Walton Co. School Board Meets about Blithe Spirit!!

[Smiling JOe]

As Walton GOP stated, it should be fairly easy to get a list of email addresses from concerned parents, so that you could share ideas and thoughts regarding school stuff. As for the privacy issues, I'm fully aware of them, but you can have an opt-in list, so that only people who want to be on the shared list would be on the list. Anyone abusing the email system could be kicked in the booty by the other participants, kind of like SoWal.com/bb. The schools could even have a website and include a message board. Both students and parents could log in and participate.

 

[Jdarg]

As Walton GOP stated, it should be fairly easy to get a list of email addresses from concerned parents, so that you could share ideas and thoughts regarding school stuff. As for the privacy issues, I'm fully aware of them, but you can have an opt-in list, so that only people who want to be on the shared list would be on the list. Anyone abusing the email system could be kicked in the booty by the other participants, kind of like SoWal.com/bb. The schools could even have a website and include a message board. Both students and parents could log in and participate.

First you have to find the parents. High school is a little different than elementary and middle. In high school, the parents are practically invisible, not because they don't care, but because the kids are handling things themselves and other than signing a report card every now and then, don't really have to do anything. I can reach a few if I wear a sandwich board at carpool line, but I doubt I would be allowed to do that.

At the beginning of the year, we gave our e-mail address to the school because there was supposed to be an e-mail system for notices, announcements, etc. This was a piece of paper in the stack of start-of-the-year forms. I have yet to receive an e-mail about anything.

So here is my question- if you knew that most parents would want to know about things happening at the school, how would you find them and get their contact info if you don't know them? How would you organize the search? I am really at a loss on this one, and VERY frustrated.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Perhaps you could put an ad in the Sun and ask any parents of high school students who want to participate in a email communication get in touch with you.

You might talk to Gwen at the Sun and see if she can assign a reporter to the issue of no communication from the school to the parents; no PTO; need for communication.

Or write an Op-Ed piece for the Sum and the Beach Breeze (I will help you if you want, have lots of experience in this kind of writing.) detailing the problem as you see it and solutions you are offering.

I assume you have spoken with the principal and gotten no satisfaction about setting up an organization....

call a meeting (again an Ad in the paper, on SoWal, local bulletin boards, etc.)
of parents who are interested.

 

[Miss Kitty]

I am wondering if I missed something...why is there no PTA or PTO at the high school level? Are there no parent volunteers at SWHS? I only have experience in private high schools, where parent involvement does drop, but there are still opportunities for volunteers.

 

[Mango]

So here is my question- if you knew that most parents would want to know about things happening at the school, how would you find them and get their contact info if you don't know them? How would you organize the search? I am really at a loss on this one, and VERY frustrated.

Not sure if this is helpful or not, but I know of a middle school that uses this type of web based system. The kids and parents have user ids to log in. Notice the broadcast e-mail module, blogs etc.

http://www.schoolwires.com/corporate/site/default.asp

Here's another one. They have lots of samples.
http://www.rschooltoday.com/se3bin/clientschool.cgi

 

[NoHall]

I am wondering if I missed something...why is there no PTA or PTO at the high school level? Are there no parent volunteers at SWHS? I only have experience in private high schools, where parent involvement does drop, but there are still opportunities for volunteers.

The parents at my public alma mater take things into their own capable hands, above-board and underground. One mama calls another mama, who calls another two mamas, and it's like that old shampoo commercial until the left out mamas are calling the proactive mamas to get in on the action. It's a good system, as far as I can tell.

As for privacy, no laws are violated when Mrs. Jones writes down her digits and email addresses for Mrs. Roberts and so on and they set up their own lists.

 

[questor]

I understand that there use to be an active PTO at SWHS. The person I spoke to that was involved no longer has a child in the system. It seems you have several students reading this list that could gather email addresses for you from other students of their parents. And you could also start trying to form the PTO again. You should be able to supply information to the school that they could send home with students asking for contact information.

By the way: The following is quoted from asking How to Start a PTO.

"How do you start a PTO?

1. Consult with an attorney. Undoubtedly among the parents of children at your child's school, there will either be an attorney, or someone who works for an attorney, who will consider donating time pro bono to assist with the legalities of forming a PTO. Each state's requirements are different, and it is crucial to ensure that the technicalities are observed with precision, so as to avoid the risk of having your organization fail to qualify for tax-exempt status. The websites provided (see links) also contain information on achieving 501(c)(3) status.'

By the time we get thru all this BOTH my kids will be in college!

Not that I am against it mind you! But there ARE several other steps. This was just step ONE!

 

[30A Skunkape]

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071127/NEWS01/711270344/1056/COL02

 

[wrobert]

First you have to find the parents. High school is a little different than elementary and middle. In high school, the parents are practically invisible, not because they don't care, but because the kids are handling things themselves and other than signing a report card every now and then, don't really have to do anything. I can reach a few if I wear a sandwich board at carpool line, but I doubt I would be allowed to do that.

At the beginning of the year, we gave our e-mail address to the school because there was supposed to be an e-mail system for notices, announcements, etc. This was a piece of paper in the stack of start-of-the-year forms. I have yet to receive an e-mail about anything.

So here is my question- if you knew that most parents would want to know about things happening at the school, how would you find them and get their contact info if you don't know them? How would you organize the search? I am really at a loss on this one, and VERY frustrated.

Now that is funny. I have given my email to the school district every year since they started having email. I do not recall ever getting any information from a school about my children. The current email system the district has is such hit and miss about working that it is frustrating. You get bounces five days later with no rhyme or reason. Took them several weeks to get my email where it would come through the system again, only to stop days later for no apparent reason. Technologically challenged is an understatement.

 

[30ABandMan]

I love how this thread has turned out.

First, there "once" was a PTO at SWHS but it folded due to lack of interest on behalf of the parents. Yes, there were a few parents who worked tirelessly to make the thing happen. They organized meetings, had administrators present, they made things happen only to have no one show up at the meetings.

Secondly, I know for a fact that getting accurate contact information about the majority of the parents is a near impossibility. Forms are not returned, not filled out correctly or the information changes with no updates. Yes, it is very frustrating when someone needs to contact a parent and the information is not available and even better, the student doesn't know how to contact their own parent! (allegedly)

Third, there is a way to be a volunteer at the high school. You have to fill out paperwork, have a background check and be fingerprinted at the district office. This is to keep undesirables from being in the school and making contact with the students. It's not foolproof but, it is better than nothing. It cost roughly $65.00 and a little effort on your behalf.

I don't disagree with everything I have read in this thread but it doesn't take lawyers, newspaper articles or a bunch of b.s. to be active in your child's life and school. It just takes your time and an actual trip to the school every once in a while.