Parent engagement quarterly newsletter, 2011 March

Inside this issue:

Letter from a Parent 2

Graduation Reminder 2

Ideas for TV

3

Alternatives

Testing Tips

3

Positive Body Image 3

Teachable Moments 4

"Improving student
achievement and shaping brighter
futures."

Parent Engagement Quarterly Newsletter
Volume 1, Issue 3, Spring 2011

"Successfully Engaging Georgia's Parents"

"Warm Welcome from Superintendent Barge "

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
The school year is nearly over and theres no doubt that you have been busy helping your child prepare for their end of the year assessments and graduation. You are to be commended for your dedication and loyalty to helping your children achieve.

I am very passionate about education and family. If we dont teach our children how to use the knowledge they are given, they will struggle to find success. Over the years Ive had the opportunity to work in educational settings in urban, suburban and rural areas. Ive been an English teacher, a principal, curriculum director and have served in many other capacities. Today, I am honored to serve as State School Superintendent and have the ability to make changes that will increase student achievement throughout the state of Georgia for years to come. I believe that

education is a great equalizer and it is every childs ticket to success. I value the input of parents and believe that all children should have the same opportunity to obtain a quality education.
Parents set the tone for the education of their children. There are certain things that parents have to teach their children that the school cannot. The work of a parent is never complete. So, on behalf of Georgia's school systems, I want to thank all of our parents for staying involved.
Sincerely,
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Highlights: Parent Engagement Program

The mission of the Georgia childs education. Parents available at the Department to

Department of Educations were welcomed by local and promote graduation. These

Parent Engagement Program state representatives to

services are listed with a brief

is to increase student

speak with them about their synopsis of what can be

achievement by engaging concerns and they visited obtained by taking advantage

and empowering parents to with many non-profit,

of these resources.

become actively involved in government and educational

their childrens education organizations. This day

Need to get involved

across all grade levels.

promoted "Parent Power." yourself? Not sure what you

can do? Check out our "Get

While your local school and February was Parent

Involved!" brochure that lists

community is the best place Leadership Month. This

15 different ways parents and

to obtain information first, month was designed to

families can get involved in

we are excited to inform

recognize the important role their children's education.

you about the following

parents play in the lives of The brochure is not age

events that recently took

their children and to

specific, so all parents can

place to recognize the

emphasize the need to have utilize this resource.

important role parents play parent leaders. Many in their children's education: schools and communities

Parent Action Day was held celebrated this month by

on January 26, 2011 at the hosting various parenting

State Capitol. A host of

events.

To obtain copies of the brochure or to locate copies of any of the information mentioned above, contact the Parent Engagement Program

parents gathered together on this day to promote parents as leaders and learn about how the legislative process influences their

The Georgia Department
of Education has developed a Comprehensive Services brochure that provides an overview of services that are

at 404-656-2633 or visit our website at:
http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/ tss_title.aspx? PageReq=ParentEngagement

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent March 15, 2011 Page 1 of 4 All Rights Reserved

Georgia Department of Education Parent Engagement Quarterly Newsletter
"Building the Bridge for Parents" by Niecy Frazier, Parent

Page 2

PARENTS, DID YOU KNOW...
You can avoid toddler NO's and turn them into YES by phrasing your directions in a fun tone of voice.
It's that time of the year!
As graduation approaches, it's important to make sure all of your child's post-secondary plans are in place. Be sure to consult with your school guidance counselor and advisors if you need additional help.

Im writing this letter to give feedback about my personal experience, the voices of my large parent network and to show my dedication to every childs learning path. The ultimate goal in this journey is to make sure that all students are prepared to accomplish their schools mission. Once a child knows that school is a priority to their parent, he or she will make school a priority as well and stay positively engaged. Being a huge supporter of parent networking and outreach, my personal objective is to increase parent involvement and build a movement.
Give parents an opportunity to make a pledge to their childs future. Do you recall the "No Phone Zone" pledge that has received national acclaim? It empowers people not to use their cell phones will driving. I believe we should build a similar pledge for parent involvement in Georgia.
We have to ask ourselves, how do we get over 90% parent involvement with an average of 300-500 students per school? Thats possibly one parent, guardian, or grandparent, per student. How can we get parents completely engaged and more involved? What will interest a parent? Why is parent participation so low? How do we build their level of enthusiasm?
With that being said, what additional resources can be provided to parents? We need an initiative to build the momentum. My daughter is in Kindergarten, I have a three year old son that will soon be a part of the Georgia school system and the future of my adoptive children will follow that journey as well. I

