Wanted: More Parents.
“Parent involvement to me is day-to-day engagement,” says Richard Strong, president of the Syracuse City school board and father of two children in city schools.
The Syracuse City School District is hoping to attract more parents’ attention in their students’ work in school. The reason, said Strong and other education experts, is that parental involvement helps schools do a better job and helps students learn more effectively.
Parents have several opportunities to work with schools, students and school officials. Among them:
Parents for Public Schools is a national organization made local with a Syracuse chapter. It is an independent group that advocates such policies as giving parents a direct voice in the selection of a new superintendent for the school district. The group is a frequent advocate of its causes.
“We can be as loud as hell,” said Robert Gardino, a former Syracuse teacher who now heads Parents for Public Schools in Syracuse.
Parents can join the organization through attending meetings the fourth Wednesday each month at 7 p.m.
The Parent Partnership Network is a division of the school board. Parent Partnership Network acts as a resource for parents with questions and concerns. The network is working on a Parent Academy workshop to teach parents effective methods of coping with stress. In March, the workshops will be at Soule Library, Betts Library, Mundy Library and White Library.
The Parent Partnership Network has a hotline for parents to express concerns. The hotlines are (315)435-4845 and (315)435-4148.
Parent Partnership Network also has a newsfeed on the city school district. Parents can look to http://www.syracusecityschools.com for updates and programs throughout the district.
- Parent-Teacher Organizations
The Syracuse City School District also has Parent-Teacher Organizations in most schools. Nine out of 17 elementary schools in the district have a parent-teach organization. The organizations are found on the individual school websites. Most Parent-Teacher Organizations meet once at month. To get involved in your students’ parent organization, contact school administrators for meeting times.
Teacher Melody Mariani of Henninger High School urges parents to work with the schools and their children. “To me, parent involvement is being available for the school and teachers to contact at any time,” said Mariana, “and taking an active role in what their student is doing in school both academically and otherwise at every grade level.”
(Chelsea Damberg is a junior in broadcast journalism and policy studies.)
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