The purpose of the Florida Parent Checklist is to support parent’s involvement in their child’s educational progress by identifying actions and linking to resources that:
- Strengthen the child’s academic progress, especially in the area of reading;
- Strengthen the child’s citizenship, especially social skills and respect for others;
- Strengthen the child’s realization of high expectations and setting lifelong learning goals; and
- Emphasize communication between the school and the home.
ACADEMIC
- Support reading with age appropriate home activities.
- Ensure that your child has a consistent time and place to do homework.
- Ensure that your child has access to materials needed to complete assignments.
- Discuss school work regularly with your child.
- Attend workshops on helping your child at home.
- Visit the local library and encourage your child to check out books of interest.
- Read to/with your child on a daily basis.
- Set an example by reading in your home and discussing what you’ve read with your child.
- Ask your child to explain his/her math homework.
- Emphasize the importance of education and doing one’s best in school.
RESOURCES:
- Just Take 20 – Click here
- Just Read, Families! – Click here
- FloridaShines.org – Click here
- Florida Standards Family and Student Resources – Click here
- Floridastudents.org – Click here
- AskALibrarian.org – Click here
- Exceptional Student Education- Parent Involvement – Click here Forparents.florida-ese.org
- Special Education Toolkit – Click here
CITIZENSHIP
- Teach and reinforce positive behaviors such as respect for self and others, hard work and responsibility.
- Ensure that your child has a regular routine.
- Encourage your child to accept responsibility for his/her actions.
- Ensure that your child is in attendance and on time to school each day.
- Monitor and promote your child’s participation in extracurricular and after-school activities.
- Monitor your child’s television viewing.
- Reinforce the school’s behavioral expectations.
RESOURCES:
Positive Behavior Support Home Matrix – Click here
Positive Solutions for Families Brochure – Click here
Helping Your Child Become a Responsible Citizen – Click here
Bullying Prevention – Click here
Engaging Youth in Service – Click here
SETTING GOALS
- Express the belief in your child’s ability to be successful.
- Encourage your child to set short- and long term- educational goals.
- Celebrate academic accomplishments.
RESOURCES:
- MyCareerShines Kuder Navigator® – Click here
- Help Kids Start to Think About Careers – Click here
- Financing Future Education Goals – Click here
SCHOOL TO HOME COMMUNICATION
- Communicate regularly with your child’s teacher(s) in person, by telephone, through email or writing.
- Prepare for and attend parent-teacher conferences and/or other individualized student meetings, such as
- Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) or Academic Improvement Plan meetings.
- Attend open houses, science fairs, plays and musical performances, field trips, sporting events,
- curriculum nights and other school activities.
- Volunteer in the school setting when possible.
RESOURCES:
Tips for Communicating With Teachers Effectively – Click here
Parent-Teacher Conference Tip Sheets – Click here
The Parent-Teacher Conference – Click here
