Parents are Key Partners in Educating Our Young People

As a public school system we have been pressed into educating our students, our parents and our community on many societal changes occurring in this fast-paced 21st Century world. From HIV, Internet safety, drugs/alcohol education, nutrition, tolerance and H1N1; the public schoolhouse has become a clearinghouse to educate and disseminate information for all stakeholders.

However, we have also found parents needing and at times lacking to communicate and work with their school district leadership team and teachers to tackle these societal challenges. Frankly, we need parents to step up and help us provide a learning environment to provide important information and reinforce within the home.

Over the past two weeks we have had well advertised drug/alcohol community forum and an Internet Safety forum. In both forums featuring area experts our numbers were in the mid-30s lacking the critical numbers needed to forward the information in making a difference in the schoolhouse and the community. Of late, we have found parents quick to blame but also fail to communicate directly with staff or district leadership when concerns or needed information should be shared. Our staff is here to assist and support as negative behaviors and ignorance do not stop at the schoolhouse doorstep.

In today's world our relationship must be one of trust and shared commitment to our children. Regardless of the school setting the problems of society will be found in our schools unless we partner and communicate our shared mission to care for and honor our young students future. My direct line is 480-664-5010 or e-mail bmyhr@fhusd.org.