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Smart Mom

Lend a hand Help your kids by helping their school. by Maria Bailey and Jennifer ArnoldPublished: August, 2010

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As summer begins to wind down this month, kids and parents will be ramping up for the new school year. But amid the excitement and nerves typically associated with this time of year, your family might also find some changes on the road back to the classroom.     As the impending threat of budget cuts, teacher layoffs and swelling class sizes become a reality, all schools will need additional support in one form or another. The economic strain is going to create a situation in which schools will need to do more with less in a real way, and districts will be seeking creative ways to make the best use of their resources. Of course, one of their best resources is you!     Public schools belong to everyone, and parents especially have an urgent need to see schools succeed. And this year, schools will be leaning on us parents more than ever before. There’s no time to wait for a bond election to pass, for schools to catch up with technology or to reinstate special programs. Our kids are in school now and the window is finite – so it’s time to get moving. We need to redirect our energy toward our kids and the quality education that will assure they have greater opportunities for a better life. This month, take some time to think about how you can make an impact at school this year. Gather up your friends and neighbors. Here are some topics and ideas to get the conversation going: Create a forum Schools benefit when parents are engaged and knowledgeable about how to partner with their schools. This can profoundly affect their children's education.     Create or locate a means for parents to connect, either online or offline, by keeping the conversation going about issues concerning your school. This can help keep everyone engaged and active throughout the year. Arrange a meeting with your school principal, and ask how you can work together to find the most productive strategies.     Whether your school opts to set up weekly gatherings or an online blog, these forums should go beyond formal meeting styles and get to the heart of the matter. When parents feel connected with their schools and each other, and when they have a place to bring up their questions and concerns, they will be more willing to give back. Rally the troops This year, in addition to reading to classes, assisting on field trips and helping with activities, schools will need volunteers to pitch in and fill roles that may have been cut. This change may mean that the current volunteer program and committees need to be altered and augmented to reflect increased demand.     Take a careful look at the school’s needs and decide what you can do to help. Encourage the school to keep communicating its needs throughout the year. Organize volunteers and be proactive. Touch base with teachers throughout the year to find out how their needs have changed. Find ways to stretch a dollar Schools are always looking for ways to save money without sacrificing effective learning. And these savings can come in the form of large and small gestures. Look for creative ways to save money and paper by implementing an electronic-communications-only policy.     Hold a school supply drive. Tight budgets mean that teachers will be digging into their own pockets for things like paper and pencils. Ask teachers for lists of items they need, and send out an invitation to parents or set up a carpool drop box to make it even more user-friendly.     Check out public library bookstores, garage sales and thrift shops to explore used book options to help stock classrooms and school libraries. It may take a little time and patience to sort through the stacks, but the bargains you find will certainly be worth the effort. Sustain extracurricular activities Typically some of the first areas to feel the squeeze are the arts – drama, music and so forth – libraries, clubs and “non-core” subjects such as foreign languages and physical education. If your school is cutting back in these areas, get creative about how parents can help to sustain them. For example, start an extracurricular club run by parent volunteers.     Reach out to the community Bolster your current group of volunteers by recruiting retirees and local business experts. Remember that public schools are an important and vital part of every community and are a large part of what attracts homebuyers to the area. Tap into other resources for funding Check into grants that might be available for technology and equipment. Seek out local businesses and inquire about grant programs, or inquire about extra donations.     Field trips are often the first items on the chopping block. Be proactive and seek financial aid from institutions that are popular field  trip destinations; they do not want to lose the support of local schools. •> SMART MOM GOES GREEN: SAC LUNCH Your child’s PB&J just got a little greener! A packed lunch from home is still the healthiest option for your child. And now your kids can take their lunch and make it healthy for the environment, too.     Ecousacs are a great way to banish plastic sandwich and snack bags from your child’s lunch. Each sack’s exterior is constructed with 100 percent cotton, and the liner is made with a food- and water-safe (and stain-resistant) rip-stop nylon. To clean your Ecousac, turn it inside-out and wipe it with a cloth. They can be placed on the top rack of your dishwasher.     They’re just $7.25 per sack; buy one for each child and still save money by not using plastic. Find Ecousac products at etsy.com. •> SOLUTION OF THE MONTH: VOLUNTEER EFFORTS With the need for school volunteers at an all-time high this year, it’s going to be crucial to make sure these efforts are done in a well-organized fashion.     Most schools have not become fully functional in the digital world; however, parents typically opt for digital solutions when managing their own busy lives. So it makes sense to choose an online tool that helps organize classroom help-related materials. Whether your plan includes tackling the role of room mom or just lending a hand, there are plenty of tools available to help keep everyone on the same page.     Here are a few online options for you to use in a classroom, grade level or the entire school: Volunteer Spot Doodle Google Calendar Yahoo! Groups Need more Smart Mom solutions? Go to martmomsolutions.com or listen to Mom Talk Radio: momtalkradio.com

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