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

Welcome All Families

Make your school a place where all families feel welcomed, valued, and connected.

• Host PTA Take Your Family to School Week events!
• At events, have the school principal and PTA president greet each family and thank them for coming.
• Post signs to welcome parents and direct them to important places like the school office, parent resource center, auditorium, gym, and library.
• Host activities at varying times to accommodate family work schedules and lifestyles.

Communicate

Ensure regular, two-way, meaningful communication between the PTA, families, and school staff.

• Advertise events through a variety of media: fliers, e-mails, newsletters, websites, formal invitations, phone calls, local newspapers, radio, etc.
• Translate invitations and provide interpreters for non-English speaking families.
• Make sure your events offer formal and informal opportunities for families and school staff to talk.

Speak Up for Every Child

Give parents the confidence and tools to advocate for the best possible opportunities for children.

• Create and distribute a Parent's Bill of Rights and Responsibilities to reinforce parents' role as partners in education.
• Use family events to encourage the school community to take action on issues such as arts education and school wellness policies.

Share Power

Benefit from the insight informed families can bring to school decision making.

• Bring parents, teachers, and principals together to discuss important school matters: school safety policies, student behavior, testing, school goals, etc.
• Form focus groups to learn the school community's thoughts on key issues.
• Recruit a diverse group of volunteers to help plan and run PTA events.

Collaborate with Your Community

Welcome the broader community into your school so you can offer even more opportunities to students and families.

• Ask local health-care groups, park districts, restaurants, universities, and businesses to contribute volunteers, speakers, goods, and services to support school and PTA programs.
• Work with local organizations and civic departments to develop solutions to problems in the school community, such as traffic hazards and bullying.

Support Student Success

Family involvement increases student success. Maximize the benefits for your students!

• Educate families about learning standards, the school curriculum, and how to have productive conversations about student progress.
• Share with parents all the ways they can be involved in their children's education.
• Plan fun family activities that have a learning component.