• Overview of Parent Questions/Resources

     

     

     

    Families often have questions when their students go off to middle school, for instance:

     

    -How involved do I need to be in my student’s life?  They need more independence after all…

     

    -Does the school even need or want my help?

     

    -If I do get involved with the school, what are my options?

     

    -Who should I contact? I hate getting redirected all over the school.

     

    -I don’t know what to do – do you know who can help?

     

    We’re here to help!  See our responses below and get plugged in at ISMS!

     

     

    How involved do I need to be in my student’s life?

     

    When students (of all ages) have strong relationships with families they are much more likely to grow up well. They do better in school. They are more caring. They develop attitudes and skills that will help them throughout their lives. They also become more resilient, which helps them overcome the challenges they face in life. In fact, the research suggests that strengthening your relationships is one of the most important things we can do as parents for our kids.

     

    (cited from Relationships that Matter: 5 Keys to Helping Your Child Succeed.  Copyright © 2017 Search Institute ®, Minneapolis, MN. www.search-institute.org)

     

     

    Does the school even need or want my help?

     

    Absolutely!  As one of the schools under the Transformation Waco umbrella, parent involvement was one of the top criteria noted in school improvement.  Family involvement is essential to any successful school.

     

     

    If I do get involved with the school, what are my options?

     

    -Family Engagement Committee (Our version of a PTA)

     

    These meetings currently will occur every Monday at 10 AM.  The initial goal of this group is to increase family engagement and involvement on campus and to address the needs you find most important.  *We use the word family very intentionally. We full-heartedly welcome parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings -- anyone who wants the best for our students!

     

    -CDMC (Campus Decision Making Council

     

    This council assists with the development, review, and revision of the campus improvement plan.  Committee membership is comprised of parents, teachers, the campus principal, community members, business representatives, and other district personnel.

     

    If you are interested in serving on our campus CDMC contact Travis Cheatham, our Family Support Specialist.  If you’d like to meet him on campus, send an email, or talk to someone by phone contact Travis at 254-757-6200x2003 or travis.cheatham@wacoisd.org.

      

    -Help with special events

     

    Throughout the year we try to make events special and we would love to have your help!  Keep an eye on our Facebook page and our Current Needs page to learn more.

     

    -Be a parent mentor

     

    As part of our Family Engagement Committee, we want to get parents in touch with other parents simply to share life and encourage each other.  Let us know if you are interested in either mentoring other parents or being mentored yourself.

     

    -Check out our Volunteer page

     

    Are you available to help out on a weekly basis?  If so, check out our Volunteer page to see if any of our current opportunities sound like a good fit.

     

     

    Do you have an idea that is not listed here?  Let us know!

     

     

    Who should I contact? I hate getting redirected all over the school.

     

    As part of Transformation Waco, we have now hired Travis Cheatham to be a Family Support Specialist.  If you’d like to meet on campus, send an email, or talk to someone by phone contact Travis at 254-757-6200x2003 or travis.cheatham@wacoisd.org.

    You can also visit https://doodle.com/travischeatham to schedule a meeting in advance.

     

     

    I don’t know what to do – do you know who can help?

     

    Another key piece of Transformation Waco is partnering with Prosper Waco to provide what has been called “wraparound services”.  We know that families face a lot of struggles with anything from mental health to paying bills to knowing how to cook.  While we may not know all the answers, it’s our goal to know the people that do!  The best first resource is Prosper Waco's Get Help page, but be sure to also check out our Community Resources page for more information.