Cape schools ratcheting up efforts to get parents involved

Clippard Elementary School counselor Sue Cook said it would be nice if every parent had Internet access so she could shoot off quick reminders. It would also be nice if they all had phones, she said, so it would be easier to reach them.

"But they don't. So you're sending notes home and you're hoping they get there," she said.

Tying to move beyond the notes, the school is reaching deeper to connect with parents. Last month, Cook organized an evening in Capaha Park -- within walking distance of many homes -- and led parents and students in an educational game of "Jeopardy." Over the summer, teachers delivered books to homes. Parents are routinely invited to meals, held before a traditional workday starts or during a lunch break.

Districtwide, administrators and teachers are ratcheting up efforts to get more parents involved, realizing they alone cannot get students to math and reading proficiency levels required under No Child Left Behind.

"Since we're being held more accountable, I think we need to hold parents more accountable," said Rhonda Dunham, principal of Franklin Elementary School.

And as a result, the methods schools and community organizations are using stretch far beyond those used even a decade ago.

The Cape Girardeau School District now employs a social worker who handles teacher referrals, follows up on truant students and directs parents to community resources. Parent liaisons are advocating their position be expanded to every school in the district. The Family Resource Center has started requiring guardians to attend parenting sessions in order to send their child to summer camp or after-school program. The United Way is conducting home assessments.

"Our school is doing more than ever to provide family events," said Russell Grammer, a teacher at Jefferson Elementary.

He worries the accountability movement could unintentionally be taking away parents' responsibilities rather than empowering them to become involved. He points to services districts now offer, such as breakfast and lunch served at school, extended school days and after-school tutoring.

"It seems like the general trend across the board is for schools to have more and more responsibility and time looking after, supervising and educating children, and families having less time and responsibilities," he said.

Nevertheless, he's pleased to see increased efforts to communicate with and involve parents in daily activities.

"Schools are trying to grapple with the demands of No Child Left Behind, and they're realizing family involvement is the key to success," said Dr. Julie Ray, an associate professor of education at Southeast Missouri State University.

In the past, she said, family/teacher relationships may have been more like "warfare," with each side blaming the other for not doing its job. Teachers are doing more to reach out now, but they still face a number of barriers, she said.

Lack of transportation, work schedules, a parent's negative school experience or a school system's fear of public scrutiny are all roadblocks. Franklin Elementary parent liaison Tina Wright is familiar with them.

"Maybe a parent had a bad experience with a school themselves. Some that didn't finish school feel embarrassed. When they call to say 'My child's failing math,' they don't want to say 'Well, I can't read' or 'I don't understand it.'" Like Ray, Wright does not make excuses or pass blame.

A significant part of Wright's job is helping parents obtain the resources they need to help their child. As a parent liaison, she answers parents' questions, guides them to resources, listens to their concerns and organizes family nights at the school. Her office contains self-help pamphlets, newsletters, calendars and books on things such as parenting, divorce or autism.

"She's a social worker, a counselor, a friend, a confidant and a strategist," said Dunham, the principal. "Parents will talk to her before they'll talk to me."

More than doubled

Since Wright began six years ago, parent involvement, measured by the number of parents who sign in at events, has more than doubled.

"I keep saying it needs to be a full-time position and all schools need it," she said. She especially worries about upper grades, where parent involvement typically starts to drop off.

Deena Ring, the district's director of special services, said the social worker hired this year has been placed primarily at the middle school and junior high to work with families to prevent future dropouts. This year, 72 percent of students graduated from Central High School; 64 percent of black students did.

Parent involvement has long been a struggle for the district. At a superintendent search forum last year, family relations was a consistent theme. "This district has the worst reputation for parents. Period. We all know that," community member Michele Swanks said.

Parent Shannon Barrett recognizes effort on the part of the district to improve. She uses the district's text message service and routinely checks ParentLink, where she can stay abreast of her son's grades and assignments online. "They're definitely trying to do more. They try everything to get parents involved," she said.

Yet she notices gaps. "I don't know if it's a time issue, but I know most parents are not involved. It's very unfortunate because the kids are the ones that suffer," she said.

Community organizations are also increasing efforts to reach parents but are seeing slow progress as well.

"The Family Resource Center has been at it three, four, five years and are just now starting to get the participation they are looking for," said Nancy Jernigan, executive director of the local United Way, which supports the center. The United Way is also conducting home visits to gather information about additional services needed in the community.

This summer, the Family Resource Center began requiring families attend sessions on topics such as building strong families or family budgeting. Results have been positive, said Pat King, who leads the center's after-school program. "Children have so many issues, but if I'm not getting to the root of those, we're just treading water," she said.

To see results, all schools will have to start thinking creatively, Ray said; parents don't want to be lectured and they don't want to be bored. She's seeing more schools holding family nights where parents and children complete an activity together, or events held on weekends so working parents can attend. Clippard Elementary's night in the park-- held on "neutral" territory-- shows the new method required.

"It's a good example of being innovative instead of doing the traditional and then complaining when no one comes," Ray said. "Schools are buying in to the importance that they'll never be as successful as they can be if they don't involve parents."

lbavolek@semissourian.com

388-3627

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