Studies show parent support influences student academic success. The sad fact is that parent involvement is less than adequate at our school.
The Parent Teacher Student Association is a good instrument to measure parent involvement. PTSA president Tara Adams said the organization is a place where parents oversee the welfare of their children. Unfortunately, few parents join the organization.
Varina’s PTSA membership is much lower than other county high schools. Currently, the Varina PTSA has 420 parent members, which accounts for about 20 percent of parents who have children enrolled. The Varina PTSA needs over 1,500 more parents to reach 100 percent membership. Deep Run High School, on the other hand, only needs 100 more members to achieve 100 percent parent membership.
The lack of parent involvement at Varina may be tied to the achievement gap between Varina and other county schools. More parent participation may boost student confidence and lower the academic disparity among schools.
Our administration has implemented programs to boost parent support. One program allows parents to come to school with their child to experience a typical day. Few parents have taken advantage of the opportunity.
It is true that some parents have work schedules and other commitments that interfere with volunteering at school or joining organizations. Parents, however, should make their child’s education a priority.
Students require parent involvement to reach their highest levels of academic success. Varina has the second largest student body in Henrico County, and if its parents form a single unit of support, they can become a powerful agent of positive change for their children and the school.
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