Parent Communication as an Administrator
“Great communication begins with connection.” - Oprah
Communication with families is always a priority for administrators. As school leaders, it is our job to set the example for teachers as well as the community. We are all in this to support our students the best we can, and being on the same team helps infinitely! Below are five tips for maximizing communication and building relationships with families.
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Tip 1: Be Visible
Parents want to see administrators, and being present and visible on a daily basis can promote open communication and relationships. Make sure you are outside at car ride duty, visible at conference days and school events, and have a social media presence where parents can follow you, the school, and ultimately their student.
Tip 2: Celebrate Positives
Administrators are used to communicating with parents for discipline, attendance and academic issues, but it is harder to find time for positive communication. Contacting parents for the positives can be one of the most meaningful and beneficial ways to strengthen parent relationships. Set up a system for teachers to share student celebrations with you. You can then acknowledge these on the announcements, on a bulletin board, through social media, classroom visits, or even a note/award back to the student. When you acknowledge a student, make a habit of calling the parent. Making these positive calls builds trust and rapport.
Tip 3: Have an open door
Administrators should promote an open door policy with families. When parents feel comfortable and welcome coming into school to talk to principals about concerns, ideas or celebrations it builds strong relationships and trust. For families who don’t need or want to be in the building, share your email address and encourage parents to reach out to you that way. Keeping an open door and an open ear is a wonderful way to promote healthy parent communication!
Tip 4: Involve Parents
There are so many ways that parents can be involved and help and support the school. COVID guidelines have made in-person visits and volunteer opportunities more difficult at some schools, but there are many other ways to get parents involved. Have parents sign up for time to ‘visit’ classrooms virtually and read to a class or share exciting facts about their job. Make sure teachers have a platform available for parents to see pictures of students' work and activities. Know your families and what business, partnerships or resources they may be able to get your school involved with. Hold events outside or virtually for families to see you, your staff and your students. Parents will appreciate any effort to get them involved in their student’s school!
Tip 5: Get Parent Input
Give parents a voice! Getting parent input will not only make them feel ‘heard’, but could also give administrators new ideas and perspectives. When you make phone calls to parents for any reason, take time to ask for their advice, ideas or concerns. Sending a schoolwide survey to parents at the beginning and end of the school year is a great way to get a feel for what is going well and to determine what support families need or would like to see in the future. Create a parent council or committee to represent the families in your school and meet with them quarterly. You will be surprised how much you can gain from their input!
