A friend who works at a church recently told me that roughly 10% of any given congregation volunteers to help with church activities. That's not just his church, but all churches. My little brother, who is a Pastor working on a church plant project in Mason City would agree. I had a chance to visit him last weekend and see the work that is going into his church renovation project. The task before him and his small flock is daunting, but they are determined and I am certain they'll meet their deadline.
I'm not here to talk with you today about my brother's church. However, I am here to talk with you about volunteering, squaring that with school and parental involvement. Just like those church volunteers, whenever a call goes out, we can count on that same trusty group of about 10% to step up and lend a hand. We are lucky to have them. And if you are one of those who consistently answers the bell, thank you! If you are not, I'd encourage you to get involved. There is a very strong correlation between academic success and parental involvement in schools. But as valid as that statement is, it isn't my entire point. In our most recent needs assessment survey, when asked the question, 'What needs to change', the number one response from our parent group was 'parental involvement'.
Granted, these types of survey instruments must be taken with a grain of salt. One has to consider the sample size of the respondents and their interpretation of the question. If possible, they should be triangulated with other data sources. My supposition is two-fold when considering interpretation of the question. First, I think some of this may come from a belief that parents don't feel their voices are always heard in matters dealing with school governance. This is a fair criticism. But at the same time, I think we can probably all agree that it is challenging to be fully engaged in governance when you don't have all the information needed to make that decision. Consider last weeks discussion about threat assessments and FERPA implications as a case in point. Even so, we take the feedback seriously and really do want to hear from you. So for you, if parental involvement is as simple as having a voice at the table, we are sincere when we ask your opinion on items of importance and policy discussion. Take for example our current discussion on the cell phone policy. As the school board considers changes to this policy, we really do want to here from you. Our parent and community notification list reaches 718 inboxes. At the writing of this column, we have heard from roughly 5% of our constituency on this issue. These type of inquiries (or surveys if you will) are small, low risk requests for input and feedback. It is a way for you to become involved without a whole lot of risk or effort. Heck, you can even do it from your car when waiting to pick up your kids at the end of the day. But please, don't conflate your input into ensuring the result you are advocating for. Yes, we are a small school. Even so, I can assure you that whenever there are potentially hundreds of respondents you can anticipate a very diverse set of opinions. All of which have merit and value. It is from the sum of all these parts a decision can be made.
I promised a two-fold answer when considering parental involvement. If the first is that parents don't feel their voices are heard, then in my view, the second is that they are unaware of the opportunities for involvement that are available. We have opportunities available that fit virtually any level of interest or expertise. Perhaps the most common is the PTO organization. Their work is focused on supporting the teachers and students served in the elementary school. While you may think their work is centered on fundraising, that is far from a full and accurate picture. This group helps organize special days for students and teachers alike. They assist with book fairs, back to school night, and are a key consultancy group for our elementary school. Not for you? Well, if your children are a bit older and beginning to become involved in extra-curricular activities, then perhaps one of our booster clubs is the right fit for you. Our Hudson Booster Club is focused primarily on our athletic program, where our Hudson Music and Theater Boosters are focused on fine arts. Again, I would encourage you to look beyond the fundraising efforts of these groups. While those are no doubt important components, the support these organizations provide extends far beyond simply raising money. They are great sounding boards for the directors, coaches, and teachers that rely on them. Acting as close counselors and advisors; program development, expansion, and the genesis of those ideas often begins with these groups. Some of you may be more interested in the future, or are more interested in policy development. A great place to start would be the School Improvement Advisory Committee or SIAC. While this group only meets a handful of time a year, it is instrumental in the development of our strategic plan, and takes seriously their responsibility to dig deep into our student achievement data to uncover trends and make recommendations for school improvement. I'll also add that our SIAC group served as the launching pad for our task force on the high school, which encompassed the largest group of community stakeholders and volunteers in well over a decade. The work of this group resulted in a recommendation that is now close to coming to fruition: the high school expansion. Finally, the pinnacle of involvement would be election to the school board. As you know, the school board sets the direction and formulates the policy and procedures that govern the entire school district.
These are but a few examples of the numerous, and perhaps most highly visible committees and commissions that afford you, our parents the opportunity to become involved in your child's education. If you see something that piques your interest, I encourage you to reach out. If you don't see anything that fits, give me a call. I'm sure we can find a way turn your expertise into a value added voice of experience for the multitude of projects or issues that we encounter in our school. And at a minimum, you are encouraged to give us your opinion. That low hanging fruit that comes in the form of our quick surveys? We sincerely want to know how you feel.
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