AEMP Parent Involvement

AEMP Parent Involvement

Parents are the key to AEMP’s success. They are a child’s first teachers. When parents are given the skills they need, they are able to help their children be successful in school. In order to provide the needed skills, we must have parents participating in AEMP activities.

The AEMP Parent Community Representatives (PCR) have the responsibility to actively recruit parents to participate in Parent Information Center (PIC) workshops, activities and other school events. Listed below are several ideas which can be used to increase parent participation in your PIC activities.

Increasing Parent Participation
Recruiting and Using Parent Volunteers
Planning Successful Parent Workshops and Events

A. Increasing Parent Participation
Distribute Information About AEMP
Use flyers and handouts to inform parents about AEMP.

Hold an AEMP Open House/ Orientation
Schedule an AEMP Open House/ Orientation event at the beginning of the school year. This event will provide an opportunity to meet parents and tell them about the resources of the AEMP Program & Parent Center. Brainstorm with your AEMP team and parent volunteers to develop activities that will interest parents.

Inform Teachers and School Staff
Teachers can be very helpful in encouraging parents to attend AEMP events. So it is very important to make sure that teachers, staff, and administrators are given enough advanced notice about upcoming events. Some effective ways to inform them are:

- Make and send out a monthly calendar of all PIC activities and workshops. Or, if your school prepares a monthly calendar, ask for PIC events to be included.
- Make announcements at faculty or grade level meetings.
- Have notices placed in the Weekly Bulletin and School Newsletter
- Have announcements made at Morning Assemblies
- Invite teachers and AEMP staff to attend your activities.

Notify Parents Directly
Many of the notices given to children at school never make it home. Some ways to get information directly to the parents are:
- Place copies of AEMP informational and event flyers in the main office.
- Get permission to place a "please take one" parent box in the front office.
- You and/ or parent volunteers can personally distribute flyers or notices to parents as they drop-off and pick-up their children.
- Ask parent volunteers to speak to other parents about PIC events and resources that are available through AEMP.

B. Recruiting and Using Parent Volunteers
Parent volunteers are a very important part of your PIC. Without their help, the mission of the PIC cannot effectively be carried out. Many people are willing to give of their time or resources, but they want to know that their services or donations will be put to good use. Listed below are several ideas to encourage parents to volunteer.

Make a List of Volunteer Activities
There are many ways that parents can work with the AEMP PIC. Some will be able to give their time, but for those who are not able, they may want to donate resources (e.g., paper, craft materials, food, etc.) for the PIC. It is important to provide parents with a way to sign-up for volunteering or donating.

It is helpful to:
- Develop and distribute a Parent Letter explaining the program and requesting participation and volunteering.
- List the activities or items you need assistance with and ask parents to choose activities they are interested in.
- When the volunteer forms are returned, be sure to make a follow-up phone call to thank the parent and to give them an idea of when you will need their assistance.

Talk to Parents In-Person
Person-to-person contact always makes a positive difference. Good times to see parents are before and after school as they deliver and pick-up their children. When people are personally invited to participate, they are more likely to say yes.

Give Volunteers Enough Notice
Call volunteers at least 1 week before (and more time is better) the date that you need their help or contribution. Then, 1 or 2 days before the activity, be sure to give a reminder call.

Welcome and Acknowledge Volunteers
Taking care of volunteers will result in them wanting to come back. Things you can do include the following:
- When a volunteer arrives, make sure that someone is there to greet them and explain what, when, where and how to do their task.
- Give all parent volunteers a letter or small gift to thank them for their help or donation.
- Include the names of parent and business volunteers or supporters or donate to PIC events in the weekly bulletin or school newsletter.
- Present certificates to all volunteers at the end of the semester or school year.
- Remember: When people feel appreciated, they will be willing to volunteer or donate again.

C. Planning Successful Parent Workshops and Events
One way to keep parents involved in PIC activities is to make sure that your events are well planned. Outlined below are suggestions for planning a successful event.

Conduct a Needs Assessment
It is very important to know what the parents in your school are interested in or concerned about. The best way to find this out is to have parents fill-out a Needs Assessment.

Create an Event Planning Team
A successful event will have input from several different sources. Creating an Event Planning Team is a good way to make sure many points of view are included in your planning. Some of the people to involve are:

- Representatives from other parent/community programs at your school
- PIC Teacher Facilitator
- Parents who volunteer at the PIC
- Parents who use the Resource Library

Your team does not have to be large (5-7 people is a good size) but make sure that all ethnic groups in your school are represented.

Follow a Planning Process
To have a successful event there needs to be a good planning process. That means that everyone knows what they are supposed to do and when it needs to be done. The following are some planning tools that can help to get you and the planning team organized:

Event Planning Process
Event Planning Checklist
Event Task Time-Line
Event Evaluation Form

Provide Refreshments
Providing refreshments is often a good incentive for parents to attend an activity.

