This past year marked a courageous step by the leadership of our school board to adopt a resolution of excellence and accountability. A significant piece of this is the student and family responsibility component. District 742 expects that individual students and their families will meet their responsibility to assure that their child is prepared for school.
The mission of District 742 is to prepare all learners, in partnership with their families and the community, to live and contribute within a changing and diverse world. With this as our mission, the St. Cloud Area School District will be engaging families of the district in an agreement to play a significant role in determining the success of their child’s education when we begin the 2009-2010 school year. After all, the parent is the first and most important teacher in the life of a child.
The intention of a contract is to set expectations for the parent knowing the parent plays a major role in their child’s educational success from the home. We want parents who will assist their child be successful academically, socially and emotionally while in our schools. Parents are expected to make sure their child is prepared to attend school every day, on-time, well-rested, nourished and properly dressed. Information is often sent home about the school, the school day, upcoming events or often simple expectations set by the teacher or school. Parents need to read and respond when asked to all letters, requests, notices, and permission slips received from school. With the communication technology of today’s 21st century educational experience, parents must find access to on-line reports from the school, and when this becomes impossible for the parent, it is their responsibility to access the information by contacting the school. Even so, access can be done right at the child’s school, a public library, the workplace and so many other locations. Success also occurs for the child when the parent reminds and expects their child to follow the rules of the school and respect all adults and other children. It is also important that parents assist their child to complete every assignment in a thorough and thoughtful manner, and when this is not possible, to arrange time for their child to work with another adult to oversee that homework is completed. We want our parents to talk to their children about being accountable to participate in every classroom, individual and group activity as requested. Finally, it is imperative that parents attend all scheduled parent teacher conferences.
When parents don’t have the resources to help their child succeed to the expectations of the school or their own expectation, we want parents to know that District 742 wants to help; we will be there for all parents. After all, the success of the child is enhanced when all of us work together. Therefore, as we look to the future, expect to see the St. Cloud Area School District hold themselves, the children and the parent accountability to excellence.
