I believe the greatest untapped opportunity in our schools is the partnership between parents and principals. As someone who has experience in both roles, I see the ways where the default relationships between these two groups make this opportunity harder to realize. Our kids need us to get these relationships right. Recent research shows that after student safety, trust between teachers and parents is the biggest lever for improving student attendance.
I recently shared how most collaboration between parents and principals is about addressing concerns about teachers and I provided some ways to do that more effectively. That area of shared work isn’t going away anytime soon. However, what if we imagined what it might look like if more of the time parents and principals spent together was focused on building the schools our children deserve.
Let’s describe the current reality of most individual parent volunteers at schools. At the beginning of the year parents who are able and have the interest sign up to help their child’s classroom. They chaperone field trips, read to students, prep snacks, coordinate parent communication and enter grades. These volunteers are critical to the success we see in many classrooms. But we need families to help break down the silos of classrooms because they are the ones who go from room to room year after year. This means good schools have ways for families to support the larger work of the school.
Principals also need “room parents” but rarely have the time or structures to get volunteers to help them. The job of principal is becoming more challenging as schools have responsibility for meeting an increasing set of needs of families from academics to social-emotional wellness to food access. It is not a surprise that we are seeing greater burnout and principals leaving after three years on the job.
Principals can’t do it alone and there aren’t the financial resources to provide support because strong principals are usually putting every dollar they can into the classroom. This is where parents come in.
Consider the biggest three priorities for your school. If you are a principal, ask yourself how parents might be involved in a meaningful way. If you are a parent, think about what gifts you have that you might lean into. Is your school working to improve chronic absenteeism? Perhaps parents can help make attendance calls, organize pick up/drop up collaborations, or knock on doors and walk kids to school. We’ve seen families do this in response to ICE, but it is something that could just be built into how you do school as a community. Or maybe you are focused on community building and student safety? Parents can not only serve as recess monitors coordinating games, but they can lead weekly recess staff debriefs to celebrate successes and identify adjustments for the following week.
Once leaders start to engage families in the real work of the school, the ways families can help are only limited by imagination and their availability. Parents, reach out to your principal this week and offer to help. Principals, call a parent and invite them to help you with an important thing you just haven’t been able to accomplish yet. You both, your school, and your children will be better off for it.
