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ing Developing Parent Advocates

A Packaged Presentation for a PTA/PTO Meeting

Deb KachelMansfield University Instructor and Scholarship Director, School Library & Information Technologies Graduate SchoolPSLA Legislative Committee Co-Chair

Shannon ReshSouth Western School District Librarian, Park Hills Elementary SchoolPSLA Curriculum Committee Co-ChairHanover Street Elementary School PTO Mom and Officer (Co-Vice President)

PSLA Conference April 14, 2012

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PTA Parent Teacher AssociationPTO Parent Teacher OrganizationHSA Home and School AssociationPCC Parent Communication CouncilPALS Parents Are Life SaversSWEPT South Western Elementary Parents & TeachersPHSC Philadelphia Home and School CouncilPAWS Parents Active With Southside

The Alphabet Soup of Parent Groups

Elmwood CIA Community In Action Watch DOGS Dads Of Great Students

…and some have their own websites!

Refer to handout “PTO vs. PTA”

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Finding them:• Consult principal or guidance counselor• Check the district’s website• Look for the parent group’s website

Learning about Your School’s Parent Group

Use the sample letter to customize an email or letter of introduction.

Learning about the organization:• Who are the officers?• When and how often they meet?• Their projects, fundraisers, or interests?

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Why is it so important to work with parents?

Parents have influence with decision makers!

Three Moms from Spokane, Washington, demonstrated their power. Their grassroots efforts http://www.fundourfuturewashington.org lobbied for four million dollars in a new line item for school libraries.

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Five minutes of parent advocacy for school libraries can have more effect than five years of what might appear as self-serving advocacy. (Keith Curry Lance, Researcher)

When families feel welcome in schools and participate actively in children’s education, children’s attendance, interest, motivation, general achievement, and reading achievement improve. (Padak & Rasinski, 2003)

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Is your school library parent friendly?

Free newsletter for parents designed for school libraries

www.theschoollibrarylink.comavailable the first of every month

Refer to the “Parent’s Guide to the

______School Library” and “Ideas for

Parent-Librarian Collaborations”

Parent newslettersList of passwords to use databases and directions/helpful hintsParent webpage with linksSpecial programs Encourage participation

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Look at school library web pages and copy ideas

Can’t work with your school’s website? Create your own in wikispaces , edublogs, or other free web tools.

Refer to the handout “Developing a School Library Webpage for

Parents”

Parent Webpages and Links

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ing Implementing a PSLA Parent

ProgramResearchWho are they? What do they care about?

Connect Introduce them to you and your library.

Refer to the handout “Implementing a PSLA Parent Program” and “Resources

for the PSLA Parent Program”

Prepare

WOW ‘em! (Yes, you can!)

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ing INCENTIVE! INCENTIVE!

INCENTIVE!The first 10 parent programs scheduled will receive a free packet of 25

AASL Parent Advocacy brochures.

Contact Deb Kachel when you have a date set at dkachel@psla.org

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ing Visit the PSLA Website and

Wiki for Parent Advocacy Resources

PSLA Legislation WebPage: “Parent Advocacy” www.psla.org/index.php/legislation/parent-advocacy

Also on the PSLA Conference Wiki at pslaconf.wikispaces.com

PSLA members can request the PowerPoints from dkachel@psla.org