Week 1 Reflection: EDLD 5326 School Community Relations

     This week I learned about the different parental involvement programs and community/ school partnership programs at the campus.  I knew that parent involvement was crucial when it comes to student achievement.  However, I have to confess that I did not know that the community had an impact on student achievement as well.  This week I learned that the School/Community Partnership program is the most effective at our campus.  This program involves family, school, and community.  We are fortunate to have these valuable partnerships with the community because they do impact student achievement.  It also helps parents become more involved the their child’s education.  The program rewards students for perfect attendance and honor roll.  Parents celebrate their children’s success by taking them to these local businesses and claim their rewards.

     I realized that our parental involvement this year is unsuccessful.    I think that teachers should take a more active role in our parental involvement committee. Our campus should assign a teacher per grade level on the parental involvement committee.  Teachers at the campus do a good job on informing parents regarding their child’s behavior and academic performance.  However, it is rare to see one of our teachers attend a parental involvement meeting because they are held during instruction.  Teachers can promote parental involvement in their classrooms by encouraging students the importance of the meetings and activities.  Teachers can also assure parents that these meetings are beneficial to them and their children.  Parents in the Rio Grande Region are also afraid to participate because an officer conducts some of the meetings.  Some parents at the campus are illegal residents and feel that these meeting will compromise them.