School 2 Home Communication Forum eNewsletter
Vol. 1, No. 3 February 2008
Did You Know?

The time to ready children for school begins well before they enter a classroom. Educators can help families prepare their children for academic achievement throughout their years in school.

 

SEDL's National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools has developed three interactive strategy briefs on this subject; the briefs are available in English and Spanish.

 

In the third brief, How Can Schools Involve Family and Community Members in Supporting a Child's Readiness for School?, you can review the research-based strategies for helping children transition into the early grades and develop a strong foundation for academic success.

 

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In the Spotlight
Strategies for Enhancing School-to-Home Communication
Effective communication is the cornerstone of any healthy relationship. Want some ideas on ways to better communicate with parents and community members? Join the Virtual Round Table, "What Works for Student Success," on Monday, February 11, 2008. You'll have an opportunity to learn how district leaders from across the United States successfully keep in touch with their stakeholders.
 
Toward Better Communication with Diverse Families
In the Collier County (Fla.) School District, the home language of many students' families is not English. Read how this district uses technology to better communicate with these diverse families.
 
Let's Do Lunch
Automated Systems Help Parents Keep Money in the Bank
An army cannot march on an empty stomach. Nor can students concentrate on schoolwork if they're hungry. Fortunately, today's technology makes it easy for parents to ensure that their children can enjoy a nourishing breakfast or lunch at school. Read more. 
Beyond Traditional Approaches
New Approaches Yield Enhanced Student Achievement
Traditional parental involvement approaches have focused on what parents should do, not on what schools should do to make parent involvement successful. A new way of thinking about parental involvement is to view parents as those who will cooperate with schools for student success. Read more.
 
A Resource Worth Exploring
There are many ways for parents to become involved in schools. At one end of the spectrum is the uninvolved parent. At the other end is the fully-engaged parent. How can you, as a school leader, move from one end of the continuum to the other? Check out ParentNet: An Introductory Guide for Parent Leaders, Educators, and Trainers.
Join Our Virtual Professional Learning Community
Professional learning communities (PLCs) are groups of people who embrace the responsibility to learn individually and collectively in support of adult, student, and organizational learning, says Giselle Martin-Kniep, an experienced teacher educator and consultant who has written about successful PLCs.  
 
"PLCs engage in a wide variety of processes including action research and other forms of inquiry," Martin-Kniep says. The main goals of such work? In short, to improve practice. (Read more from Giselle Martin-Kniep.)
 
Now, you can join a virtual PLC, brought to you by S2H, dedicated to helping school leaders enhance their school-to-home communications strategies. Join the conversation today!