Communicating with parents
Use a variety of communications methods can help improve communications.
Newsletters:
- At the beginning of the school year, create a calendar of topics and submission deadlines for the year
- Invite parents who have expertise on a topic to be a guest writer
- Dedicate a spot in the newsletter for parent communication and use the same spot consistently
- Invite parent volunteers to translate the newsletter into relevant languages
- Place a link to the newsletter on the school’s website
- Request regular feedback from parents about the content, format, readability and relevance
Translating information into different languages and pointing parents to existing resources available in multiple languages increases the number of parents you can reach.
School website
- Have a regular space dedicated for parent information (for example, Parent’s Corner) and use this space to communicate about school events, to showcase students’ work (such as art projects or short stories) and to display parenting or health information videos and tips
- Post parent surveys on the website
- Include a link to the HaltonParents.ca which has parenting articles, blogs, and videos
Social media
- Have a regular space dedicated for parent information (for example, Parent’s Corner) and use this space to communicate about school events, to showcase students’ work (such as art projects or short stories) and to display parenting or health information videos and tips
- Post parent surveys on the website
- Include a link to the HaltonParents.ca which has parenting articles, blogs, and videos
Giving parents a voice
Giving parents opportunities to be heard helps school staff to understand community issues from a parent perspective and engages parents in decision making about important issues that impact their families
Parent feedback can be used to gain insight and is useful for gauging:
- Satisfaction with classroom teaching strategies and extracurricular programs
- Level of current family engagement at home and at school
- Priority community issues; and
- Need for specific family services, programs or events.
Gathering parent feedback:
- Ensure that an ethnically diverse group of parents contribute feedback
- Use a variety of methods to collect parents’ feedback, including:
- Focus groups held in, or outside of school
- Community forum
- Social media - blogs or Facebook
Parent surveys:
- Be clear about the purpose of the survey and have parents help to develop the survey questions
- Pilot test the questions with a small group of parents before sending it out
- Consider the most convenient time and method for parents to receive the survey
- Assure parents that action is possible if they identify changes that they would like to see implemented
Hosting parent sessions and events
Involve parents in planning activities that will meet the needs and interests of families attending your school and increase their involvement with their child and their learning.
- Involve parents and students in planning events and workshops
- Plan events around activities (family fitness night, literacy night, curriculum night, musicals/plays, sports events) and/or meals/refreshments (BBQs, dinner, coffee chats)
- Look for a variety of funding opportunities to support the event
- Consider convenient dates, times and locations to encourage parent attendance (e.g. during the day and after dinner hour).
- Host an event off-site at a safe and welcoming community location other than the school to increase accessibility and community connections (e.g. host a family skate night).
- Offer the option of virtual events so families can participate from home if they are not able to physically attend.
Provide volunteer opportunities
Parents volunteering for school activities fosters positive relationships between youth and adults, creates a welcoming environment and a sense of community. Parents can be offered different ways to become involved, such as:
Be strategic in how you ask parents to become involved:
- Ask early in the year
- Make the request small and simple
- Ask parents whose children are new to the school
- Ask parents about interest, passions, skills
- Acknowledge volunteer contributions through notes of thanks and recognition
- Spread the workload among parents
- Align volunteering opportunities with parents’ skill sets, expertise and interests
Parent-teacher interviews
Parent-teacher interviews are a great opportunity to engage parents and discuss ways for them to become involved at your school.
- Advise parents ahead of time when they will be receiving reports on their child’s progress
- Consider sending parents information on how they can prepare for the parent-teacher interview
- Encourage staff and parents to share ideas on how they can work together to help the child/youth meet their goals
- Advise parents ahead of time when they will be receiving reports on their child’s progress
- Consider sending parents information on how they can prepare for the parent-teacher interview
- Encourage staff and parents to share ideas on how they can work together to help the child/youth meet their goals
For more information or consultation: