Parental Involvement in Education

- What it means

- The importance of it

- How to get involved

-Parent Organizations in Dunellen

What is Parental Involvement?

Parental involvement in school is defined as parent reported participation at least once during the school year in attending a general school meeting; attending a scheduled meeting with their child’s teacher; attending a school event; or volunteering in the school or serving on a school committee.

The Importance of it

In *study after study, researchers discover how important it is for parents to be actively involved in their child's education. Here are some of the findings of major research into parental involvement:

• When parents are involved in their children's education at home, they do better in school. And when parents are involved in school, children go farther in school — and the schools they go to are better.
• A home environment that encourages learning is more important to student achievement than income, education level or cultural background.
• When children and parents talk regularly about school, children perform better academically.
• Three kinds of parental involvement at home are consistently associated with higher student achievement: actively organizing and monitoring a child's time, helping with homework and discussing school matters.
• The earlier that parent involvement begins in a child's educational process, the more powerful the effects.
• Students with parents who are involved in their school tend to have fewer behavioral problems and better academic performance, and are more likely to complete secondary school than students whose parents are not involved in their school.
• Positive results of parental involvement include improved student achievement, reduced absenteeism, improved behavior, and restored confidence among parents in their children's academic progress.
• Parental involvement allows parents to monitor school and classroom activities, and to coordinate their efforts with teachers.

*National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education

What Parents can do?

Parents are their children's best advocates. Parents' willingness to contact teachers on a regular basis about their children's progress is perhaps the first step to becoming involved in their children's education. Armed with good information about a child's performance, parents can proceed in both direct and indirect ways to influence the child's progress. Mothers and fathers can become directly involved in children's education by:

• Overseeing the child's homework time
   
• Setting a time each day for homework to be done, and checking the child's work for completeness and understanding
   
• Providing support for educators, essential leadership for programs, and ideas for improvements in the education system
   
• Taking advantage of opportunities to become involved with parent organizations like the PTO, Booster Club, Band Parents, Football Fan Club, and the Dunellen Education Foundation
   
• Volunteer with school drama productions
   
• Chaperone class trips
   
• Volunteer for school and/or district committees

 Parent Organizations In Dunellen

To learn more about getting involved in parent organization groups for Dunellen Schools contact the following individuals:

PTO:
Faith Thompson
(732) 752-2978

 DHS Booster Club:
Laura Murray
(732) 968-1698

Band Parents:
Sharon Stewart
(732) 986-6638

 Dunellen Education Foundation:
Milhan Fishman
(732) 968-5227
dunef2007@yahoo.com

Dunellen Football Fan Club:
Jayne Pakenham
(732) 968-5174

Any other questions, please call the main office at 732-968-0885, ext. 10.

Dunellen High School
411 First Street
Dunellen, New Jersey 08812
Phone: (732)-968-0885
Fax: (732)-968-3138

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