Involved neighbors

Bob Krumm tells us where the state can find $225 million--like they actually 'need' anymore. Of course, it does require a bit of effort from the grown-ups. Here's number five from the list Bob posts:

5. Family and Community Involvement. This may be the most important element of all. One of the knocks on magnet schools is that it often removes the most involved parents from the neighborhood schools. While that is likely an effect, children of uninvolved parents are less likely to succeed whether or not they are surrounded by peers whose parents are involved. We need more family and community involvement in education. An answer might be to stop forcing kids to attend schools outside their own neighborhoods so that communities can actually develop around their neighborhood schools.

I do believe that a rising tide lifts all boats and so increased involvement by some parents has a good chance of enhancing the lives of other people's children as well.

I also believe that we need to get back to smaller neighborhood schools. Bob's right--our neighborhoods took a hit when parents ended up with children in a couple of schools 'over there' and traveling began eating up whatever time they may have had to volunteer at or monitor the schools.

Comcast Cares

Saturday before breakfast Comcast employees were already hard at work at Isaac Litton Middle School. When I arrived just before 7:30 they were nearly done masking the halls in preparation for painting. There was some speechifying by local politicians (Jim Cooper, Howard "Harold" Gentry and Gracie Porter) as breakfast was being finished. By 8:30 breakfast and politicking were done and everyone was back in the halls painting. It was quickly obvious that good planning had taken place and this team knocked out this job in just a couple of hours to include cleaning up.

It's amazing what something as simple as a fresh coat of paint can, and will do, to lift your spirits. These children and the Litton staff are an improving school in the Metro Nashville Public Schools system. I'm so thankful that Comcast choose to further encourage their efforts by investing in this facility, my neighborhood and more importantly the world these children spend so much of their lives in.

Back in the days when we had neighborhood schools it was easier to rally volunteer effort and pull together to get things done. Now days, however, if we have children they're likely in several schools--some clear across town and many of us have jobs that are not close to any of them. If we don't have children in the system we are sometimes seen as traitors and not very welcome. But they're still public schools. We're still going to live in the world these children will impact. My suggestion is that we pro-actively impact them and their educational world first. We can't all command the volunteer effort that Comcast can but we can weed, or chaperone, or donate a book or two. We can adopt a teacher, a class, a club, watch the school board meetings and make our voices heard. We cannot leave these children and the schools to the professionals and then just complain when it's not done the way it needs to be. We can hold those professionals accountable. These are still public schools and they desperately need public interaction. As the Comcast folks clearly demonstrated Saturday--many hands make light work. See if there is anything your hands can do.

They need you

Virtual Mom, Julie Hunt, reminds us that taking time to get involved in your child's education is vitally important. I was glad to provide a couple of quotes and encourage the effort.

Why bother? The payoff is two-fold: You will feel good about investing your time, talent or money, and the kids will feel good to have you involved in the school. "Staying connected to other parents to encourage one another, staying abreast of what's going on in the schools and what policies are being created that affects their children's education, and knowing how to impact the system for their child's benefit are just a few ways parents can be better advocates for their children," Brooks says.

I know most of us already have a lot to do but investing in your children pays enormous dividends for you and them. At the recent Litton Middle School open house I was at the PTA table encouraging parents to participate and heard several say they didn't have time. I nodded understanding and told them that the commitment portions were smaller than they used to be and 'many hands make light work'. l encouraged them to talk with the school and the other parents. Let them know what your skills and talents are and what time you do have available. Some help is better than none.

As a friend wiser than me often quotes: "This job is too important to be left to the professionals." They're your children and they need you.