The primary objective of the Parent Academy is to create parent leaders who will actively promote a quality education in their schools and beyond. Trained Facilitators lead seven, two-hour interactive sessions that typically range from 25–30 parent participants. The Parent Academy includes professionally developed curriculum, presentations, individual and group activities, art instructional activities, homework assignments and discussions.
School Smarts Parent Academy Topics
The Academy offers parents a greater understanding of the following topics:
Session 1: Parent Involvement: A Key Ingredient in Student Success
- Why parent involvement is important
- Different ways for parents to get involved
- How to help your child get ready to learn, at home and in school
Session 2: Preparing for a Lifetime of Learning
- Different ways that children learn
- How to prepare for a successful high school experience
- Basics for college and career possibilities after high school
Session 3: Understanding Our Education System
- How California’s public school system is organized
- What your child will learn in school
- How your child’s progress will be measured
Session 4: Understanding Our Local School System
- How decisions are made at your school
- The roles of the school board, principal, teachers and staff
- Volunteer and leadership opportunities for parents
- Special academic programs and after-school activities
Session 5: Becoming an Effective Communicator
- Why communications between home and school is important
- How to build strong communication skills
Session 6: Standing Up for Quality Education
- What it means to be a leader and an education advocate
- How to take positive action to help your child and your school community
- How to set goals for your post-academy action plan
Session 7: Taking Action
- Develop and plan your post-academy action plan
Action Plan
In Session 7, parents will use the information they learned to create a plan of action. In this plan parents will:
- Effectively communicate with school leadership to help implement their plan of action
- Gain self-confidence in their ability to positively impact their school community.
Click here to download the Action Plan template.
Marketing and Outreach
As you begin recruiting parents to attend the Parent Academy, here are few strategies to use when reaching out to parents to market the program. Recruiting parents to attend is vital to having a successful program. Here are a few ways you can reach out to parents:
- Personal invitations (phone calls or in-person conversations) from trusted leaders on campus (principal, teacher, etc.)
- School newsletter or PTA newsletter
- School Website, social media accounts or message board
- Principal’s weekly message
- Back-to-school event
- Parent teacher conference’s
- Automated phone systems or all calls
- Fliers sent home or handed out before/after school
Materials Developed by California State PTA are available to help you promote your event:
- Sample Fliers and Brochures (Click here to order/download fliers)
Ordering Program Materials
Using sign ups from Parent Engagement Night (PEN) and other marketing efforts, you should have an idea how many parents intend to participate. You will need this information to order program materials by completing the curriculum order form.
Each School Smarts Academy will receive School Smarts curriculum binders for each parent and an art supply kit for up to 30 participants.
School Smarts curriculum is offered in six languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Tagalog.
Once your curriculum order has been received, curriculum binders and the art kit will be shipped to the school site to the attention of the principal. All materials will be distributed by the Facilitator during the first School Smarts session.
Program Data
The California State PTA creates a School Smarts program summary for your school site or district at the end of the year. We also use the feedback from parents and facilitators to refine and improve the Academy experience for future years.
During the Academy, parents will complete a Pre-Academy Questionnaire and a Post-Academy Questionnaire. The data collected, along with the action plan, is used to complete the School Smarts program summary.
Parent Academy at-a-glance
Resources for making your sessions interactive
Below you will find resources to help you as you implement the Parent Academy:
Session 1 : Parent Involvement: A key Ingredient in Student Success
Session 2: Preparing for a Lifetime of Learning
- Homework Link – Watch the YouTube Video with your children: “Did you Know” (2016 version)
- Glossary of Acronyms
Session 3: Understanding Our Education System
Session 4: Understanding Our Local School System
Session 5: Becoming an Effective Communicator
Session 6: Standing Up for Quality Education
Session 7: Taking Action