Program increases parent involvement at Franklin School

Franklin Elementary School's Parent Liaison program has increased parent involvement in the school by an average of 30 percent in just two years.

Last year, 45 to 50 percent of parents attended the school's various activities. This year, the school has seen 71 to 84 percent involvement at the different events.

Parent liaison April Bryant attributes the greater involvement to the parent points program.

Parents earn between five and 25 points for each event they attend at the school. At the end of the year the points are added up and each parent with 100 points or more is entered into a drawing for donated prizes like gift certificates, a DVD player and a television set.

Bryant said parents should be involved in their child's school without incentives. But the school is willing to do whatever it takes to get parents involved and the incentives seem to make a difference, Bryant said.

The role of the Parent Liaison is to be a resource for parents, Bryant said.

"Everything starts at home," Bryant said.

Parent Darlene Allen agrees with Bryant. Allen's daughter Taylor is in first grade at Franklin this year.

Allen said she sees her involvement as a window into her daughter's secret school life. She takes Taylor to school every day and picks her up in the afternoons so she can say hello to Taylor's teacher and see what Taylor did at school.

"It's really neat to see all the parents that are there to support their kids, but I go because I like to know what's going on in my daughter's life," Allen said.

Bryant said in addition to encouraging parents to attend school events, she also helps the school get in touch with a parent if a child is sick and the parents can't be reached by phone. In that case, Bryant will drive to the parent's home or work to let the parent know to come and pick up the child.

"I'm a small gofer," Bryant said.

Bryant has four children, two of whom are still at Franklin Elementary. Some of her children's friends don't have parents who are involved in school activities.

When the parents don't come to the events, the children don't come to the events, Bryant said.

Franklin principal Rhonda Dunham said the program has been very beneficial.

"It has made tremendous strides in getting our parents more involved in the school, making our teachers more cognizant of the parent involvement and what's going on in the home," Dunham said.

Upcoming events include an open house on Nov. 16, which is worth 10 points; movie night from 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 18 worth five points; and the NASA science bus on Nov. 22 worth five points.

ameyer@semissourian.com 335-6611 extension 127