What Does it Mean to Have Good School-Parent Communication?

Effective communication between a school and parents is the cornerstone of positive and supportive school culture. Open channels of communication give parents an opportunity to play an active role in their child’s education and feel that their voices are heard on important issues.

But what exactly is positive school-parent communication, and how can school administration check that they are on the right path?

Schools with good school-parent communication have a few key identifying factors. Let’s explore some of these checkpoints below and see how you can further encourage positive communication between the school and parents in your institution.

What Does a School with Good School-Parent Communication Look Like?

Every community has its own needs, interests, and culture, so the way school-parent communication looks can vary from school to school. However, there are a few foundational building blocks that can be used as a starting point. Let’s explore a few of these elements along with their benefits to a positive school environment.

Proactive Over Reactive

A defining goal of effective communication in any arena is to stop problems before they happen. Be proactive in your approach to communication with parents and prioritize early intervention rather than doing damage control after something has already happened.

Of course, no one can predict the future. There will always be incidents among students that require contacting parents after the fact, but having good school-parent communication will minimize these events. Identify potential issues and bring parents into the conversation during the early stages. For example, if you are seeing increasing numbers of students being distracted by their phones in class, reach out to parents and ask them to review the cell phone policy at home with their child. Remind parents that they can call the school directly if they must contact their child in an emergency. This can prevent the need for disciplinary action or having to make the school’s cell phone policy more strict.

Being proactive rather than reactive has many benefits. It leads to improved parental understanding and decreases the risk of small problems turning into big problems. When schools proactively share information with parents, it further drives the point home that schools and parents are a team working together in the best interest of the students.

Parents are Kept Up-to-Date

Keeping parents up to date with school news, announcements, and their child’s school life is practicing good school-parent communication. Encourage and maintain regular interaction between the school and families so that it becomes a routine part of the school culture. This can be as simple as teachers having brief check-ins with parents at pick-up, or an organized effort like regular bulletins and newsletters that are sent home to parents.

Among the many benefits of keeping parents up to date is that they stay informed on a regular basis and feel confident in the administration’s willingness to be transparent. Parents can trust that they won’t miss important events and can have discussions with their child about what’s going on at the school. This is also a reliable way to convey information to parents who work during the school day or may be difficult to reach. Parents can count on receiving their newsletter on a particular day and catch up at a time that is convenient for them, rather than having to shift their work schedule for a meeting.

Parents are Involved

Parent involvement is a key characteristic of schools with good school-parent communication. Parents who play an active role in their child’s education, attend school events, and keep in touch with teachers and staff contribute to a positive school environment. Sometimes the most effective way for parents to learn what is happening at their child’s school is by seeing it firsthand.

Parental involvement doesn’t just benefit parents. Research shows that children whose families are engaged in their education earn higher grades, develop self-confidence, and have better social skills. Fostering a sense of community and building relationships between families and staff help to create a positive environment for all.

To boost parent involvement at your school, talk to your administration about creating more opportunities for parents to volunteer during school day activities. Consider hosting monthly events after school so that parents who work during the day have the chance to participate and connect with other parents.

Two-Way Communication

For communication to have the greatest impact, it must work both ways. Schools that provide opportunities for two-way communication between parents and staff have good school-parent communication. These can include parent-teacher conferences, check-in phone calls, email exchanges, chats, or any other method of communication that fits the needs of those involved.

Remember that it is not enough to purely collect the information that parents send to the school. Parents must be confident that any questions or concerns they bring to the school will be heard and addressed. Show that you take open communication seriously and back up your conversations with action.

Open communication between parents and schools greatly benefits students. Collaboration between parents and teachers provides valuable insight on a child’s learning needs and can positively impact student motivation, behavior, and attendance. When parents and schools align on expectations, students receive consistent messages about academic achievement and classroom behavior.

Positive Partnerships

Schools with positive school-parent communication develop a sense of community and caring relationships in which everyone feels supported. Teachers are welcoming, encouraging, and actively listen to the concerns of parents. Parents trust that schools have the best interest of their child in mind, and view their child’s education as a collaborative effort. Reinforce the idea that success comes from a team effort, and everyone’s voice matters.

Get your administration and faculty involved in a group effort to establish a culture of good student-parent communication. Now you’re well on your way to a positive school environment that benefits the school, parents, and students!