Engaged Parents Make a Difference

I am the mother of two teenage, African-American boys – a senior and a sophomore in public school. Being their mother is one of my greatest joys. Since their very first day of pre-school, I have been involved in their schooling experience – from PTA President, to Chair of the School Policy Council, to Booster Club Mom, I was known as Christopher and Dechristian’s mother rather than by own first name. Why was this volunteer work important to me? Because strong parent engagement yields better academic outcomes for our children.

While this is my story, I know that many parents experience barriers to becoming involved in their children’s schooling. These barriers include:

◾lack of material resources (e.g., childcare, transportation),
◾the time crunch of work and other responsibilities,
◾parents feeling intimidated or unprepared to talk with teachers and school administrators,
◾helping their children with schoolwork at home.

To reduce these barriers and build on the strengths and resources of parents, Parent Leaders United for Students, known as PLUS, has launched. This grassroots parent engagement effort targets the Carver, Douglass and Washington High School clusters, with a broader focus on all parents throughout the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) district and provides opportunities for parent engagement to be a community-based effort. There are many ways for parents and others in the school community to get involved:

1.Encourage and support parent-led groups associated with APS schools to apply for a PLUS Small Grant. Grants range from $250 to $1,000 and the application is easy to complete. Grants can be used to host community festivals or fireside chats. Organizations do not need to have a 501c3 and the decision time is fast.

2.Tell parents about PLUS and encourage them to sign up for the Academy. Parents get to have fun with other parents while focusing on increasing their skills, knowledge and sense of self-efficacy, as well as tapping their innate strengths and resources.

3.Connect with the Community Foundation about how you can help strengthen communities and families in our targeted areas. Strong neighborhoods and communities are driving forces in supporting and encouraging strong families and productive schools.

PLUS is administered and powered by the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and is privately funded by philanthropists who recognize the power that successful schools have to build strong communities, break cycles of poverty and help children achieve their dreams. Additional partners include Families First, HTI Catalysts and Partnership for Southern Equity. For more information, visit cfgreateratlanta.org’s PLUS page.

By Tyronda Minter, director, community, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta