Shaping our schools also depends on parent involvement. We have found there is a large community of parents who are truly engaged in education. They have high standards for their children and believe in setting challenges for them. We have strong families in this community. They support one another and work towards doing what is best for all children. These are the families that are standing up and being counted. They understand, from their own experiences, the benefits of a stable well-educated community and they want this for all the children of Rapid City.
Strong parent involvement encourages learning and sets expectations. Parents are vested in their child’s achievement and future. This means they are invested in how their children are being taught and are volunteering more often. This helps morale and takes some burden off the classroom teacher. Communication is better and a mutual respect develops. It is proven that schools with high parent involvement outperform those without it. However, they must have access to financial resources, they very thing we do not have. The opt-out will cause a ripple effect throughout the community. Again, it is thrilling to think of a school system where parents are there to support the classroom teacher through volunteering, having a clear understanding of the curriculum, or simply making sure their child is ready to do their best. Sending a prepared child to school can make all the difference in their achievement and the teachers’ ability to be effective.