least a few and make sure you talk about school with your kids over dinner tonight.

1. Open House/Back-to-School Night - A great chance to put a face to a name, these evenings are planned so parents and caregivers can hear about how the teacher runs her class, what to expect in terms of homework and to show off what the kids have done the first week of school. If you miss it (I missed one out of four for my kids-I said I know you can’t do it all), give the school a call to touch base, provide your contact info for the teacher and find out if you missed anything important.
2. Parent-Teacher Conferences - Usually held after the first report card is issued, sometime in October or November, attend if you have questions or concerns with your child’s school performance or behavior. Maybe settle for a phone conference if your kid is doing great or you can’t squeeze it in your schedule.
3. PTO or School-Community Organization - Volunteer to help at a book fair or canned good drive, become an officer and help organize special events for the school, or just attend the monthly meetings to meet other families and see how and where you might help.
4. Attend school events - Most schools put on regular annual events like a family picnic, art night, school plays, or girls’/boys’ choice events. Some may happen during the day and be out of your reach, but many are held at night so more families can come. Attend these with your child or children and let them share their accomplishments and special talents.
5. Call or email the teacher - Teachers are busy with anywhere from 18 or 19 kids to upwards of 125 to 130 kids on their roster. If there is something that you need to address, it is appropriate to call or email the teacher with your concern. Most will find the time to reply and address your problem or make themselves available at off times to have a conversation.
6. Volunteer - Parents and caregivers are usually more than welcome! When the option arises or the teacher asks, if you are able, volunteer! It is fun to read to the class, like during reading week, or chaperone a field trip (the bus ride isn’t fun). Maybe there is an opportunity for regular weekly volunteering, or just once in a while when the teacher needs help changing centers or putting on a special event.
7. Read school notices! - You would not believe the events and information that can be missed when you skip a notice. Important dates are often highlighted on monthly newsletters, as well as helpful resources to access from home. Keep informed about your kids’ school by reading these notices and checking the school website regularly too.

If you are able to do all of these, congratulations! You get a gold star! If you can’t manage to do any of them, why did you have kids? Seriously though, make participation a priority in any and all ways you can. Studies have shown parent participation is only good for kids, so jump in and get involved - they’ll be in college, married and having kids before you know it!