Provide Baby Sitting
Lack of child care is often a reason that parents do not attend school events. If possible, set aside a section of the room or use a nearby room for children who must attend with their parents. A staff member or parent volunteer can be used to supervise the children during the workshop or event. Have age-appropriate activities (paper, crayons, games, toys, etc.) to occupy the children.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AEMP PROGRAM CONTACT:
Noma LeMoine Ph.D., Director (noma.lemoine@lausd.net)
Programs for Standard English Learners
Academic English Mastery Program
333 Beaudry, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Instructional Support Services, 25th Floor, Room-131
PHONE (213) 241-3340 FAX: (213) 241-8495

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The AEMP Parent Community Representatives (PCR) have the responsibility to actively recruit parents to participate in Parent Information Center (PIC) workshops, activities and other school events. Listed below are several ideas which can be used to increase parent participation in your PIC activities. Increasing Parent Participation Recruiting and Using Parent Volunteers Planning Successful Parent Workshops and Events A. Increasing Parent Participation Distribute Information About AEMP Use flyers and handouts to inform parents about AEMP. Hold an AEMP Open House/ Orientation Schedule an AEMP Open House/ Orientation event at the beginning of the school year. This event will provide an opportunity to meet parents and tell them about the resources of the AEMP Program & Parent Center. Brainstorm with your AEMP team and parent volunteers to develop activities that will interest parents. Inform Teachers and School Staff Teachers can be very helpful in encouraging parents to attend AEMP events. So it is very important to make sure that teachers, staff, and administrators are given enough advanced notice about upcoming events. Some effective ways to inform them are: - Make and send out a monthly calendar of all PIC activities and workshops. Or, if your school prepares a monthly calendar, ask for PIC events to be included. - Make announcements at faculty or grade level meetings. - Have notices placed in the Weekly Bulletin and School Newsletter - Have announcements made at Morning Assemblies - Invite teachers and AEMP staff to attend your activities. Notify Parents Directly Many of the notices given to children at school never make it home. Some ways to get information directly to the parents are: - Place copies of AEMP informational and event flyers in the main office. - Get permission to place a "please take one" parent box in the front office. - You and/ or parent volunteers can personally distribute flyers or notices to parents as they drop-off and pick-up their children. - Ask parent volunteers to speak to other parents about PIC events and resources that are available through AEMP. B. Recruiting and Using Parent Volunteers Parent volunteers are a very important part of your PIC. Without their help, the mission of the PIC cannot effectively be carried out. Many people are willing to give of their time or resources, but they want to know that their services or donations will be put to good use. Listed below are several ideas to encourage parents to volunteer. Make a List of Volunteer Activities There are many ways that parents can work with the AEMP PIC. Some will be able to give their time, but for those who are not able, they may want to donate resources (e.g., paper, craft materials, food, etc.) for the PIC. It is important to provide parents with a way to sign-up for volunteering or donating. It is helpful to: - Develop and distribute a Parent Letter explaining the program and requesting participation and volunteering. - List the activities or items you need assistance with and ask parents to choose activities they are interested in. - When the volunteer forms are returned, be sure to make a follow-up phone call to thank the parent and to give them an idea of when you will need their assistance. Talk to Parents In-Person Person-to-person contact always makes a positive difference. Good times to see parents are before and after school as they deliver and pick-up their children. When people are personally invited to participate, they are more likely to say yes. Give Volunteers Enough Notice Call volunteers at least 1 week before (and more time is better) the date that you need their help or contribution. Then, 1 or 2 days before the activity, be sure to give a reminder call. Welcome and Acknowledge Volunteers Taking care of volunteers will result in them wanting to come back. Things you can do include the following: - When a volunteer arrives, make sure that someone is there to greet them and explain what, when, where and how to do their task. - Give all parent volunteers a letter or small gift to thank them for their help or donation. - Include the names of parent and business volunteers or supporters or donate to PIC events in the weekly bulletin or school newsletter. - Present certificates to all volunteers at the end of the semester or school year. - Remember: When people feel appreciated, they will be willing to volunteer or donate again. C. Planning Successful Parent Workshops and Events One way to keep parents involved in PIC activities is to make sure that your events are well planned. Outlined below are suggestions for planning a successful event. Conduct a Needs Assessment It is very important to know what the parents in your school are interested in or concerned about. The best way to find this out is to have parents fill-out a Needs Assessment. Create an Event Planning Team A successful event will have input from several different sources. Creating an Event Planning Team is a good way to make sure many points of view are included in your planning. Some of the people to involve are: - Representatives from other parent/community programs at your school - PIC Teacher Facilitator - Parents who volunteer at the PIC - Parents who use the Resource Library Your team does not have to be large (5-7 people is a good size) but make sure that all ethnic groups in your school are represented. Follow a Planning Process To have a successful event there needs to be a good planning process. That means that everyone knows what they are supposed to do and when it needs to be done. The following are some planning tools that can help to get you and the planning team organized: Event Planning Process Event Planning Checklist Event Task Time-Line Event Evaluation Form Provide Refreshments Providing refreshments is often a good incentive for parents to attend an activity. Provide Baby Sitting Lack of child care is often a reason that parents do not attend school events. If possible, set aside a section of the room or use a nearby room for children who must attend with their parents. A staff member or parent volunteer can be used to supervise the children during the workshop or event. Have age-appropriate activities (paper, crayons, games, toys, etc.) to occupy the children. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AEMP PROGRAM CONTACT: Noma LeMoine Ph.D., Director (noma.lemoine@lausd.net) Programs for Standard English Learners Academic English Mastery Program 333 Beaudry, Los Angeles, CA 90017 Instructional Support Services, 25th Floor, Room-131 PHONE (213) 241-3340 FAX: (213) 241-8495