Serving
Riverside County
Parenting
Parent & Family Involvement Training for District and Council Boards,
Superintendents and other school personnel
Hosted by 23rd District PTA
March 11, 2010
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Riverside County Office of Education, Murrieta
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM Riverside County Office of Education, Riverside
The 23rd District PTA Leadership and Parent Involvement Committees are joining together to provide training and professional development in the area of parent and family involvement. Presentations include information on Dr. Joyce Epstein's "Six Keys to Parent Involvement", the National Network of Partnership Schools, California State PTA parent and family involvement information and resources, and the California Action Plan for Partnerships P-16 Council Recommendations.
2009 Parent Involvement Summit VIDEO link
Parent Involvement - Secondary Schools
What is Parent Involvement?
“Many years of research show that involving families and the community contributes to children’s academic and social success. The evidence is consistent, positive, and convincing: families have a major influence on their children’s achievement. When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more.” (2007 Henderson, Mapp).
“Parental effort is consistently associated with higher levels of achievement, and the magnitude of the effect of parental effort is substantial. (2008, Houtenville and Conway).
“Schools would need to increase per pupil spending by more than $1,000 in order to achieve the same results that are gained with parental involvement.” (2008, Houtenville and Conway).
“However damaging the loss of funding to our schools is, it is not the biggest problem public education in California is facing today. There is a bigger, deeper problem—the growing lack of parental involvement in and support of the education of their children. That is our real number one problem… As the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, I want to make an urgent appeal to all of you to turn your full PTA energies in this direction. This work will have more lasting impact on public education and the families of California than anything else you could be involved in at the PTA level. I believe this is PTA’s opportunity of a lifetime.” (Kenneth Young, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, 2009).
(Click here to go to printable version of article).
Internet Safety Is a Parent's Responsibility
The holidays may have brought brand-new computers into many homes. It is amazing how fast kids learn how to use the Internet and other forms of technology. Therefore, it is important for children to know the information they encounter on the Internet could be deceptive or encourage them to explore in ways that might put them in jeopardy.
Parents need to establish boundaries for Internet use. This can be done by writing a contract that outlines appropriate computer and Internet use for their children to sign. The contract should spell out clearly what the consequences will be if the rules are deliberately (not accidentally) broken. The signed contract should be posted in a prominent place near the computer as a reminder.
Does your partner constantly check up on you?Do you find your partner saying, “I can’t live without you?”Does your partner frighten or intimidate you?you constantly apologizing for your partner’s behavior? feel like you have to justify everything to your partner?Does your partner try to impose restrictions on the way you dress or your appearance?Are you unable to disagree with him/her?Does your partner put you down, but then tell you he/she loves you?ou been held down, shoved, pushed, hit, kicked, or had things thrown at you by your partner?Does your partner make you choose between him/her, or family and friends? your partner forced or intimidated you into having sex?e you afraid to break up with your partner because you fear for your personal safety?Talk to your friend and be nonjudgmental when discussing the abuse.
Express your understanding, care, concern, and support.Point out your friend’s strengths. He/she may not see his/her own abilities and gifts because of being blinded by the effects of the abuse.Encourage your friend to confide in a trusted adult. Offer to go with him/her for help.Talk to a trusted adult if you believe your friend’s situation is getting worse.
Never put yourself in a dangerous situation by being a mediator.Call the police if you witness an assault.
With graduation season upon us, some high school seniors may still be pondering their future direction: entering the workforce, taking time off from education, or immediately pursuing a college or technical degree.
In many cases, parents may not realize what an important role they play in their children’s decision-making process. In fact, according to a new survey of young adults by Public Agenda, parental encouragement is the greatest factor influencing a child’s decision on what to do after high school.
National PTA offers several articles that will help you and your teen make a successful transition from high school to the next step in his or her life. The following articles are available at http://www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/helpchild/hc_reach_sky.asp
“How Is a Parent to Know if a Teen is Ready for College?”
“Helping Teens Who Are College Bound”
“Alternatives that Don’t Require a Four-Year Degree”
“Hello, We Must Be Going: Forging New Connections When Kids Move from High School to College”
For parents with younger teenagers, there’s no time like the present to begin talking about postsecondary education plans.
The study from Public Agenda, titled “Life After High School,” is available at http://www.publicagenda.com/research/research_reports_details.cfm?list=31.
Do You Know What Your Child Is Watching?
"Young people today live media-saturated lives, spending an average of nearly 6.5 hours a day with media," according to a report released this month by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The report, "Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year-Olds," also found that because young people frequently use multiple types of media at a time, they are exposed to the equivalent of 8.5 hours of media content in those 6.5 hours.
Which are the most popular forms of media? Below are the average amounts of time young people spend each day with various types of media (the figures are averages across seven days of the week).
Watching TV (including videos, DVDs, and prerecorded shows): 4 hoursListening to the radio or to CDs, tapes, or MP3 players: 1.75 hourssing computers (outside of schoolwork): 1 houring video games: 50 minutesReading (books, magazines, or newspapers for something other than schoolwork): 43 minutes
In contrast to the 6.5 hours young people are spending each day with media, young people are spending an average of only 2.25 hours with their parents, 2.25 hours with friends, 1.5 hours in physical activity, and less than 1 hour doing homework.
More than half of the 2,000 young people surveyed said that their families have no rules about TV watching, or use of any kind of media. Of those young people whose families do have rules, only 20 percent said that the rules are enforced most of the time.
National PTA offers several resources to help parents manage their children's exposure to media.
"Navigating the Children's Media Landscape: A Parent's and Caregiver's Guide," authored by the American Institutes for Research and released by National PTA and Cable in the Classroom, offers ideas and strategies to help families develop a comprehensive media plan that will allow them to take control of their TV viewing, Internet use, and other media activities.
Healthtex fights revealing clothing trend with "grow slow" campaign.
It used to be only high school teachers who had to deal with students wearing inappropriate clothes to class. Then middle school teachers started carrying rulers to measure skirts. Now elementary school boys and girls look like they're ready to hit a fashion runway instead of the playground.
Magazines, MTV, the Internet, a desire to look like older siblings and friends--all contribute to children's dressing and acting like they're 8 going on 18.
Given the pervasiveness of today's pop culture, it may be impossible to keep children from every bad influence. But parents and teachers can combat the racy outfit trend by educating kids on what is appropriate for them to wear.
One children's clothing designer is providing alternatives to mini skirts, midriff-baring shirts, and baggy jeans. Healthtex, a Lollytogs brand, developed stylish yet appropriate clothing because it believes children should be children for as long as they can.
That's the idea behind Healthtex's "grow slow" campaign.
"Childhood is fleeting," said David Scott Grubbs, Healthtex brand manager. "We should take advantage of every opportunity and every moment with our kids. 'Grow slow' is a simple concept--enjoy this innocent stage and return to the values of youth and family."
Healthtex's website, <http://www.healthtex.com/>, offers hip and wholesome clothing, and fun activities parents can do with their children. Click on "about grow slow" for more information.
A Message from National PTA Sponsor Lollytogs, Ltd. Reprinted from the National PTA Weekly.