Parent involvement key to academic success

Posted

By Hilute Hudson III

Special to the Messenger



Recently, I was asked to choose only one answer for what I desired most at Kemper County School District.

The choices were: more teachers, more funding or more parental involvement. At first, I thought it was an odd question. But after my long pause, I realized it was a brilliant question because it was being asked to a superintendent who has three school-aged children. I said to myself, which hat am I going to wear to answer this one, my parent hat or superintendent hat?

Once I carefully thought through my choices from both perspectives, my answer was the same. Parental involvement at all grade levels in our school district is the key to student achievement and school success.

Experts have proven that there is a direct correlation between higher academic performance and school improvement, improving students' behavior, attendance, and achievement.

I truly believe that, both as a parent and a superintendent. It is amazing to know that you can take the same child and raise them in different backgrounds, socio-economic status and think that you will get different results for student success.

However, research has been clear, consistent and convincing that is not the case. The level of parents continuously engaging in their child's learning has proven to be the driver of their educational growth and development.

So, what does this mean for us at Kemper County School District? Or a better question would be, what if we realized that we are all starting at the same line of opportunity and our success is in our hands?

COVID-19 has reset the educational playing field for all school districts, whereby student learning looks different than before. Whether it is by distant learning, in-person classroom or a combination of both, all school districts are at the same starting line to determine which model and approach will work best for their students and schools in the fall.

Well, here is our secret. At the Kemper County School District, we are not going to wait until the fall to educate our children.

We have a Summer Enrichment program for all grade levels to help advance our students and make-up course work in June and July. And I am asking all parents in our district to give their child the best opportunity for success by encouraging participation in our program.

Let me leave you with this as I think back to my choices from the interview question. Could we use more teachers? Yes. Could we use more funding? Yes. But more teachers and more funding cannot replace or equate to the value an involved parent offers to the success of our students, schools and district as a whole.

The African proverb, "it takes a village to raise a child," is often quoted. I am here to tell parents that we are the village. Let's raise our children together.

Hilute Hudson, III, is the superintendent of Kemper County School District.






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