Author: Aghunney

In This Issue:
Factors that Influence Family Involvement
Strategies for Involving Families
Quote of the Month

Mental Health Update

Family Involvement

Factors that Influence Family Involvement

Families play a key role in improving academic, emotional and social outcomes of students. For this reason, family involvement is a widely studied domain in school mental health. A survey of urban school leaders conducted by the Council of Great City Schools identified family involvement as one of the top ten pressing needs of urban schools (Lewis, Baker & Jepson, 2002). This article will discuss factors that can influence family involvement (Carlise, Stanley, & Kemple, 2005).
Family Related Factors
Culture
The vast diversity of the students that can be seen in schools nowadays is not always reflected in the teachers and school staff present in schools. This difference in culture may impact family involvement. Families may feel like their culture is not understood by school staff. They may also be unaware of the amount of family involvement that is deemed appropriate. Language barriers can also hinder the level of family involvement.
Prior Educational Experience
Family members who have had a positive educational experience tend to have more positive attitudes towards school and are more willing to participate in their children's learning experience. Previous experiences in school and level of education also play a role in how engaged families are in their children's education. If families feel they cannot make a difference in their children’s education or have difficulty helping them with schoolwork, they are less likely to be involved.
Family Structures
Family involvement tends to differ depending on family structure. Families with both parents present at home tend to be the most involved. In families in which someone other than the biological parent is the primary caregiver (such as grandparents, foster parents, etc), roles may be unclear, which may in turn limit involvement.
Work Schedules
Many caregivers who work full-time or have multiple jobs find it difficult to be involved in their children’s education due to a lack of time and not being able to miss work because of the financial problems this might pose. Studies have shown that some caregivers express frustration at their inability to be more active in their children’s education due to work constraints.
Social Networks
Families’ social networks outside of their individual family also impact their level of involvement. Large social networks provide families with a larger amount of available resources and support. Members of this network are able to give families advice and information which may increase engagement in their children’s education.
School Related Factors
Teachers’ Attitudes
Families are usually more actively involved when teachers and other school staff appear to have a positive attitude toward their involvement. School personnel should keep in mind that families can contribute greatly to children’s success and should welcome the families’ opinions.
School and Teacher Expectations
All the family related factors described previously can also be applied to teachers and school staff and impact their expectation of family members. For example, a teacher whose parents helped them with their homework at home every day might expect the same from the parents of the students they teach. Also, school staff sharing their opinions about particular families and students can impact their expectations.
Discrepancies in Families’ and Schools’ Perceptions
At times, there is a breakdown in communication between schools and families. Schools may feel they have given families the opportunity to participate in their children’s education while families feel they do not have enough support or information to do so.

Strategies for Involving Families
Listed below are some strategies which may be helpful in involving families:
Reflect on any biases you might have with regards to your attitudes and perceptions of families.
Talk to families to understand their perspectives and share things you have in common with families.
Make an effort to ensure that families feel comfortable.
Encourage two-way communication
Make efforts at having face-to-face conversations. If this is not possible, use phone calls, email, or notes as a way to keep the lines of communication open.
Emphasize the importance of family involvement from the very beginning and encourage families to share their ideas on how to best facilitate this.
Welcome families to visit the school and participate in activities
Find out how parents would like to be involved and match their interests with the school’s needs
Invite families members to share their expertise, be it a presentation on a certain topic or making cookies for a school fundraiser.
Keep families informed of fun school-wide activities.
Make an effort to make all family members welcome, especially male caregivers. It is often assumed the male caregivers are not as interested or do not have the time to be involved.

Quote of the Month
The family is one of nature's masterpieces.
- George Santayana

References
Carlise, E., Stanley, L., & Kemple, K.M. (2005). Opening doors: understanding school and family influences on family involvement. Early Childhood Education Journal, 33(3), 155-162.
Additional Reference
Lewis, S., Baker, N. D., & Jepson, J. C. (2000). Critical trends in urban education: Fourth biennial survey of America’s Great City schools. Washington, DC: Council of the Great City Schools.

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One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse content from other marketing materials, such as press releases, market studies, and reports.
While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product or service, the key to a successful newsletter is making it useful to your readers.
A great way to add useful content to your newsletter is to develop and write your own articles, or include a calendar of upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product.
You can also research articles or find “filler” articles by accessing the World Wide Web. You can write about a variety of topics but try to keep your articles short.
Much of the content you put in your newsletter can also be used for your Web site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web publication. So, when you’re finished writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it.

This story can fit 75-125 words.
Selecting pictures or graphics is an important part of adding content to your newsletter.
Think about your article and ask yourself if the picture supports or enhances the message you’re trying to convey. Avoid selecting images that appear to be out of context.
Microsoft Publisher includes thousands of clip art images from which you can choose and import into your newsletter. There are also several tools you can use to draw shapes and symbols.
Once you have chosen an image, place it close to the article. Be sure to place the caption of the image near the image.

This story can fit 100-150 words.
The subject matter that appears in newsletters is virtually endless. You can include stories that focus on current technologies or innovations in your field.
You may also want to note business or economic trends, or make predictions for your customers or clients.
If the newsletter is distributed internally, you might comment upon new procedures or improvements to the business. Sales figures or earnings will show how your business is growing.
Some newsletters include a column that is updated every issue, for instance, an advice column, a book review, a letter from the president, or an editorial. You can also profile new employees or top customers or vendors.

Family Engagement

This story can fit 150-200 words.
One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse content from other marketing materials, such as press releases, market studies, and reports.
While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product or service, the key to a successful newsletter is making it useful to your readers.
A great way to add useful content to your newsletter is to develop and write your own articles, or include a calendar of upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product.
You can also research articles or find “filler” articles by accessing the World Wide Web. You can write about a variety of topics but try to keep your articles short.
Much of the content you put in your newsletter can also be used for your Web site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web publication. So, when you’re finished writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it.

This story can fit 75-125 words.
Selecting pictures or graphics is an important part of adding content to your newsletter.
Think about your article and ask yourself if the picture supports or enhances the message you’re trying to convey. Avoid selecting images that appear to be out of context.
Microsoft Publisher includes thousands of clip art images from which you can choose and import into your newsletter. There are also several tools you can use to draw shapes and symbols.
Once you have chosen an image, place it close to the article. Be sure to place the caption of the image near the image.

This story can fit 100-150 words.
The subject matter that appears in newsletters is virtually endless. You can include stories that focus on current technologies or innovations in your field.
You may also want to note business or economic trends, or make predictions for your customers or clients.
If the newsletter is distributed internally, you might comment upon new procedures or improvements to the business. Sales figures or earnings will show how your business is growing.
Some newsletters include a column that is updated every issue, for instance, an advice column, a book review, a letter from the president, or an editorial. You can also profile new employees or top customers or vendors.

Volume 2, Issue e