Take Your Family to School Week
February 10-16, 2008

Family Involvement Event Ideas

Intro | Events pg. 1 | Events pg. 2 | Events pg. 3 | Student Success |
Father Involvement Tools | FAQs

Here are some ideas for PTA Take Your Family to School Week events, including glimpses of events planned by last year's $1,897 Award recipients. Mix and match events to make the most of the week in your school community.

Welcome Wall
Celebrate your school's diversity with a mural. Provide the paints and banner paper and invite all families to illustrate some aspect of their heritage. Hang the mural at a school entrance for everyone to see.

Monday Morning Coffee Drive-Thru
—Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School, Jacksonville, FL
Give parents and guardians a warm greeting along with a doughnut, coffee, and information on the week's activities as they drop their children off for school.

Principal's Perspective
Invite parents to a PTA meeting or informal chat to hear the school principal talk about the school curriculum and the vision for the school. Also have the principal discuss opportunities for families to be involved in the school.

Community, Kids, and Parents
—Drake Elementary School, Strongsville, OH
Each day of the week, have a different community business work on a project with a specific grade for about an hour. A local garden center could pot spider plants with 2nd-graders. A cooking school could help 5th-graders make quick and healthy snacks. Invite parents to join in the fun.

Student Talent Showcase
—Morgan Park High School, Chicago, IL
Let kids show off for their parents. Host an open mic poetry night, an exhibition of science and math projects, or a variety show filled with skits, magic, music, and dance.

Classroom Volunteers
—David G. Farragut Elementary School, Spain
Encourage parents and guardians to volunteer in their children's classrooms. They can help teachers with special activities or everyday needs. Distribute information on additional volunteer opportunities for the year.

Reading Circles
Ask local authors, librarians, teachers, or parents to host family book discussions or simply read a favorite story or book to students. Use this opportunity to establish a reading or book club corner in your school library.

Family Dinner
—Whitehall Elementary School, Pittsburgh, PA
Plan a dinner for families, teachers, school administrators, and community leaders. Invite just one grade or the entire school. Ask each family to bring a dish to share. End the evening with some educational games.

Community History-Telling
Invite a local historian or long-time community member to bring history home for students and families. Have the speaker talk about the community's original inhabitants and some of its leading members. Alternatively, give a presentation on PTA's history.

(photo credits, top to bottom: Debbie Ellman, Cindy Owens, and Kathy Ruth)