The Power of One
Talk about being creative and doing more with less: My eighth grader came home with a letter from the Daley School yesterday about a new program called The Power of One. The program solicits parents to donate one hour of their time to make a difference in their child’s school. Think about it. How many of us could donate an hour, and what kind of difference would it make if 500 parents did at one school? The program requires interested parents to complete a CORI form (policy of Lowell Schools for anyone working with our children). The letter also included a list of potential volunteer opportunities, such as Election Day bake sale, dance chaperone, literacy night, teacher appreciation luncheon, and student of the month. The best part is the Daley School is making a concerted effort to reach out to all parents and officially invite them to be part of their child’s education community. And they’re asking for a one-hour commitment only; even busy parents may be able to find an hour during the school year if they’re asked and made to feel welcome. As someone involved with the Citywide Parent Council and school PTOs for 12 years, I can tell you, the first step is being invited. It will be interesting to see the response they get, the number of new faces, and the difference, if any, one letter can make in parent involvement.