Parents As Partners
Happy New Year!
My hope is that everyone is off to a great start this school year. Last month, we held our second annual Superhero Superintendent Fun Run. This 5K and 1K is one of my favorite opportunities to invite our community, students, staff, families, and anyone who simply wants to get outdoors, move their bodies, and celebrate life together as a community. As a superintendent, I believe in modeling the behaviors I expect to see from our staff and students. As I continue on my own health and fitness journey, I love to run and now swim and bike. LOL! Love is a strong word. Ha! Ha!
But this year, the Fun Run became much more than a race for me. As I was finishing the last half-mile, one of our parents saw me running (or maybe struggling would be the better word). He said, “You can do it, Dr. Spicer!” In my mind, I knew I could. My body, however, was not saying the same thing! Then something special happened. He got on the track and ran beside me until I made it to the finish line. He pushed me. He encouraged me. And he reminded me that sometimes we just need someone to come alongside us and help us finish strong.
That moment has stayed with me. I share this story because sometimes in education, especially since COVID, I think we have forgotten one very important thing: our parents are our partners. Every day, our parents give us one of the greatest gifts they have…their children. They trust us to serve, educate, support, encourage, and care for them. They want their children to be successful, but they also want us to be successful because they know the work we do matters. They know we are here to serve their children and help prepare them for what comes next. We truly have some of the best parents in the whole wide world!
I think sometimes we forget that parenting can look different for every family. We have grandparents who have stepped into the role of parent and are giving everything they have to support their grandchildren. We have parents who work multiple jobs to provide for their families. Their partnership may look like working hard every day and making sure their children get to school. We have parents who show up at our schools, volunteer, serve on PTA or PTO, attend events, cheer from the sidelines, ask questions, or simply make sure their child knows, “I’m here for you.”
Parent partnership has so many different faces. Our challenge as educators is to recognize those differences and find meaningful ways to engage our parents in our schools, classrooms, and communities. Partnership will not look the same for everyone, and that’s okay. What matters is that we create opportunities for every parent and family to be a part of their child’s educational journey. Because just like that parent who jumped on the track and ran beside me, sometimes partnership means simply coming alongside one another. Sometimes it means encouraging someone when they are tired. Sometimes it means pushing someone when they need an extra boost. And sometimes it simply means reminding someone, “You can do it!”
As we move through the remainder of the school year, I challenge each of us to think about how we can strengthen our partnerships with parents and families. Let’s look for ways to build relationships, create connections, and make sure every family knows they have a place in our schools. It does not always look the same for everyone, but everyone can be a partner. Always remember: It truly does take the entire village to raise, support, encourage, and prepare the next generation.
It is an honor that we get to do this work, and an even greater honor that we get to do it alongside the parents and families who continue to believe in and support the work we lead every day. Let’s continue to run this race together. And when someone gets tired, let’s get on the track beside them and help them finish strong!
#ParentsAsPartners
#BetterTogether
#InspireExcellence