have a long term investment with the school system and during that time, my goal is to help educate parents and help them become advocates for their school system by becoming a verbal advocate for their child. I volunteer very frequently at my childs school and I am a member of the PTA. Staying active is important to me and my child loves it. We need more parents across the board to help their schools in order to bridge this gap, come full circle and maintain a positive level of creditability for Georgia. We must make a pledge as parents!
A lot of times you will find that parents wont speak up because they dont have the confidence, and/or they feel their voice will not be heard. Its amazing how the social media networks have captivated people to interact more, but we cant get that type of parent involvement in the schools. Is it that parents dont have time in the evenings or are they not interested in the particular workshops being provided? We have to think outside the box.
Each child in the school system has their own personality trait and our objective as the parent is to help those traits evolve into academic excellence. Through this journey, we can help other parents build great success at home and in the school system. Every

parents goal is to help their child advance academically and thats something we want for all children. Some parents forget that in this journey, they have to do their part in order to be involved.
If a parent is looking to be an involved parent, there are hundreds of questions they should ask themselves. Just to name a few, as parents, we must ask ourselves: Do I know all of my childs teachers by name? Do I know when the next PTA meeting is scheduled? Do I know what
curriculum night is? Do I know what the parents VIP program is about? Do I check my childs assignments daily? Do I communicate with my childs teacher weekly? Do I know when my child is taking the CRCT? Do I read with my child? Do I know what a parent center is? Have I logged into my schools parent portal to check my childs grades? There are millions of questions; it doesn't stop there because the list can go on.
With any school, the objective is to make sure that each child is getting a top quality education. As a parent, I would like to continue to add and build a genuine, successful education for all children and their parents. I know I cant speak for all parents, but the ultimate goal in this journey is to make sure that the students are prepared to accomplish the schools mission and have the parental support needed to guide them through life. I want to ensure that success happens with every parent and every student. I am personally appealing to join hands and build a new initiative for parents to help build a successful future.
Warm regards,
Niecy Frazier

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent March 15, 2011 Page 2 of 4 All Rights Reserved

Georgia Department of Education Parent Engagement Quarterly Newsletter

Page 3

Creating a Positive Body Image in Children and Teens

Children and teens are always looking for role models. Fashion magazines, athletes, movie stars, popular kids at school and even you are influencing the standards they set for their appearance and behavior.
American culture can sometimes send the message that how a person looks is how a person is valued. With this message, many feel their body is the enemy and they must fix it, dress it up, deprive it and try to improve it. In the extreme, these negative attitudes can lead to eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
While it,,s fashionable to blame the media for these self-defeating attitudes, parents often contribute as well. When was the last time you said something positive or negative about your own body? Have you said something negative a lot more recently than you said something positive?
Similarly, when was the last time you said something positive about your sons or daughters body? It doesnt have to be related to appearance. Instead you could say, "Im really impressed that you are

strong enough to carry in those groceries" or, "you seem to be getting better hand-eye coordination when you play basketball." The goal is to appreciate the function of the body over its appearance.
Photo credit April Sorrow/UGA:
Encourage children to have a positive body
image. People tend to think criticizing their bodies will shame them into a dramatic change in eating or exercise habits. While many people could be more fit, rarely does bad-mouthing result in a beauty queen figure or an elite athlete body. In fact, if we feel bad about ourselves, we usually just sit more on the couch and eat larger amounts of comfort food to

escape our unhappy thoughts.
To begin to change your familys body image, start with yourself. Focus on what your body does well, not where it is deficient. Instead of always saying bad things about your
body, make positive statements such as, "my body feels great after taking a walk" or "my skin looks so much better when I get enough sleep." Dont feel uncomfortable doing this. You are not bragging, just stating a fact.
Many people suffer from negative selfcenteredness. In reality, no one pays much attention to anyone else for more than a few seconds. Can you remember what your friend, spouse or children were wearing today? Often, we think people are much more interested in us than they really are.
Dont let body shape prevent you or your family members from participating in fun physical activities because you think you look bad in a swimsuit, sports uniform or exercise outfit. Youll never look better if you sit at home worrying about how you look.
Permission to reproduce: (Connie Crawley , Nutrition and Health Specialist
with University of Georgia Extension.)

