It was the dedication of parents, students, teachers, and Board members who helped accomplish such an ambitious goal. That the school's library was up and running by the third week of school, with nearly 1,000 volumes catalogued and inventoried, is testament to this dedication. That the school was able to attract 20 percent of its families on a Saturday morning to transform the library from boxes of books into shelves of knowledge is further testimony to this dedication. To create this partnership with parents, the South Boston Harbor Academy keeps in constant contact with its families and encourages them to take an active role in their children's education. Late or absent students are called within the first 15 minutes of the school day.
Parents volunteer their time as field trip chaperones.
A regular troop of Academy parents serve as lunch monitors. Progress reports assessing student achievement and recommending academic and behavioral strategies are sent home regularly with students to be signed by families and returned the next school day. A homework line, updated nightly, is available on voice mail for absent students, or parents who want to check for themselves. Parents interact with teachers at scheduled quarterly parent-teacher conference, as well as a Monday Parents' Night. They have increased responsibility in setting school policies, greater incentives to succeed in class, and higher expectations for students both in and outside the classroom.