| Schools baulk at funds disclosure |
| PRIVATE schools have warned that forcing them to be more transparent about their finances and results could lead to "ideological bullying", fearful parents and communities, and political agendas. From next year, all schools will be required to publicly disclose information about their fees, resources and results as a condition of billions of dollars in federal funding. |
Engaging ParentsCommunities are strengthened by enabling and encouraging the widespread participation of its citizens. People?s sense of belonging and worth grow when they are given plenty of choices and chances to make a difference to the health and vitality of their communities - Volunteering Victoria Schools are no different and the impact of parent participation goes to the health and vitality of their children, the teachers and the school as a community. Yet parents are often busy people, juggling work and family commitments around their children?s schooling impacting on their time available for volunteering. Therefore the following points need to be kept in mind when considering how to engage parents in school. 1. Do parents, prinicpals and teachers know parents matter? In order for parents to be engaged, undesrtanding why it matters and how it impacts on the school, community, staff and children is a good beginning. This impetus usually comes from the principal who through genuine listening and reaching out on a personal level can implement strategic plans arouind parental engagement. To view the benefits of parental involvement in schools and understand why it may be hard to engage parents, click here to download the fact sheet So how can parents be engaged in schools if not through traditional structures such as fundraisiing and uniform shops? Epstein (US) found the following six types of activity:
The above is taken from Rob McChonchie's Issues Paper - Family school partnerships. Click here to download the complete paper
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