Parental Involvement in CFSD Schools
Parental Involvement in CFSD Schools, www.bart4cfsd.com CFSD Candidates, Bart Pemberton

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Bart Pemberton’s Response to CFSD Students First Idea of Parent Involvement

 

So, they have THEIR impression of what we mean by parental involvement. They simply list a bunch of activities in which parents can get involved or participate. They alluded to some real involvement when they mentioned the school-based listening sessions, but that seems like a brand new initiative with the new superintendent.

Parental involvement or partnering with parents does not mean that parents get to decide the curriculum, the lesson plans, or the instructional materials. Partnering with parents means things like are done in Marana Unified School District (MUSD). MUSD’s Parent Partnership is a venue for the superintendent to meet with a group of parents on a regular basis. They discuss things like ideas to improve achievement, updates on bond spending, gathering their feedback on district events and happenings, and initiatives the district is doing to improve learning. Parents use this venue to ask questions, raise issues, and share thoughts and opinions. Their input is valued and heard.  In October, MUSD will have a board summit.  It will have about 200 parents in the audience and the board will hear from them.  They will then break into small groups and do a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis, among other things.  This is an example of what value-added partnering with parents looks like.

The claim that the CFSD model is the envy of other districts is simply not true, and it is a belief held by myopic insiders. Volunteering at a school is a good thing, but partnering with parents is much more than that, so shame on the three candidates for having such a limited view. This blog post shows that the Students First candidates are trying to frame what they WANT a parent partnership to look like, rather than what it could truly be. Rather than trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, CFSD voters reject this short-sighted “vision,” and they should choose candidates who have actually thought through how a partnership with parents could look, and how it does look, and work, in a neighboring district.

The opposition’s point of view is consistent with a Students First candidate laughing at the idea of “too much” parental involvement:

 

The choice is simple. To promote parental partnership and collaboration in our schools and to support families, elect Bart Pemberton and Jennifer Repscher to the CFSD Governing Board this November! 

For more information about Catalina Foothills School District Candidates and Bart Pemberton, follow his Facebook & Twitter posts. www.Bart4CFSD.com, Jennifer4CFSD.com

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