Parent Volunteering

There was an existing committee at Sabal Palm school called the Family Committee. Composed of teachers, guidance counselor, and the volunteer coordinator, this committee's function was to increase parent participation in school activities. Truancy Project staff joined this committee. The following activities were undertaken during the year:

  • create a series of monthly parent workshops
  • coordinate the Thanksgiving and Christmas luncheons
  • assist each grade level in implementing an activity that included parents, such as Talent Show, Field trip Fund Raiser, and Achievement Testing Workshop
  • assist each grade level teacher in recruiting classroom volunteers

How To Create A Parent Workshop

  • Step 1: Pick a Topic

Examples include Social Skills, Conflict Resolution, Reading Readiness, Parenting Styles, Behavior Management, Discipline Procedures, Rules and Consequences, Testing, Homework Guidelines, Getting Involved with Your Child's Teacher, Attending a Staffing for Your Child, Listening and Communicating with Your Child, etc. Other topics can be found at your public library or on the internet. We have listed some internet resources here.

  • Step 2: Decide upon an appropriate date, time, place, and incentive offered for the workshop. Incentives could include raffles for gift certificates at Wal-Mart or other stores. Some sort of snack and drink should also be served.

  • Step 3: Make and send out a flyer stating the date, day, time, place , topic, contact person, and incentive offered at the workshop. The flyer should also state that snack and drink will be served.

  • Step 4: Get appropriate resources abou the chosen topic from the library, the internet, other teachers, the guidance counselor, or other community resources listed in the phone book. There may be somone in the community who specializes in your topic and who could come to the workshop as a guest speaker.

  • Step 5: Make a small, to-the-point packet of information to hand out to the parents who attend the workshop.

  • Step 6: Make overheads for a projector so the parents can see and not just listen to the information you are discussing.

For more information on conducting Parent Workshops, contact Stacey Scheckner at sbs8231@garnet.acns.fsu.edu