School Smarts is an award-winning, research-based program that helps parents help their children and their school.
The program includes a seven-session parent academy with sessions on education, communication and leadership. Parents participate in art activities and discussions that build inclusiveness among parents and school leaders.
INVOLVED PARENTS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Research has identified specific benefits of parent involvement and the relationship to student academic achievement:
- Higher grades and test scores
- Better attendance at school
- Understanding the link between school subjects and future careers.
When parents are involved and take an active role in their children’s education at home and in the community, students perform better in school.
SCHOOL SMARTS SUPPORTS PARENT INVOLVEMENT
School Smarts is a program with an operating principle of inclusion: reaching across all parent groups and bringing them together in support of their common interest in helping children succeed.
The program is designed to:
- Expose a wide range of parents to the big picture of how the education system works, and empower them to maximize the success of their own child and school.
- Provide deeper, more extensive training for a cadre of diverse parents, strengthening parent leadership at the school site and equipping them to become advocates for quality education.
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT SCHOOL SMARTS
- “Learning begins at home, then at school, then back home – it’s just a cycle. School Smarts taught me how to get involved, to understand the school system, to know my children’s progress and what they’re learning.” — Parent Graduate