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You are here: Home / back to school / Partnering with Parents
back to school, teacher tips

Partnering with Parents

July 26, 2015

parentipsSharp new pencils, neon pocket folders, shiny pink erasers, a new backpack with a working zipper… it can only mean one thing. Back to school season is upon us! I know we spend a good chunk of our summer preparing our classrooms, but today I want to focus on how we prepare ourselves to partner with parents. A supportive relationship with your students’ parents can make or break your year, so it’s important to get things off on the right foot. Here are my top three tips for doing just that.

 

tip-1

Reach out to your students and their families as soon as possible. I like to send send postcards home as soon as class lists are final to begin building that relationship before school starts. I also make coordinating contact cards for the parents. You can print these on card stock, but I actually love printing them on magnets. I have a simple pattern here if you need one, but Vista Print has tons of great options too. Their templates make creating something of your own super quick and easy.

tip2Plan an open house before school starts. I’ve tried a variety of formats throughout the years, but my favorite first contact is an open house shortly before school starts. It allows families to come and go at times that work best for them, and I’m able to chat with parents more this way too. When we scheduled a formal presentation everyone arrived and left at the same time, which always resulted in a long line to talk to me at the end.

We also tried an open house a few days after school started, but parents often skipped it because school was already in session. I like having it before school starts gives students a chance to visit the classroom, drop off school supplies, and get rid of some of those first day jitters. I tried very hard to stand at the door and welcome each student by name. How did I know their names? I studied their cumulative files with school pictures inside.

During the open house, I prepared a short scavenger hunt for the students and their families. It encouraged students to move around the room, explore, and start to get acquainted with their new home for the year. There was also a stop for parents to pick up important classroom information.

FullSizeRender 19I loved this little assignment because it gave me some insight into my students’ personalities. Which students eagerly tackled the task? Which ones held back? Who didn’t do it at all? Which parents did the scavenger hunt instead of the students? Did some students naturally team up to work together? Who took the lead? When they turned in the scavenger hunt at the end, it also gave me a quick writing sample. You can see an example of my scavenger hunt here to give you some ideas.

tip3Finally, it’s important to keep the relationship you’ve established with your parents going throughout the year. I send personal notes home with each student every Friday. A simple comment like, “Ask Sarah what she learned about nonfiction this week!” or “Matthew’s penguin report is in his Friday Folder. I’m so proud of his writing!” can go a long way. It helps start conversations at home and shows parents that I’m personally invested in their children. Occasionally if it wasn’t such a great week, this is also a chance to communicate (and document) that. Parents sign the notes and return them on Monday, after looking through the work for the week.

I also keep parents involved through monthly newsletters and calendars. I like to send paper copies home, as well as post them on our classroom website, to accommodate everyone. I created a newsletter template for each month, so sitting down to write them each month was a snap. I’d recap the previous month, share what we’d be studying next, and highlight any upcoming classroom/school events too. My goal is always for parents to know what we’re learning so they can build on it at home too.

If you want to save yourself time, you can purchase my editable classroom newsletter and calendar templates in my TeachersPayTeachers shop. They come in a variety of themes, so chances are one will match your classroom theme. I’m personally loving the Bold and Bright set this year.

editableclassroomnewsletters

I hope these tips help you make this year the best school year yet! As a thank you for all that you do for your students, be sure to enter to win one of my $25 TpT gift cards. Goodluck!

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For more back to school tips {and a chance to win their giveaways!}, check out these other blogs:

back to school survival guide

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by Christi Fultz 

About Christi Fultz

wife • mom • teacher • writer • tech obsessed • sometime crafter • beach lover | Empowering entrepreneurs through branding & website design

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Comments

  1. Rebecca Sweeney says: July 28, 2015 at 11:40 pm

    Thanks for the reminder! Developing parent relationships is so important! !
    rebeccasweeney81@yahoo.com

  2. pAULA says: August 3, 2015 at 5:35 pm

    Just wanted to thank you for the gift card to TPT. I am so excited! On my way to choose some items from my wish list now. Thank you for being a part of this. Paula

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DIY Floral Wallpaper // Charlotte’s first big gi DIY Floral Wallpaper // Charlotte’s first big girl room is one of my favorite places in the house. We let the kids choose their own decor for the new house and Charlotte’s room is a purple and pink dream... no surprise there! 

The DIY wallpaper was probably a “once and done” experience for us and took about six hours for this 9 by 16 wall. More pictures and sources are on our family blog, also linked in bio: https://completelychristi.com/2022/02/diy-floral-removable-wallpaper.html

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I used the online design tool from @containerstorecustomspaces to create this DIY Classic Elfa system. It took about three hours to install and set up. I love how flexible the system is, which means we can reconfigure the layout as he grows. I’m also really proud of his label choices... maybe he inherited some of my organizational skills after all!

