Welcome to Term 3 Newsletter 2019

As mentioned in our last newsletter, Catholic School Parents WA are delighted to be launching our inaugural 'Parent Engagement in Learning Week' in conjunction with Book Week between August 19th-23rd. 

As parents, we all have a general understanding of what being 'involved' means when it comes to our children's schooling. Volunteering in the canteen, attending P&F meetings, assisting with reading in the classroom are all great examples of involvement. Being involved in your children's school has many positive benefits for the wellbeing of your child and the broader school community. Schools most certainly could not operate effectively without the positive involvement and support of parents.

Parent engagement in education is about parents and carers, schools and communities working together to ensure that every parent can play a positive role in their child's learning, school community, sport, and social life.

Parents and families play such an important role in supporting their child's education. Research has shown that when schools and families work together, children do better, stay in school longer, are more engaged with their school work, go to school more regularly, behave better, and have enhanced social skills. Parent engagement also results in longer term economic, social and emotional benefits.

When you as a parent are 'engaged' in your child's learning journey, you make a positive difference to their:

• readiness to begin school
• learning outcomes and academic results
• motivation to do their best and their
• social and relationship skills

Engagement in your child's education will work best when you feel like you are a partner rather than a consumer. Some important ways in which you can help to engage in your child's learning are through:

• forming good relationships with the teachers and staff at your child's school and promoting a positive view of both teacher and school with your child
• helping your child to understand the benefit of working together with them and the school from the early grades right through to Year 12
• supporting your child at home and encouraging them to share what they are doing at school
• encouraging the school to share what your child is doing so you can talk to them at home about what they are learning.

During 'Parent Engagement in Learning Week' we will be sharing through our website and social media pages, ideas and ways in which you can engage in your child's learning.

To start the ball rolling we have identified two themes for this year:

Reading

Reading and telling stories is something that all parents can do - whether it is reading stories every night before bed, telling stories while your children are in the bath or even helping to read the recipe book while preparing dinner. Children also love to hear stories about the 'olden day's' ie when you were young! With older children, it can be about encouraging them to read for personal pleasure rather than schoolwork. Whilst we know that reading articles, blogs and other things online is also a great way to go, especially to keep disinterested readers interested, it is also important to read novels and books that stretch our thinking and vocabulary. Imagine a generation growing up without having read 'Catcher in the Rye', 'Of Mice and Men' or 'The Diary of Anne Frank'. 

By combining 'Parent Engagement in Learning Week' with 'Book Week' it will provide for parents and schools authentic opportunities to think about the importance of reading and literacy and how this actually contributes to all learning. We would encourage parents and schools to organise small activities to encourage reading whether they be in the school or activities that can be done at home. Whatever you choose to do, we would love to hear about it and to share the good ideas amongst our wider parent communities. P&Fs and Parent Groups could be the ideal people to promote this in your school communities.

School Attendance

Parents and families are essential partners in promoting good attendance because they, ultimately, have the responsibility for making sure their children get to school on time and every day. When children are young they are especially dependent on adults or older siblings to help them get to school. Just as parents should focus on how their children are performing academically, they have a responsibility to set expectations for good attendance and to keep track of that attendance, so that missed days don't add up to academic trouble! (Attendance works)

To understand why attendance is so important and to get some good ideas around ensuring your children are happy to go to school every day, keep an eye out for the information we will share on our website and social media pages during 'Parent Engagement in Learning Week.'