When parents get involved in their child’s educational life, their children have a better chance at success and happiness. In fact, according to research by the National Education Association, “when schools, parents, families, and communities work together to support learning, students tend to earn higher grades, attend school more regularly, stay in school longer, and enroll in

higher-level programs”. Surely, when parents put in the time to be involved in their child’s education, everyone benefits. It allows children to understand that their parents care about their schooling and growth. Plus, it allows parents to take part in all their child is learning to encourage healthy development. In this article, we outline a few different ways parental involvement in school can be implemented. This way, more parents and children can benefit from the advantages of a community of educators that works together to make both parents and children love their learning environment.

Defining Parental Involvement in School

Parents can become involved with their child’s school and education in a few different ways. Parental involvement in school may include opportunities like:

• Being a parent volunteer
• Attending parent/teacher conferences
• Going to school meetings
• Attending school events

Certainly, not every parent can spend hours every week volunteering for their child’s school. However, volunteering can be a lot of fun and many parents get a lot of enjoyment from it. And, volunteering doesn’t have to mean taking time away from your job. There are things parents can do in their off-hours to help with school initiatives. Some examples of volunteering opportunities for parents looking to involve themselves more with their kid’s school include:

• Making treats, snacks, or goody bags for special events like holidays.
• Collect household items that can be used for crafts (milk cartons, magazines, jars, etc.).
• Help plan events with instructors for birthdays and holidays.
• Come at visitor events to help answer questions parents who will potentially send their kids to the facility have.
• Create or help with a parent-school newsletter to stimulate more community and parent involvement.

Considerations for Those who Have a Hefty Work Schedule

We know that all parents wish they could be more involved in their child’s life and education. However, the reality is that most parents need to work most days. So, they can’t necessarily drop what they’re doing to volunteer at their child’s school all the time. For these parents, it’s a great idea to try to plan ahead. For example, as your child’s school for a calendar of all the school events for the year. This way, you can better choose the activities you’ll want to take off work to attend or volunteer for.

Certainly, while you won’t be able to take time for all of your child’s school events, there are some important ones every parent should try to attend. These include:

• The first day of school to drop off and pick up your child
• Any social back-to-school events
• Holiday plays and events
• Instructor/parent meetings or conferences
• Last day of school
• Graduation ceremonies if there are any

Parental Involvement at Ivy Prep Early Learning

Looking for an early childhood education organization that works to incorporate parental involvement in school? Here at Ivy Prep Early Learning, we understand that parents want the option to be included in the community that is learning. That’s why we make parents involved in every step of the learning process, from start to graduation.

If you’re looking for a place that you can get involved with your child’s education but still trust the facility to take the best care of your child as possible, consider touring one of our facilities today!