NEW SERIES, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENT ENGAGEMENT
Technology has played a role for teachers staying in contact with parents. Early Childhood teachers are using a new app called SeeSaw to quickly connect with parents throughout the school day. The app allows for teachers to send photos of whole-class and individual moments. Middle School teachers have adapted many of their extracurricular clubs to online (see sidebar). “Almost all of our typical ways of connecting with parents are not happening this year,” Jennifer Williams, Head of Early Childhood,
As the 2020-21 school year has progressed, the SSA and school
says. “This applies not only to the connection between school
administrators have worked to find opportunities for Sycamore
staff and parents, but also to connections between parents. These
parents to stay engaged and involved with each other and with the
programs can help parents see and get to know each other better.”
school. The SSA has hosted Get Acquainted Coffee meetings in
She says that little things have been important to her. “Greeting and
the Sycamore Pavilion, Diane Borgmann has hosted Zoom calls
briefly touching base with parents in the morning and afternoon
with parent groups, and she continues to write a weekly letter to the
carpools has been great, and parents sharing kind words and thanks
parents to provide updates on the school year from her perspective.
with teachers.”
Sycamore’s Director of Advancement, Holly Lee, has headed an initiative called the “Parent Engagement Series,” with subjects that
“Parents have been extremely supportive of Sycamore during this
range from Cooking Quick and Healthy Meals with Lori Fulk,
time,” Lee says. “They have had SSA meetings outside so as many
Great Books Recommendations, Games with David Schuth, an
people as desire can attend. They decorated the school on the first
online Alumni Panel hosted by Mary O’Malley, and a program on
day of school and continue to find ways to support teachers with
Intentional parenting with Clair White. All of the offerings are
gifts of food and encouragement.”
viewed online. Some are live and some are recorded. Fulk says everyone is doing what they can to make this year the best While nothing can replace in-person, one-to-one conversations, and
it can be. “That is the glue holding us together. Thinking
group meetings, each of these events, whether online or socially-
creatively about how we can be of use to the school and safely
distanced outdoors, seeks to provide a substitute during a year that
maintain a sense of community has been my hardest task in my 13
will continue to be far from normal.
years at Sycamore. It’s been refreshing to see ideas flowing from all corners of the school.”
“During the pandemic, we are all missing social interactions from ________________________
the parents and staff to the preschoolers,” Lee says. “As a result of Sycamore trying to be proactively safe, parents are not currently allowed in the building. The Parent Engagement Series came out
Second semester Parent Engagement Series topics will include:
of a desire to continue parent education that occurs several times a
• Stress management with Dr. Samantha Outcalt
year and socialization that informally happened daily.”
• Executive Function of a Gifted Student with Lori Henderson
• Book Discussion with Diane Borgmann
• Read a book and discuss using the Harkness Method
“There is so much I miss, but more than anything, I miss seeing my community,” Fulk says as she talks about the differences this year. “Friends reached out to me after watching my cooking demonstrations, and it was lovely to touch base. Just the act of seeing one another and hearing each other’s voices lifts my spirits.”
28
with Beth Simpson n