Test Taking Tips for Parents!

As we approach the testing season, there are many ways to provide support and acquire additional learning tools for your children so they can do their best. Often children face anxiety and feel a great deal of pressure during this time of the year. Some children are preparing to advance to the next grade level while others are preparing to attend college for the first time.
Parents can help alleviate stress and get their child excited about testing by

employing a few simple strategies.
Here are a few suggestions that can be considered as you seek to prepare your child for testing:
Keep a positive attitude.
Mark down test days on your calendar as a reminder.
Encourage your child to space out study time and homework assignments.
Motivate your child to do well, but do not pressure them.

Make sure your child gets enough sleep the night before and eats breakfast on the day of the test.
Review the test material with your child after they have taken it and go over mistakes theyve made to better prepare them for future tests.
Provide a quite, well lit study space for your child.
Praise your child for their hard work.
Copyright 2003 -2011
TestTakingTips.com.

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent March 15, 2011 Page 3 of 4 All Rights Reserved

PARENTS, DID YOU KNOW...
Body image is closely linked to self-esteem and its been proven that children and teens who have high self-esteem make friends easier, have better control of their behavior and enjoy life more.
TURN OFF THE TELEVISION!
The average person watches
5-6 hours of television per day.
Here are some healthy
alternatives: Read a book or novel Go to the park Cook a new recipe for the family Visit with friends Play a board game with the family Go bike riding or walking on a trail

Program Staff

Remember to block off these important dates!
National Stress Awareness Month
April 2011
Week of the Young Child April 10-16, 2011
National TV Turnoff Week April 19-25, 2011
Public School Volunteer Week
April 19-25, 2011
Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month May 2011
National Physical Education & Sport Week
May 1-7, 2011
National Teacher's Day May 4, 2011

Michelle Tarbutton, Parent Engagement Program Manager
mtarbutton@doe.k12.ga.us 404-232-1148
Lakeita Servance, Parent Engagement Specialist
lservance@doe.k12.ga.us 404-656-2633
Outreach Programs Division 1862 Twin Towers East
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, SE Atlanta, GA 30334

Vision Statement The Parent Engagement Program believes that parents, schools, families, and communities working together can create meaningful partnerships that ultimately lead to significant gains across the board in student achievement.
Calling All Parents! Have an idea to contribute to the newsletter? Send your parent involvement ideas and articles to us through your Parent Involvement Coordinator or e-mail us directly. If your idea or article is published, your name will appear in the newsletter!
Have a Question? AskDOE
404-656-2800 askdoe@doe.k12.ga.us

We're on the Web!
www.gadoe.org/parents.aspx http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/tss_title.aspx?PageReq=ParentEngagement

Children are exposed to teachable moments everyday. Are you taking advantage of those teachable moments with your child?

Capitalizing on Teachable Moments at Home

Did you know that there are many educational resources and tools available in your own home? You can use simple teaching strategies at home or anywhere you go with your children by putting simple techniques and creativity together. Its important that parents practice patience with their children in order to capture these teachable moments.
These are some ideas of what parents can do with their children everyday, during the commute to and from school, and on the weekends:
To increase math skills, allow your child to help you with dinner by measuring some of the ingredients.
Read food labels in the

grocery store and practice cost comparison.
Identify highway signs and traffic light signals (stop, yield, go) and test your child for accuracy.
Plug-in some science and chemistry lessons by teaching your child the importance of sorting clothes before washing them.
Using some unwanted pieces, you can demonstrate what

happens when you dont separate the clothes.
Play games together that promote higher level thinking skills such as chess or checkers.
Practice manners and etiquette during dinner time, when guests comes over, or when answering the telephone.
You can avoid becoming frustrated during these teachable moments by being practical and reasonable in your expectations for your child. Dont expect perfection from your child. Give praise freely and reward positive behavior often. Such practices will help keep children engaged and excited about learning and thus increase their academic achievement.

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent March 15, 2011 Page 4 of 4 All Rights Reserved