As a parent/guardian, you are the most important influence in your child’s life. When it comes to formal education, you play a key role in your student’s success. Through positive perceptions and direct support, you validate the importance of education. In turn, your child interprets and adopts this value. When you get involved in your child’s education, everyone wins. Your child benefits as you build important relationships with the people and resources in your community. Most significantly, you inspire your child to learn and build the confidence and self-esteem that he or she needs to be successful.

Helping your child reach his or her full potential at school begins by being actively involved in your child’s learning – at home, in the school and in the community. By being involved, you encourage good learning habits and support your child in making choices about his or her future.

Learning starts in the home. As a parent, you are the most important influence in your child’s life and when it comes to formal education, you play a key role in student success. One of the best ways to ensure students ’ success at school is to READ, in any language and at any age to your child. You can also help by talking to your child about his or her day, helping to create homework routines and by ensuring that your child is prepared for school each day. Being well rested, properly dressed and having nutritious food allows your student to be ready for a busy day. Getting involved can be challenging and difficult. Work and family responsibilities often conflict with school hours. Language, transportation, cultural and financial issues can also be barriers , but by communicating with your school’s principal and your child’s teacher, every parent can find a level of involvement that will work!

The Ministry of Education recognizes the vital role that parents play in their child’s education and in the success of schools. In the Upper Grand District School Board, a Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) has been formed in order to support, encourage and enhance meaningful parental involvement in schools and across the Board. This includes outreach to parents who find involvement more challenging due to language, recent immigration, financial challenges, newness to the system and other factors. Chaired by a parent, PIC is made up of parents, trustees and Board staff who work together to facilitate ways of involving parents more fully. Parent representation from the various geographic areas of the UGDSB and from both the elementary and secondary panels reflect the diversity of schools.