Getting engaged can be an expensive proposition. Since the 1930s, diamond seller De Beers has floated the idea that grooms-to-be should spend a full two months’ salary when they purchase an engagement ring.
Thankfully, there’s a much less expensive way to get engaged — in fact it won’t cost you anything but a little of your time. And the engagement I’m referring to is going to be crucial to the ongoing improvement and success of our hometown school district.
Twice in November the Snyder ISD held poorly-attended public forums in order to share information with the public. And by share, I mean pass along information and gather information.
While school officials held up their end of the deal, and provided very good information, we parents and the public didn’t really do our part. And by our part, I mean show up.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Dr. Rachael McClain, Snyder ISD’s chief academic officer, talked about several of the district’s strategies to improve student performance. Among them was increased parental engagement in their children’s education.
To accomplish that, each campus is trying to host a parent-engagement activity each six weeks. That’s six times parents will be invited to their child’s campus to meet the faculty and staff and to see firsthand what their students are learning.
The school district thinks parent engagement is so important that it even opened a parent engagement center at Stanfield Elementary School and hired a parent and family liaison.
For years studies have proven that students are more successful when parents are involved in their education. When parents are engaged students have been shown to have higher grades and test scores, even in more challenging advanced courses. Students have better attendance and social skills and also show improved behavior.
Students also have higher passing rates, advance through the grades and earn their diploma, and many go on to college.
According to the website Child Trends, “Involvement allows parents to monitor school and classroom activities, and to coordinate their efforts with teachers to encourage acceptable classroom behavior and ensure that the child completes schoolwork. Teachers of students with highly involved parents tend to give greater attention to those students, and they are more likely to identify at earlier stages problems that might inhibit student learning. Parental involvement in school and positive parent-teacher interactions have also been found to positively affect teachers’ self-perception and job satisfaction.”
That was another point McClain made Tuesday. She encouraged the public to communicate with school officials who can address an issue or question when they arise.
While neither the article nor McClain mentioned social media tirades, I think most of us agree that it’s harder to rant about a teacher, campus or school district online when there is a close personal relationship.
She also encouraged parents to attend community forums and parent meetings, to know how their children are doing academically and to support the school district and its teachers.
“And if you pray, pray for the schools and encourage your church family to pray,” McClain said.
And while we all like to complain about the Texas Education Agency and its standardized testing requirements, they will be keeping an eye on how well we parents get engaged in our kids’ educations when they assign ratings.
When the new rating system was announced, it included a community engagement measure. Ten percent of each district’s grade will be based on how well we parents and community members participate in school activities.
And unfortunately, I don’t think athletic events will count toward the community participation score.
While a diamond ring can be expensive, being involved in your child’s life doesn’t have to cost a thing. And there is no more important thing going on in your child’s life than their education.
The school district and its staff have made that education a priority. Now it’s our turn.
Bill Crist is the publisher of the Snyder Daily News. Comments about his column may be emailed to publisher@snyderdailynews.com.