Parent Mentors are the bridge joining administrators, teachers, staff and families to help students to get to graduation day

How Parent Mentors work with Schools

TERRI'S TIPS

Parent Mentors share ideas and resources with one another on a daily basis. Terri Goodridge, mom of a young son receiving special education related services and a Bibb County Parent Mentor, files our parents’ tips in categories, so she can share information.

 

Parent Surveys are Back!

In previous years, this topic has been on the Terri's tips page. However, because this is so incredibly important and because the partnership has several new school districts and mentors this year, we felt it necessary to bring it back again. This time, in addition to re-posting valuable information, we will add what we have learned, what has changed, and how we can all increase the numbers.

NOTE TO PARENTS: If you have questions about Parent Satisfaction surveys there is a wealth of information HERE ON OUR WEBSITE.

Although most parent mentors and school staff have already been working their strategies for Parent Satisfaction percentages and return rates, here are some best practices for survey returns offered by parent mentors:

Renee Davis from Douglas County shared this:
Last year, one of the surveyed schools in our district offered a free book at the Book Fair.  At another school, whenever a parent came to the school for any reason, the front office staff directed them to the contact person for special education who then talked to the parent about the survey and made sure that the parent had a survey.  This school also offered an ice cream party for the students who returned surveys.

Allison Stevenson from Fayette County gave some great ideas:

I talk to the schools Special Ed Dept head and the administration to see what topics would interest parents:  CRCT prep, Test Stress, Homework Help, Setting Routines.

Then I get a local expert to present a little workshop. A local counselor who talks about stress and personal care.  Another was the owner of an in-home tutoring company that also has a child with Asperger's. I have also had one of our behavior support teachers present as well. 
I have a breakfast meeting right after school starts so that they can get back to work it needed.  Then have the speaker.  For those that so not come, the Dept head sends it home with the report card for Elementary and Middle.  The high schools do it at the IEP meetings (not ideal but they were the highest return rate for our schools last year)
If you have some sort of incentive (the What) present the WHY to the parents first.  Why should they complete the survey, then tell them HOW (online, paper) then tell the the WHAT (workshop breakfast or ice cream coupon or free book).  Don't forget to start with WHY.

Terri Goodridge and Nalini Isaac from Bibb County offered these tips:

Parent Mentors do a face-to-face with each Lead Teacher at every school chosen to participate in surveys.

At that meeting, we review a tips sheet of possible ideas to help them increase return rate.s We always make sure we never "tell" staff how to do it. But rather, that we are offering up creative "out of the box" ideas. Every school has it’s own set of unique and difficult issues to deal with. See this Ideas sheet  

Over the years we realized that parents may not pay attention to the surveys if they do not see our district's letterhead and/or the school’s mascot and names of staff on the information. We discovered that putting an introduction letter on school letterhead decreases the risk of a parent throwing it away. As a result, we created a mini letter that schools have been using to attach to the survey envelope prior to sending it home or handing it to parents. And of course, we continue to do follow-ups with the schools to see how it is going, if they are running into any barriers or obstacles and to offer our continued support and help as they need it!
See this Introduction Letter

MARCH Transition Fairs

SAVE THE DATE!

The Gainesville/Hall County Transition, Career, and Education Fair will be held on March 6th. Save the date. DETAILS HERE

The Gwinnett Transition Fair will be held on March 17, 2012 from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. More information coming soon!

 

 

From the Source

 

GaDOE

Cynde Snider, Professional Learning Specialist Division for Special Education Services and Supports Georgia Department of Education

Lu Nations-Miller, Transition Specialist for the GaDOE

Self Determination and Partnerships for Success

Deborah Gay, Director of the Divisions for Special Education Services and Supports

Mike Blake, Program Manager for Dispute Resolution, Budget, and Data 

Gina Gelinas: The Benefits of Assistive Technology

Staying

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"Making Education Work for all Georgians."