Each of the liaisons, to varying degrees, acknowledges they often must help students with personal problems before addressing academic ones. It's a role they believe they can fulfill more informally than school counselors. When language barriers arise, Scott says, each of the liaisons has identified translators who can help get their messages across. It's part of our job to untangle all of that and help them help their kids be more successful in school. They want to work with kids directly.
Many parents feel unwelcome when they visit their child's school, the liaisons say.
The principal immediately set up meetings with the parents to search for solutions. Principals and teachers often say they want more parent involvement, but for the most part, they are not trained to work effectively with parents. It's a skill they develop on the job, if at all. At the same time, parents often want to find ways to help out and be more involved in the life of the school. The parent liaisons, as Turcios says, are there to provide a bridge, ultimately drawing parents into higher expectations for their children.