"In Worcester County Public Schools, we understand the connection between parental involvement and student achievement. Research shows that children who receive educational encouragement and support from their parents and guardians are likely to achieve at their highest potential."
At Buckingham Elementary School, we celebrate parent involvement. In fact, one of our parents, Gary Williams, won the inaugural Comcast Parent Involvement Matters award for Worcester County. As a member of our School Improvement Advisory Committee, Williams saw a need; he wanted our students to have access to digital cameras. Using his expertise in the area of electronics, he purchased cameras on eBay, refurbished them and created a camera lab for us. Because of his caring and creativity, our students have been further enriched.
Parents, however, do not need a specific set of skills in order to be involved in their child's education. Indeed, a parent is their child's first teacher. Throughout a child's education, as the child moves from grade level to grade level and from teacher to teacher, parents are the one constant. Parents act as an advocate, coach, and source of inspiration for their child.
As a Title I school having 59 percent of our students coming from households of poverty, Buckingham Elementary has a plan for parent involvement. We establish our goals and identify our resources for achieving them. For example, we partner with the Berlin Head Start in order to ensure that each student has a great beginning to their education.