#louisvilleky #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo#homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #homeorganization #homeorganizing #closetorganization #organizedhome #organizedcloset #walkincloset #closetgoals #closets #closetdesign #customcloset #closetmakeover #kidroomideas #childsroom #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
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#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective  #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo#homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #kidroomideas #childsroom #childsroomdecor #childroomdesign #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
Farm Flowers // I absolutely love my monthly flowe Farm Flowers // I absolutely love my monthly flower delivery. It’s the perfect “pick me up” on a gloomy January day… or any time! As a momma, it’s easy to do all the things for your family. This is one thing I do for me! And since I work from home, it makes my space just a little happier every day. I was initially intimidated by the thought of arranging my own bouquets, but they provide tips and pictures to help. The best part? They arrive mostly in bud form and bloom in your home so you can enjoy each arrangement longer. ✨ Mine usually last 10-14 days. Link in bio to learn more.

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #momselfcare #freshflowers #thebouqscompany
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#louisvilleky #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo#homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #homeorganization #homeorganizing #closetorganization #organizedhome #organizedcloset #walkincloset #closetgoals #closets #closetdesign #customcloset #closetmakeover
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#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #bathroommakeover #homemakeover #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #momsselfcare
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DIY Floral Wallpaper // Charlotte’s first big gi DIY Floral Wallpaper // Charlotte’s first big girl room is one of my favorite places in the house. We let the kids choose their own decor for the new house and Charlotte’s room is a purple and pink dream... no surprise there! 

The DIY wallpaper was probably a “once and done” experience for us and took about six hours for this 9 by 16 wall. More pictures and sources are on our family blog, also linked in bio: https://completelychristi.com/2022/02/diy-floral-removable-wallpaper.html

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo #homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #kidroomideas #childsroom #childsroomdecor #childroomdesign #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
Kid Closet // Because we were so happy with our ow Kid Closet // Because we were so happy with our own custom closet, we decided to do my son’s too. We primarily use his closet for off-season storage and toys, but it was always a MESS! Then the mess spilled out onto his nightstand, desk, dresser, building table, and under his bed. He needed a system! 

I used the online design tool from @containerstorecustomspaces to create this DIY Classic Elfa system. It took about three hours to install and set up. I love how flexible the system is, which means we can reconfigure the layout as he grows. I’m also really proud of his label choices... maybe he inherited some of my organizational skills after all!

#louisvilleky #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo#homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #homeorganization #homeorganizing #closetorganization #organizedhome #organizedcloset #walkincloset #closetgoals #closets #closetdesign #customcloset #closetmakeover #kidroomideas #childsroom #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
DIY Board and Batten Accent Wall with Display Ledg DIY Board and Batten Accent Wall with Display Ledge Tutorial // Carter’s room needed a punch of color and a place to display his favorite Legos. This weekend project was exactly what I had hoped for! Full tutorial and sources on my hobby blog, linked in bio. https://completelychristi.com/2022/01/diy-board-and-batten-accent-wall-tutorial.html 

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective  #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo#homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #kidroomideas #childsroom #childsroomdecor #childroomdesign #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
Farm Flowers // I absolutely love my monthly flowe Farm Flowers // I absolutely love my monthly flower delivery. It’s the perfect “pick me up” on a gloomy January day… or any time! As a momma, it’s easy to do all the things for your family. This is one thing I do for me! And since I work from home, it makes my space just a little happier every day. I was initially intimidated by the thought of arranging my own bouquets, but they provide tips and pictures to help. The best part? They arrive mostly in bud form and bloom in your home so you can enjoy each arrangement longer. ✨ Mine usually last 10-14 days. Link in bio to learn more.

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #momselfcare #freshflowers #thebouqscompany
Primary Closet // We had to empty our closet for t Primary Closet // We had to empty our closet for the bathroom remodel, so we decided it was time for an upgrade before it all back together. ✨ We worked with a designer from @containerstorecustomspaces and are so happy with the results!

#louisvilleky #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo#homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #homeorganization #homeorganizing #closetorganization #organizedhome #organizedcloset #walkincloset #closetgoals #closets #closetdesign #customcloset #closetmakeover
Bathroom Makeover // We aren’t quite finished in Bathroom Makeover // We aren’t quite finished in here, but I’m pleased with the progress so far! We had plenty of room to turn our primary shower into a wet room with freestanding soaking tub. Shower glass is on the way, and I think we’ll tackle those mirrors too. The closet makeover is underway now, so check back for that next.

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #bathroommakeover #homemakeover #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #momsselfcare
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⁠
#momsaroundlouisville #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #louisvilleky #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #kyproud #ky #kentuckymom #kentuckychristmas #christmasinkentucky ⁠#louisville #locallouisville #louisvillelove #mylouisville⁠ #howwelou #louisvilleigers #momlife #instagrammom #momsofig #christmastime #festive #holidayseason #tistheseason #christmasspirit #holidays
Kentucky Christmas // It’s our second year home Kentucky Christmas // It’s our second year home for Christmas and you’ll catch me here by the fire all season. This is what dreams are made of. 

#kentuckychristmas #christmasinkentucky #louisvillechristmas #momsoflouisville #kentuckymom #christmasdecor #christmas2022 #merrychristmas

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