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.

Why Is It Important at the Middle School Level?

The results of recent *research are very clear: When parents are actively involved in their children's education, they do better in school. The academic level of the parents, their socioeconomic level, and their ethnic or racial origin are not determining factors for academic success. It is essential for parents to have a positive attitude regarding education, and to demonstrate trust that their children can do well.

How Will Your Child Benefit From Your Involvement?

When parents become involved, both students and school benefit:

• Grades and test results are higher
• Students' attitudes and behavior are more positive
• Academic programs are more successful
• The schools, as a whole, are more effective
• When children and parents talk regularly about school, children perform better
  academically
• The earlier that parent involvement begins in a child's educational process, the more powerful the effects reduced absenteeism, improved behavior, and restored confidence among parents in their children's academic progress 

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: