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"The term parent includes in addition to a natural, a legal guardian or other person standing in such as a grandparent , stepparent with whom the child lives, or a person who is legally responsible for the child's welfare" source - No Child Left Behind

Hello and Welcome to Lois Allen Elementary. My name is Dena Bodecker and I have been an involved parent at Lois Allen for 10 years. I accepted the position of Parent Involvement Facilitator at our school because I believe that we as parents have the power to help our children succeed in school no matter what their future endeavors may be but it all starts with their education.

Seeing is believing, they say. Understanding and appreciating what happens at your child's school takes effort and sounds easy, and it is, if you know what to do. As your PIF, I'm here to help make the transition from just signing reading logs to becoming an active parent easier. The first and most important part of involvement is understanding that your job as a parent is to help your child succeed and to be prepared for the real world.

Beginning your involvement when your child or children are in elementary school helps your children understand that their education is important to you. It becomes important to them and they will take pride in what they are learning and will do better in school. This also opens the door for great communication and good study habits. It gives them a clearer understanding of what you will expect from them when they reach middle and high school. I am in our school everyday. Please feel free to stop by and see me or give me a call so we can start you on your way to making a difference. I have listed below some great points and some things I wish I would have known when I started my journey to making a difference for my children and our school's community.

• Start with knowing the school. Take a walk around, read the bulletin boards and familiarize yourself with your school's environment. Make it a point to stop by your classroom(s) and introduce yourself and offer to help in anyway possible.

One thing that I have learned being an involved parent is teachers don't or won't ask for help, instead they will do it all and will stay at the school until midnight and use their personal weekends to do things like make copies, staple, or cut papers. Keep in mind that these types of tasks are great, but sitting and listening to a child read can make an incredible impact.

• Communicate, communicate, and communicate a little more. Read all communication from your child's teacher and school, if you feel you’re out of the loop or your student is having problems getting the material home, contact your teacher so other arrangements can be made. Communication has to be two way and meaningful.

Communicating with your child's teacher and keeping him/her informed of home issues (death, illnesses, divorce etc...) because these may affect your child's performance or attitude at school. Making visits to the school / class are welcomed and encouraged. Use these visits to create a bond with your child's teacher and set an example for your child and let them see that his /her teacher and you are working together for them.

• Be a "Do-er" and attend as many activities, plays, open houses, carnivals, BINGO nights, math/reading nights, and others as much as possible.

Attending scheduled conferences or just calling and scheduling a conference in the middle of the year, so you can track your child's progress is just another way of being involved and supportive.

• Homework - Make sure your child is doing his/her homework daily. It is always a good idea to keep a place at home where homework is always done. Supply their work station with pencils, paper, or anything that might be needed for your child's grade level. Ask to see assignments before they are turned back into the teacher.

Things to look for: neatness, accuracy, spelling and grammar. Remember that it's been a long time since you and I have been in school, so don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask the teacher about that "new math" or the reading program our school offers.

I could go on and on about the importance of our involvement because I have first hand experience and have seen the impact that we have on our students as parents. Remember that by creating an alliance with our school community, you will be sending positive messages to your child that you care what goes on in his or her daily life and are concerned about his or her future and well being. Again if there is ANYTHING I can do to help you become more involved or comfortable in our school, please call me, email at , or just stop by. Remember I am a parent at Lois Allen too and I will find you any parenting resources, educational web site, or support material that you may need!

Here's to a great year!