ABSTRACT
The establishment of a mission statement for the district or, barring that, for the school is the critical first step. Likewise, if a mission statement is in the school plan, a certain amount of accountability is required. Schools need homework hot lines because parents work every shift of the day and need help at varying times of the days. And schools need to restructure family involvement activities around the issues. Communication between school and family also includes the report card. Parent workshops are a crucial part of the family-school partnership. Parents cannot be allowed to sit alone and feel isolated at school events. An anxious parent is unlikely to come back to school because he or she has no sense of belonging. Schools need to tap parents to approach the isolated parents. One person in the school office can be designated to invest 30 minutes of time with the new family to discuss the school's system of family involvement.
