Parent Centers Get Families Involved in Education

Many schools are now reaching beyond the academic needs of the child in a effort to support the whole family as a unit. They continue to look for innovative ways to address the holistic needs of their students and families. One way schools are doing this is to open and operate Parent Centers that get everyone involved in the social and academic growth of the students.

The goal of a Parent Center is to support and encourage healthy development of families and students. It helps to create a strong sense of community spirit. The centers are usually run on a non-profit basis and are open to all families. Many are found on the school campus or someplace near by. Some schools designate a school classroom to the center.

General, once a month, school principals will have parent gatherings or meetings with parents within the center. This offers a great opportunity to share ideas, needs, and concerns with the principal. It also establishes open communication between the home and the school. Many resources, programs and support groups are available for families through the center. Some centers have after school programs, family literacy activities and other family oriented activities for families to enjoy.

Parents are able to meet with each other and be made to feel welcome. New friendships are established and the center creates an outlet for parents to come together and get involved. They are able to share and express ideas that could be used for the enhancement of the school and the students. The centers usually have a couple of liaison officers that are assigned to parents.

Man parent centers offer a variety of workshops throughout the year as well. Usually parent classes or training is made available in order to help the parents become better parents and to support the learner. The key focus is to maximize the learning experience of the children at the school.

In New Zealand this concept has been around for years, one particular group has been in operation for sixty years. The group has six national programs going on in each of the centers. The strong focus here is educating parents in parenting their children. Here volunteers offer their time at each of the venues in order to make the program a success. Speakers are invited to speak on a broad range of topics to help parents and students. Newsletters are sent out regularly to inform people of the educational programs on offer. Parents are advised to register early in order to ensure attendance.

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