Hold coffee klatches with groups of parents in their homes or in other non-school settings. Have principals, the superintendent, and school board members take two hours one Saturday a month, on a rotating basis, to make themselves available to parents at a local site such as a supermarket. Have staff members share good news with parents by phone. Locate community leaders and ask them to help you communicate with the parents you want to reach. Involvement must be a school-wide priority, established as a legitimate and desired activity with full administrative support.
All parents have hopes and goals for their children.
They differ in the ways they support their children's efforts to achieve those goals. The home is one of several spheres that simultaneously influence a child. The school must work with the other spheres for the child's benefit, and must not push them apart. The parent is the chief contributor to a child's education. Schools can either co-opt the parent's role or recognize the parent's potential.