Being involved in your child's schooling adds richness to their experience and sends a clear messsage that their education is important to you. Your child will do much better in school if you are actively involved in their education and if you are as informed as possible about the education system.
How to become involved
You can choose how you become involved, based on your own particular interests, availability and skills. Here are some suggestions:
Talk with your child – ask ‘How was school today?’
Regularly read with your child at home
- Check your child’s homework every night and ask them questions about it
- Limit TV viewing on school nights
- Regularly discuss your child’s progress with their teacher
- Visit your child’s classroom
- Volunteer for parent help — you can help in the classroom with activities such as reading
- Volunteer to help out with school activities such as open days, working bees, school fairs, the canteen and excursions
- Read the school newsletter
- Join the school’s parent group
- Go along to a School Association meeting
- If they have one, check your school’s website regularly
- Attend school social occasions
- Become an advocate for education
The best way to keep up with what is happening in your school is through the newsletter. Check with your school to find out how often the newsletter is produced and how it will be sent home. It may be possible to receive it via email – ask your school.
The Engaging Our School Communities Taskforce report [Word 8.7KB] to the Minister for Education identifies strategies to improve school engagement with parents and their communities.
School associations
All government schools in Tasmania have a School Association. The association provides parents, staff, students and other members of the community with a way to be involved in issues important to the school. School Associations help schools in a number of ways, such as organising fundraising, participating in developing school policy, advising on school management and approving the budget.
When your child starts school, you are automatically a member of the School Association.
School Association Committees meet at least four times a year and all parents are welcome to attend. Elections are held each year to appoint committee members. The committee is responsible for managing the work undertaken by the association.
Information about meeting times and association contacts are available from your school.
Parent Groups
Many schools also have groups specifically for parents and carers, such as a parents and friends group (sometimes called the P & F). This is a great way to meet other parents and find out how you can contribute to your school community. A member of the parent group will also usually be on the School Association Committee, so that any issues raised can be brought to the attention of the School Association.
The Tasmanian State School Parents and Friends Inc is the peak body representing all Tasmanian government school parents. It publishes a bimonthly newsletter, Parent Contact, which is available through affiliated schools and from their website.
To find out how you can get in touch with your parent group, ask at your school or contact:
Tasmanian State School Parents and Friends Inc
Ph: (03) 6234 9488
Web: www.parentsandfriendstasmania.asn.au
Canteens
Healthy eating is encouraged in Tasmanian government schools, and many school canteens are part of the Cool Canteens Accreditation Program.
School canteens frequently operate with the help of parent volunteers, and depending on your school, the canteen may be managed by the School Association or parent group.
For more information and advice on running school canteens contact:
Tasmanian School Canteen Association
Web: www.tascanteenassn.org.au/
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