Parent Education: Parent Participation

Observations

The Montessori classroom is probably quite different from the classroom you attended as a child.  We strongly encourage you to come observe your child interacting with the students, teachers, and materials in our unique learning environment.   Plan to spend an hour, twice a year, watching the flow.  Your child’s teacher will have an observation form to help you notice the active learning happening in the dynamic classroom.  During your visit, we ask that you follow our “ground rules” to help you feel more comfortable in our child centered environment:
1. Please use a soft, quiet voice when you enter the classroom. 
2. A rug denotes a child’s workspace. Please walk around this workspace.  If the children are in a group, please walk around the outside of the group.
3. Please sit quietly and let the children continue with their activities.  If your child wants your attention, remind him/her that you have come to watch him/her work.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Educating your child to reach her/his full potential takes a strong partnership between parent and teacher.  We provide regular communication about class activities and invite regular communication from parents about home activities.  We ask that you plan to meet with your child’s teacher twice a year for a conference.  This time will be used to explain and evaluate your child’s class work, discuss any concerns, and set goals. 

Volunteering

We highly value parental involvement. We invite you to participate in any way you can as a partner with the school. Your active contribution of time and energy sends a powerful message to your child that school and learning are important family values. 

You have many opportunities to volunteer, both in and out of the classroom:

• Listen to children read to you
• Share your talents [share with a class a special skill, such as playing an instrument??]
• Cut out, sew, or build class materials
• Work on a committee
• Help with a fundraiser
• Assist teachers with classroom preparation
• Tutor students who need additional help
• Assist in organizing school events
• Accompany a class on a field trip
• Assist the main office with clerical duties

You will receive a volunteer invitation form to indicate how you would like to help make Wilson the best school it can be for your children. [Add, ask your child’s teacher for at any time for ideas?? What about, “please contact the Parent Educator at 713-942-1470??]

Visitor Policy
Our visitor policy was established to protect the safety and welfare of students, school personnel, and school property.

• All visitors must enter the school through the main doors on Yupon St. only and must report immediately to the front office window.
• All visitors are required to sign in, present identification, and wear a visitor’s badge while on school property.
• Staff will ask any visitor without a visitor’s badge to report to the office.

Volunteers in Public Schools – VIPS

Any and all volunteers who work with students or supervise students alone and not in the company of a Wilson employee, must have a yearly police record check on file before working with the students.

You may register at http://amun.houstonisd.org/visits/en-us/login.aspx