The Importance of Parents

We cannot look at the school and the home as being isolated from one another. We must see how the school, community and the home are interconnected with each other and with the world at large. Successful parent involvement programs will share several fundamental beliefs about parents:

• Parents want what is best for their children.
• Parents, regardless of their background or circumstances, can be a key resource in their children’s education.
• All children can learn, and the focus of educators’ efforts needs to be on children’s success.
• Together, educators, families and communities can succeed in educating children and preparing them to lead healthy, happy and productive lives.

The District believes that active parent involvement is not limited to, but includes:

1. serving as responsible advocates for their child’s educational needs;
2. participating in classroom activities and school-related activities, functions and events;
3. participating in the activities of Parent Advisory Councils and other school-related advisory and governance activities;
4. working cooperatively with the school to solve problems and to create positive, productive learning environments both at home and at school;
5. supporting the school in instilling an appreciation for the value of education and a sense of individual responsibility for learning and achievement;
6. preparing a child for school and monitoring and responding to school-related responsibilities.

Defining Parent Involvement

The term parent involvement has been interpreted in many different ways within the literature. The Langley School District shares the definition of parent involvement with the authors of Building Successful Partnerships where it is defined as “the participation of parents in every facet of children’s education and development from birth to adulthood, recognizing that parents are the primary influence in [their] children’s lives”.