Employers can fund special projects aimed at improving parent-teacher relationships. Colorado National Bank, Security Life of Denver, US West, and KCNC-TV are among the employers who underwrite the costs of a Denver homework hotline staffed by teachers. For some companies, it might be difficult for workers to take time off during the school day. One solution to this problem is to bring school services to the work site. When time is of the essence, but families want and need to stay in touch with their children's schools, employers can assume the responsibility of bringing expertise to the company.
Counselors come prepared with students' records, report cards, and comments from teachers.
Counselors have built relationships with parents who formerly had little contact with the schools, especially non-custodial fathers. Spurred by the success of this program, Ridgeview now offers employees, who have been with the company for more than five years, extra paid vacation days to be used for such reasons as going on school field trips with their children and participating in other activities. Some employers have actually developed schools on their grounds for employees' children, either through partnerships with public school departments or by opening private schools. The schools have extended lunch hours so parents can join their children for lunch and the calendar year. The Hidden Valley Satellite School, a branch of the Hidden Valley Elementary School one mile away, is located on 2.6 acres of land adjacent to the company's Santa Rosa plant.