| Through an integrated school, parent, and community approach for enhancing the health and well-being of students, Family, School, and Community Involvement promotes long-term effective partnerships between families, schools, and communities in the planning and implementation of health promotion projects and events both within the school and throughout the community. Schools actively solicit parent involvement and engage community resources and services. |
The Family and Community Involvement component promotes:
Goal: Promote long-term effective partnerships between families, schools and communities.
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Actions for Schools and School Districts
- Create a an environment in which parents feel valued and welcome, and that is culturally sensitive, including developing supportive mission and policy statements
- Outreach to encourage participation of parents who might have low-level literacy skills and/or from whom English is a second language
- Involve parents and other family members in planning, curriculum and policy development, and decision making related to school health
- Hire and train a family coordinator to act as a liaison between families and schools and coordinate family activities
- Disseminate information on school reforms, policies, discipline procedures, assessment tools, and school goals, and include parents in any related decision-making process
- Link parents to programs and resources within the community that provide support services to families, i.e., create an information and resource center to support families with training, resources, and other services; collaborate with community agencies to provide family support services and adult learning opportunities
- Meet with parents at least twice a year, accommodating the varied schedules of parents, language barriers, and the need for child care
- Encourage immediate contact between parents, teachers, principles, and other administrative staff when concerns arise
- Communicate with parents regarding positive student behavior and achievement, not just regarding misbehavior or failure
- Use creative forms of communication with families that make optimal use of new communication technologies
- Encourage parents and students to volunteer and provide ample training on volunteer procedures and school protocol
- Ensure that parents who are unable to volunteer in the school building are given the options for helping other ways
- Enlist community volunteers such as civic groups, service clubs, religious groups, seniors’ groups, and law enforcement
- Develop partnerships with local businesses and services groups to advance student learning and assist schools and families
- Survey parents regarding their interests, talents and availability, then coordinate the parent resources with those that exist within the school and among the faculty
Actions for Families and Students
- Encourage children’s healthy behaviors by praising appropriate behaviors and acting as positive role models
- Cooperate with schools and others in the community to provide for children’s physical and mental health services
- Learn about and reinforce the skills and messages in children’s health and physical education curricula and, if they are uncomfortable with a message, discuss their concerns with school decision makers
- Communicate with teachers and administrative staff regarding the child’s progress and behavior
- Use community resources that provide opportunities for children and other family members to engage in positive social and learning experiences
- Participate in any parenting skill courses that my be offered by the school and/or community
- Participate in all decision-making regarding school polices
- Volunteer in the child’s school by joining the PTA, other parent organization, or parent advisory committee
- Vote in school board elections
- Advocate for better CSHP standards and funding at the local and state levels
- Determine what components of a CSHP exist in the school, and work with the school and others in the community to strengthen weak components or establish those that are missing
- Distribute notices and handouts at markets, clinics, community centers, and religious institutions to inform families and other community members about health issues and to garner broader community support
Actions for Community Members
- Advocate for school health programs by speaking at community forums, writing letters to the editors of local newspapers, and updating organizations to which they belong
- Meet with school personnel to determine what support can be offered to advance the school’s or district’s health objectives
- Serve on a school-community committee for a CSHP or a particular component
- Infuse community-based school health services into the school’s overall school health plan
- Provide mentoring and after-school programs to give children safe havens from violence and alternatives to drugs
- Provide school-to-work programs that lead to college, technical training, or good jobs after high school
- Provide programs for parents that include academic classes, literacy training, career preparation, early childhood education, children’s health, and assistance in finding helpful services in the community
- Offer summer learning programs through cultural institutions, parks and recreation, and other public and private agencies; activities might include programs at recreation centers, science and art museums, and libraries
- Identify appropriate funding sources or raise funds to support the school health program
- Nurture relationships between schools and community organizations that can provide young people with needed physical and mental health services