Finally, consider tailoring your open house around the activities found in America Goes Back to School . Goes Back to School Activities. They often provide education materials, arrange training and informal meetings, and even refer parents to other community services. These centers provide a place where parents, volunteers, and school staff can come together to share ways to assist children's at-home learning. Centers try to offer a place where parents can share information in a non-threatening environment.
Some schools run their volunteer programs out of the center.
Schools are setting up interactive electronic mailbox service accessed via the telephone that allow teachers to leave daily messages for parents about the school and the night's homework assignment. Parents or students can also leave messages for teachers about assignments. In addition to teacher mailboxes, voicemail systems allow parents to access messages from the principal, the PTA, the cafeteria, and school professionals such as counselors and curriculum specialists. With this system in place, parents can find out about their child's homework, upcoming PTA functions, awards dinners, school dances, lunch menus, testing schedules, or sports events in just one phone call. Messages can also be recorded in several languages so that non-English speaking parents can keep up with their children's course work and school activities.