Parent Involvement

The school relies on parent participation to reduce school fees and requires 30hrs of commitment per parent each
year. Parents are asked to regularly log hours via Track It Forward and/or fill in the Flexible Commitment Hours Book in the office. Parents are invoiced at $20 per hour if hours are not competed or not logged.
Parents are able to complete these hours over the year as individual circumstances permit, although it is expected that
all parents contribute hours towards our Annual Art Auction and Bi-Annual Open Day.  Not only does it benefit the school, but it also sends our children a clear message that we value the school they attend.  According to research, “the most accurate predictor of a student’s achievement in school is not income or social status but the extent to which the student’s family is able to create a home environment that encourages learning [and] become involved in their children’s school (Henderson and Berla).  “Child Trends” furthered this, stating: ”A recent meta-analysis showed that parental involvement in school life was more strongly associated with high academic performance than helping with homework” (www.childtrends.org)

Benefits to you, the parent

• Gaining a first-hand understanding of the running of the school
• Understanding trends and fads of school life
• Gaining a better understanding of the teacher’s job and the school curriculum
• Having a deeper understanding of what the child is learning, aiding discussion and learning with the child during after-school hours (Education.com)
• Stronger ties to the school community
• A deeper understanding of the child’s peers

Benefits to the child

• Children tend to achieve more, with better grades and attendance.
• Children have better self-esteem and show higher aspirations and motivation toward school
• Children exhibit more positive attitudes, with fewer behaviour problems
• Children show better social skills (National Education Association)
• Children whose parents are involved in school are more likely to complete high-school (childtrends.org)

Benefits to the educators and other staff

• Higher morale amongst teachers and staff
• Teachers and staff gain further respect for their profession and hard work
• Improved communication and relations between teachers, administrators and parents
• Teachers and staff form a deeper understanding of families’ cultures and diversity
• Staff report increased job satisfaction

MRIS: Sharing the learning journey!