Parents and Families

Parents, families and caregivers are intimately involved with a student’s academic success and physical, social and emotional growth and development. While parents are a child’s first teachers, over time family and caregivers may supplement student learning more formally.

Students reach even higher levels of success when parents, families and caregivers join collaboratively with school staff and community organizations to work together to prepare a student to be a life-long lover of learning and a valued and vested member of the Borough community, and perhaps a future Borough leader. A student support group can advocate which career path – college, private or public employment, military service – is best for each student.  

Parents

But that support must be active, consistent and determined especially for parents, families and caregivers. Often times for them it’s about showing up. Students need to know they are loved, and making sacrifices to support them is a great way to demonstrate that love. Read below for ideas about working together.

Parents who are involved with a student’s learning and development right from the start by:

  • Making time for play or conversation every day.
  • Reading aloud to preschoolers, as this is one of the most important ways of preparing for school success.
  • Setting consistent behavior boundaries that evolve over time.

Parents of school age children stay involved with their children’s learning and development by:

  • Introducing themselves to teachers at Back-to-School programs and other school-sponsored events

Asking students for messages and flyers from school, and details about their day:

  • "Tell me more about how to do those math problems.”
  • “Who did you sit with at lunch today? “
  • “What did you think of chorus (any sport or arts or music or club) practice today?”
  • “I’m eager to hear your thoughts about the elections.”
  • “Did you see the article in the newspaper about rebuilding the park?”
  • Continuing to read and play together.
  • Starting early conversations about vocation/career interests so many options can be explored. The AOC and Borough childcare centers and schools can make local resources and referrals to experts available to parents, families and caregivers.
* Disclaimer: The resources provided deal with arts-related programming in general and certain practices may not be applicable to 21st Century Community Learning Centers. If you are unsure if a recommended practice is permissible, please contact your program officer at the Pennsylvania Department of Education.