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The Family Engagement for High School Success Toolkit

The Family Engagement for High School Success Toolkit: Planning and implementing an initiative to support the pathway to graduation for at-risk students

From the Harvard Family Research Project: The Family Engagement for High School Success Toolkit: Planning and implementing an initiative to support the pathway to graduation for at-risk students.

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PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships Assessment Guide is a tool to empower PTA leaders, parents, educators, community members, and students to work together and achieve education success of all children and youth.  This Guide is intended to help implement programs, practices and poliicies which encourage partnerships between families, school, and communtiites and promote student success. 

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PTA Three for Me

Three4Me – “A little volunteering goes a long way.parents must find time to participate in their children’s education and schools must provide the supports necessary for them to be involved. Three4Me will open the door to parents at every school.”

The Three4Me program helps plug-in parent volunteers by having parents sign a promise card to do at least three hours of volunteering in their school. The Three4Me program will help your PTA unit reach volunteers that you thought were unreachable! Learn how to get Dad’s involved, get helpful forms, and read success stories. Don’t wait, start learning how today! For more information visit PTA Three for Me Program.

Be More Involved With Your Teen

Although teens who are close to their parents are less likely to engage in risky behaviors, ALL teens are at risk when it comes to drugs. It’s important for parents to talk to their teens and build open and trusting relationships. The more involved you are in your children’s lives, the more valued they’ll feel, and the more likely they’ll be to respond to you.

1. Establish “together time.” Establish a regular weekly routine for doing something special with your child – even if it’s just going out for ice cream. Even a few minutes of conversation while you’re cleaning up after dinner or right before bedtime can help the family catch up and establish the open communication that is essential to raising drug-free children.
2. Have family meetings. Held regularly at a mutually agreed upon time, family meetings provide a forum for discussing triumphs, grievances, projects, questions about discipline, and any topic of concern to a family member. Ground rules help. Everyone gets a chance to talk; one person talks at a time without interruption; everyone listens, and only positive, constructive feedback is allowed. To get resistant children to join in, combine the get-together with incentives such as post-meeting pizza or assign them important roles such as recording secretary or rule enforcer.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask where your kids are going, who they’ll be with and what they’ll be doing. Get to know your kid’s friends – and their parents – so you’re familiar with their activities.
4. Try to be there after school. The “danger zone” for drug use is between 3 and 6 PM; arrange flex time at work if you can. If your child will be with friends, make sure there’s adult supervision – not just an older sibling.
5. Eat meals together as often as you can. Meals are a great opportunity to talk about the day’s events, to unwind, reinforce and bond. Studies show that kids whose families eat together at least 5 times a week are less likely to be involved with drugs or alcohol.

Source: The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign’s Behavior Change Expert Panel.