Parent+Communication

//This team will work to come up with strategies to increase communication between the school and home. Including, ideas to increase parent involvement in school events and parent investment in their child’s education.//
 * Findings || Recommendations ||

Parent Involvement/Communication Task Force

Possible Reasons for Parents' Lack of Involvement • Not connected to base or school • Can be intimidated by school due to past experience • Babysitting issues • Work commitments

Past Successful Events

American Education Open House • Parents felt invited • Teachers weren't reporting on student progress • Classes that students and parents did together

Franco-Hispanic Dinner • Parents bring food • Introduce their culture to other

Mindworks Career Activity (6th grade) • Parents were invited to come in and talk about their jobs. • Almost all 6th grade parents participated. • Parents enjoyed talking about their careers. • Kids liked their parents to come.

Currently Successful Activities

Hopa Race • Liked PE and relationship with Barbara • Barbecue • Activity that they can do with their parents and feel good about doing it

Winter concert • Holiday related • Special in the eyes of the kids • Students are motivated and excited about it

Current Activities That Need Improvement • Curriculum Night • Meet & Greet

Next Steps • Ask Erich develop relationship with Base Commander to encourage parent participation in school activities,

• Displaying or announcing our happenings at the Brown Building

• Showing artwork from Hanscom at the Brown Building or other locations on base.

• Posting information on base message sign and fliers in places where people congregate.

• Advertising with less words and more visual.

• Publicize

• Meet with PTO on how to increase parent involvement.

April 5, 2010 To: HMS staff Re: Memorial Day Planning May 26th From: Asia, Edy, Jim, Maureen

In thinking about parent communication we felt that we wanted to involve parents in HMS activities whenever possible. We decided to focus our energy on a Memorial Day assembly. We wanted to capitalize on the good will generated from the Veteran's Day assembly in November. Basic components of the assembly would be: Outside assembly (weather permitting) Student participation Base participation Music performance involving students

We had many ideas about student participation but would like to see a broader range of students participating - perhaps reps from each grade level. We also thought we would ask all students to complete the following prompt. I honor/We honor….

Examples: I honor the sacrifice I honor the bravery of I honor the courage of

In addition older students who were interested could do some historical research about Memorial Day and its celebrations, perhaps write a relevant poem or read some already established ones

Edy has been working on ideas for symbolic representations: pennants, small cloth flags, kids holding up squares of color to look like the flag.

Tentative date is Wednesday, May 26th, two weeks after the Hopa Race.

We also talked about combining it with a barbecue and doing it on a Wednesday afternoon. Maybe getting the Band of Liberty to join us.