Family, school, and community engagement are vital for your student's success

He grew up in a military family, moving every couple of years until his mom died during his teen years. Life became increasingly difficult for him after her passing.

My mom was a blue-collar worker who could not participate at my school as much as I wanted because she was limited by her education, work, and lack of transportation. However, she did send notes to our teachers and administrators.

When our daughter and son were in school, we were very involved parents.

We met every teacher, volunteered at their schools, took field trips, and were test proctors, to name a few. We knew most of their friends, their siblings, and their parents by name. We were involved in after-school and community activities.

On two separate occasions, our son needed a coach, and my husband and daughter became soccer coaches. Our daughter, who was in college then, was his assistant, and I was the “team mom” – keeper of the snacks and game schedule.

I hope that this blog post, and others, increase parents’ and guardians’ awareness regarding issues many adolescents and teens face – and how they can prevent or gain mastery over them.

When families, communities, and schools work together, students are more successful, and the entire community benefits.

Family and school connectedness are known protective factors for mental health, violence, sexual behavior, and adolescent substance use.

Parental engagement in children's learning in the home makes the most significant difference in student achievement. Many parents are limited by their knowledge to assist their students at home, like my mom.

Experts agree that the engagement of parents in learning at home will most likely result in a positive difference in learning outcomes. But getting outside help doesn't preclude your students from getting great results. You can still be engaged in their learning.

We had tutors, Saturday morning enrichment programs, and after-school homework assistance on several occasions.

My husband taught our children that he is the Master Teacher. His involvement in their academic success was his primary focus. If he wasn't in school, he was checking homework and planning library visits to guide their research and prepare for school projects.

We had to model how disciplined one had to be successful academically. We were adult learners and completed our degrees while raising our family. As parents, it is crucial to show your students the importance of learning.

If there is a learning difference, language barrier, or other factors that prohibit you from assisting in the completion of their classwork, ask your students about before, after school, or other opportunities to receive assistance.

When we had difficulties understanding our student's homework and what was required, we scheduled early morning meetings with their teachers or study groups they suggested.

Parents, it was at school extracurricular events where I learned the most about our daughter's and son's teachers, friends, and things that were going on at school that I should be aware of. While there, we introduced ourselves to other parents.

It was there we received the best information about class selections, students' hangout places, and do's and don'ts. Today, parents have social media and online connectivity with their school, parent groups, various websites, and their local community.

Schools play an important role in promoting students' health and development, and schools can take action to help students feel connected.