Educational Highlights

Educational Insights: March 24, 2008

March 25, 2008

Parents are children’s first and foremost teachers. In order for a child to be successful in school, parental support is essential. Garden County Schools actively seek and encourage a positive relationship with all our parents. Clearly, effective communication is essential in this key partnership. A newly added SchoolMessenger phone system, our up-to-date website (www.gardencountyschools.org), Power School, midquarter/quarterly reports, the Garden County News, and mailings all serve to keep our parents better informed about their child’s education.

However, we realize that even with all the above mentioned, we have room to improve in the area of communication. Here are a few tips on how to promote positive communication with your child’s school:

Discuss problems as soon as they arise and closest to the source where they occur. It does not help to let the situation escalate or to address the problem with those not directly involved.
Honesty is vital, but does not preclude tact. Teachers need support and feedback from parents to assist them in improving the situation.
Keep communications as positive and free of blame as possible. Reserve judgment; there is always more to the story than one knows.
Remember that true communication is two-way. This requires that parents actively seek information from the school on a regular basis. It is best not to assume no news is good news.

On April 14^th, parents will have an opportunity to visit personally with their child’s teachers at our spring parent/teacher conferences. Last fall’s parent surveys indicated the desire for a parent involvement organization. As a result, we are working to form an active PK-12 parent group and there will be a sign-up sheet at conferences available for parents to join. Our Purple Pride Booster Club already works for the common good of improving our high school activities. This newly formed group would join their efforts system-wide to promote parental engagement at all levels.

Working together takes commitment, time, and consideration by all involved. When parents and professionals cannot work together constructively, the child is the one who loses! However, when good communication, mutual respect, sensitivity, and good faith efforts prevail: everyone wins! Parents as positive partners…this is our goal!

-Dr. Paula Sissel,

Superintendent/Elementary Principal