A Special Meeting for Parents New to the School

A meeting for new parents to the school, held soon after the school year begins, can be a very productive experience for everyone. The time can be used to discuss important aspects of your school, share your expectations for the school and the year ahead, and answer questions.

Many of us who have used this idea send out special invitations to parents during the first days of school. I have found that including an RSVP request helped me know how many parents were coming so that materials could be prepared in sufficient quantities.

I always invited the PTA president to attend this meeting too. He or she would present information about the organization and share ways in which parents might participate. (Sometimes the president even recruited a few new committee members!) I also invited the guidance counselor, nurse, attendance clerk, and media specialist to visit the meeting to share ideas and answer questions.

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Share the Pride: Six "Pride Statements" Get Year Off to a Great Start
Getting the Most Out of Parent-Teacher Conferences
Newsletters: An Essential Tool for Every Principal
Building Positive Relationships With the Media
The Benefits of Being an MBWA Principal
More Tips for Great Newsletters
50 Million Students Can't Be Wrong: Improving Perceptions of Your School
Support Personnel Are P.R. People Too
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Meet Dr. George E. Pawlas

George E. Pawlas has written the book on PR for school principals -- literally! In The Administrator's Guide to School-Community Relations, Pawlas presents a treasury of practical tips and strategies for principals. The book includes hundreds of principal-tested ideas, illustrations, and templates to help you

create successful school newsletters and other communication tools;
use the media to your school's advantage;
enhance parent and family involvement;
work with the community and local businesses;
deal with crisis situations; and
much more.

Pawlas has been an educator for nearly four decades. He has served as an elementary school teacher and principal, a district administrator, and a state education department consultant. Currently he is a professor of educational leadership at the University of Central Florida. In addition, Pawlas has authored dozens of articles and coauthored three editions of a book on educational supervision. He is a frequent presenter at local and national conferences.

08/07/2006