Building positive home-school relationships at Prince Arthur

When you walk into Prince Arthur Junior High, you are greeted by four different welcoming signs just inside the front door. Also on display throughout the hallways are pictures of student activities and artwork that are designed to give visitors a sense that the students and staff are eager to invite you in so you can learn more about their school.

“There is so much going on here,” explains Principal Debbie Rowsell. “We are continually looking for ways to involve our parents and guardians, and indeed our entire community in the learning of our students.”

Some of those ways are in the messages the school shares with parents. According to the principal, the three messages they always want to leave with parents are:

• Together, we can make a difference,
• Your child is important to us, and
• Learning does not end at the end of the school day.

To support these beliefs, the school actively encourages parents to get involved, both in their child’s learning and in supporting extra-curricular activities. Conversation between staff and parents is encouraged and parents are welcome in the school at any time. If a parent has a concern, the school tries to respond initially by the end of the day. It is all part of a strategy to engage parents in their child’s learning.

“We can’t just provide parents with the information we think they need,” says Rowsell. “We need them (parents) to be actively involved because they help us discover the uniqueness of each child. Without the parents we can’t find out the full picture.”

Educational research clearly shows that having engaged parents and guardians contributes to improved student achievement. Engaging parents though can prove challenging at a school as diverse as Prince Arthur with close to 450 students in grades 7 to 9.

The school has four elementary feeder schools: Southdale North-Woodside, Hawthorn, South Woodside and Shannon Park. It also takes in students who live at Bridges for Learning, a community services facility supporting student in care. Among the students, there is a wide-range of economic and cultural diversity which requires the school to look for a variety of ways to reach out to its parents and community.

“We really try to involve our parents and sometimes that means making links through outreach programs,” says Rowsell. “Of course we communicate through our newsletters, website and report cards but we also try less conventional ways like home visits or notices in public places.”

The school also works hard to break down any barriers that might prevent a parent from attending a meeting at the school. If transportation is an issue, the school pays for a taxi. If there is a language issue, an interpreter is provided. These are just a few more ways the school is reaching out to bring the parents in.

The school also recognizes the important role of extra-curricular activities in the lives of the students. Indeed, there are more than 70 extra-curricular clubs, teams and activities for the students at Prince Arthur. At least one staff member is involved in some capacity with every one and many are coached or supported by a parent or community member.

Principal Rowsell sees many positives in having parents and community members as active participants in the school. “It takes only one adult to have a positive impact on a child’s life. Often that adult is a parent or teacher but it could also be the soccer coach, police liaison officer or school bus driver.”

For the staff of Prince Arthur, it always comes back to what is best for the students. It is clearly understood that when parents and the community are actively involved, student learning improves. Through effective communications, there is a steady stream of visitors entering through the front doors where one of the first things they see are four different signs welcoming them into the school.

To learn more about effective schools, click here.