Back to School…..A Time to Get People Involved

School Administrator, Sept, 1996 by Donald R. Thompson

As summer draws to a close each year, an exciting ritual takes place. You're right! Our kids go back to school.

This annual rite, which happens across America and throughout much of the world, symbolizes that we have not lost hope in our children's future.

This year, as a member of a steering committee for "America Goes Back To School: Get Involved," a special campaign, launched by the U.S. Department of Education to make education the No. 1 priority for our nation, certain facts about our responsibilities and opportunities were brought home to me. Our committee is co-chaired by Secretary of Education Richard Riley; Tipper Gore, wife of the vice president and a longtime child advocate; star athlete, business person, and actor Bo Jackson; National PTA President Joan Dykstra; and former U.S. Under Secretary of Education Ted Sanders, president of Southern Illinois University.

The national campaign has focused on making schools safe and disciplined, encouraging parent and family involvement, helping America become a reading society, reaching new levels of excellence, making computers more widely available, preparing young people for careers, and making college more accessible.

In each school and school system, these national focus points should stimulate our thinking about what we can do, in our communities, to maintain education as the shining light of our democracy.

Back-to-school activities should not be confined to the beginning of each school year. Many of these activities should take place year round. However, during the first few months of the school year, we have a golden opportunity to build and renew our relationships with the people in our communities whose support, understanding, and ideas will help us become even more effective in educating students.

Here is just one suggestion. Sit down with your leadership team and ask them to gather with their faculties and office staffs to discuss how we might better engage the business community in our schools. Since parents are such an integral part of the education team, you might want to involve them as well in these discussions.

First, we need to keep business people informed about our schools. Second, we need to get them into the schools and visit with us about the challenges we face.

Identify successful business people in your community. On the first day of the new school year, ask them to come to the schools they attended as children, or to the neighborhood school in their area. What a great role model for students and what a magnificent experience for the children! While there, they might enjoy the exhilarating experience of reading to groups of early elementary students. They might also serve as counsel to a class as a means of letting students know how what they are learning in school today will benefit them tomorrow. I'd also suggest that you ask business leaders to meet with you and your administrative team.

In suggesting these involvement efforts, I am not proposing that we exclude others. My primary purpose is to get us thinking about the possibilities, to get the ball rolling. Of course, I'm aware that many of you have sophisticated and effective approaches to working your many publics, and I applaud you for them.

The journey to understanding and support starts with effective communication. Communication is always more effective when it is reinforced by personal experiences.

Very best wishes for the best school year ever!