ALL >> General >> View Article
Lean Into Small Parent Turnout! Starting Where You Are With Parent Engagement
Because instead of dealing with the opportunity and assets in front of them, many organizations try to leapfrog where they are so they can get to great. Schools and districts are no different.
Principals probably see this concept most centrally when they hire teachers. Many a principal regrets a good teacher they passed on in November because they saw visions of a great teacher dancing in their eyes – a teacher that never came to fruition. By June they have to make due with a passable teacher.
The Trap
Sometimes schools and districts risk falling into the same trap with parent engagement. There are plenty of barriers to maximizing parent engagement – bad (or changing) phone numbers, outdated student information systems, busy families, racial, linguistic and socioeconomic lines of difference, etc. And yet, to get great at engaging parents – you have to start with good – or with whatever you’ve got.
That’s right. You may only have correct contact information for 40% of your families. You may only have 5 or 10 parents who show up to events. Your most engaged parents may be the ones ...
... who show up again and again. You may not even know why you want to engage parents. And yet, start there. Make sure those 5 parents feel valued, heard, and important. Sure enough they’ll become your biggest advocates – and they’ll bring friends – and those friends will bring friends. It’s how underdogs win political campaigns, how Facebook becomes Facebook, how the Ice Bucket Challenge (or the Keke Challenge) grows, how movements happen. A small group becomes a bigger group becomes viral becomes a part of the fabric of life.
Good to Great in Action
We got to see this in action just this week! We’re lucky to now have schools in their second year of partnership with Possip – so we can compare data year to year. And our schools are seeing parent response rates that are 5-10x of what they were just one year ago. They are seeing parent attendance at meetings both grow in number and diversity.
Those schools started where they were. They didn’t let good be the enemy of great. Maybe just 12 parents responded to last year’s Possip surveys. This year they have 80 parents responding. Maybe just 8 parents came to their PTO meeting. This year they have 30 parents.
So instead of focusing on what you don’t have or who you don’t have – focus on who you do. Start there. And let that transform the future.
Want to learn more about starting where you are to build a strong parent-school community? Email us at possip@possipit.com.
Possip Gives Parents a voice to build stronger relationships with their child’s school through sharing praise and feedback
Add Comment
General Articles
1. Enhancing Your Online Presence: The Synergy Of Website Design And Seo PackagesAuthor: Shaganasaral
2. Why Invest In An Uber Clone App For Your Startup
Author: Smith Joe
3. Unleashing The Power Of White Label Crypto Exchange Software For Startups
Author: white label
4. Buy Led Light Therapy For Skin For Radiant And Healthy Skin
Author: Zuzusales LLC
5. Hip Kits And Dining Aids – Improving The Quality Of Life Everyday
Author: Zuzusales LLC
6. 30w 24v Solidrive Electronic Non-dimmable Constant Voltage Driver By Magnitude
Author: David Hessen
7. Navigating Your Journey With Pratham Motors: Maruti Suzuki Driving School In Hsr Layout
Author: Pratham Motors
8. Best Accounting Software For Petrol Pump
Author: sidharthh08877
9. How To Create An Arbitrum Crypto Wallet & Evaluate Its Cost
Author: JohnJames
10. Can An Exchange Traded Fund Give You Good Returns Over The Long Term?
Author: SURAAJ
11. How Should You Plan For Your Retirement?
Author: SURAAJ
12. Harnessing Biological Odour Control Systems For Electronics Corrosion Monitoring
Author: Aqozz
13. Induce More Happiness By Not Searching How To Remove Glance From Lock Screen In Mi!
Author: Jaykant P
14. Choosing The Right Statistical Consultancy Services Africa For Better Results
Author: Stat Consul
15. Global Bottled Water Processing Market: Key Trends And Insights By 2028
Author: sonal