No one wants to be known as being at the worst school in the worst district in the country, but that was what Staton Elementary was known for a long period of a time. Back in 2005, the school district decided to “reconstitute” it because test scores were so pitiful, less than 20% proficiency in both literacy and math. They basically replaced all the administration and teaching staff to get a fresh start, so it was only the students and their parents that remained the constant. The new principal, Caroline Fisherow was really stunned by what she saw, with the level of behavioral issues and truancy. She pleaded to become a pilot school for a program that had been successful in Sacramento, California. It was designed by educational consultants from the  Flamboyan Foundation whose primary focus is to increase family engagement because they believe that “people solve problems” and schools NEEDED parents to be involved in their children’s education to overcome obstacles in learning. At the heart of the effort were home visits, in which teachers would go to see parents before the next school year to talk about their children. Home visits aren’t uncommon in schools but what surprised me was the intention behind the visit–it wasn’t to demand support or provide information, it was just a list of simple questions that teachers asked parents, with parents doing most of the talking. Here they are:

Tell me about your child’s experience at school.

Tell me about yours.

Tell me your hopes and dreams for your child’s future.

What do you want your child to be someday?

What do I need to do to help your child learn more effectively?

Can you imagine how those parents felt? Can you imagine the instant connection and care they must have felt towards that teacher? Someone cared about their “baby”! Someone cared about their dreams for their child!

And can you imagine how that teacher felt? They were armed with a sketch of that child’s support at home, and also could understand the heart of that parent!

What a profound effect that had! Those home visits started those children on a path to success, with familiarity and trust with their teacher already established before the school year even began. Even more surprising was that there was a shift that was instant and dramatic in the school dynamic: behavior issues and truancy were seriously diminished, school events became standing-room-only, and proficiency scores that saw a significant increase (Math went from 9% to 28%, nearly tripling in the first year!). And what gives me goosebumps and watery eyes is that that the power of the home visit is sustainable; in fact, test scores and parent involvement continued to improve.

But I don’t think you need to be a “turn around” school to do this!  I think to have these types of conversations with parents BEFORE school starts should be a common fixture at schools. It’s too powerful- we shouldn’t neglect the voice of the caregiver.

I know at our school, we do a “Hopes and Concerns” meeting a day or two before the school year kicks off. Our parents do come to school–it’s not a home visit- but the intention is the same. It’s my favorite parent meeting. The questions are quite similar and the meeting lasts around 15 minutes. Before I begin the meeting I explain that I am here to listen and take notes. Parents are always eager to share stories and anecdotes about their child. The interaction is warm and friendly, and, as a parent myself, I often relate to their struggles and desires with their child. I can attest to the bonding that forms between parent and teacher, and I walk away from that day feeling confident that my parents are partners. It’s going to be a good school year.

So I hope this gorgeous story about Stanton Elementary inspires you to consider how you might connect with parents before school. I don’t know if there are any studies done between home visits vs. school meetings and their level of impact, but I firmly believe the place where the conversation takes place is less important than the quality of the conversations. However, I’m sure that developing parents as partners is MORE important than any other initiative out there.  In my opinion, because I see parents are the child’s first and longest-lasting teacher, the impact and influence those parents have on their child override mine any day of the week! Open communication with parents makes a world of difference and making it a priority on Day 0 of the school year ultimately creates a positive projection for those students.