Parental Involvement

1
Parental Involvement

• Parent to Parent Pledge Handbooks
• Jones County, Iowa
• Jennifer Husmann, Project Coordinator

2
Getting parents to sign the Pledge

• Lots of advertising and education-- newspaper,
  school newsletter, form included in registration
  packets, letters sent home, reminders, etc.
• Many volunteers were needed to work at all the
  days and sites of the school registration. We
  had 50 volunteers for several days, and 10
  buildings. Some of the different schools
  registrations were at the same time. Asked
  teachers, P.T.A. members, CMCA members, project
  staff, etc.

3
CMCA (Communities Mobilizing for Change on
Alcohol)

• This was one of the first projects under the goal
  area of reducing social access to alcohol for our
  first year action plan. See Action Plan.
• The Handbook process spans over 3 months. We
  started recruiting help for the registrations in
  July. Registrations took place in August. More
  advertising done in early September while we were
  typing in all the names. Printed and mailed out
  in early October!

4
Instructions for volunteers

• We made schedules and then had a kit at each site
  where recruiting. Big signs and a good location
  for the sign up table is important. The kit
  included what to say to the parents, pledges,
  pens, scissors, a box to put the signed pledges
  in, and an example of another schools parent to
  parent handbook.
• Parents could sign the pledge without giving
  address if desired, could use cell phone number
  or none, but the phone number is encouraged so
  they can be called. Listed by the students last
  names.

5
Designing the Front of the Handbook

• We had a team of people come up with what they
  thought should be included in each handbook.
• Last years has different information from this
  years, some of it similar, but updated or new,
  interesting resources. Ideas welcome letter,
  copy of pledge, how to use the book, safety
  guidelines, statistics on alcohols effects,
  resource numbers, youth activities, family
  activities, non-alcoholic beverage recipes. See
  your example.

6
Putting the books together, printing, and
mailing.

• Biggest job is putting all the names in
  correctly. Secretarial service is important here.
  Have heard of schools doing this with a couple
  volunteers for each school- Excel works great for
  alphabetizing, etc.
• A team of parents can be assembled to put books
  together or if have funds, take to a printing
  company. Have the original(s) put together the
  way you want it. Again, printing company or
  volunteers will be able to use the addresses from
  your Excel list to address them. We delivered to
  the schools of the students whose parents didnt
  include mailing addresses.

7
Using the Parent to Parent Handbooks

• More newspaper and project newsletter articles
  were written to tell the success of the project
  and to encourage their use. Increased
  percentages of pledges signed from 48 to 63 in
  one year!
• We use them as parents ourselves and refer to the
  handbook quite often at work in our other parent
  involvement strategies. Any questions about how
  to accomplish the Parent to Parent Pledge
  Handbook project?

8
Other Parent Involvement Strategies Use the
Handbook to recruit help, invite to activities,
or get ideas

• Parent Nights
• Town Hall Meetings
• CMCA planning meetings
• County Fair Booth and other display booths
• Parades- community events like 4th of July,
  Fairs, Pumpkinfest, School Homecoming
• Alcohol Free Graduation Party Sign Campaign
• One-on-ones

9
Questions about our project and parent
involvement?