The summer is rapidly coming to a close and the school year is upon us. Last year, Covid created an atmosphere that was anything but ordinary. This leaves us with a great opportunity to come together as a community and make this year spectacular. The start of the year is a time to implement positive changes, expand learning opportunities, show the students support. How can the PTA, parents, teachers, and members of the community come together to make the 2021-2022 school year the best yet? Here are four great ideas to make it happen.

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Community Resources

Our communities have a wealth of resources just waiting to be taken advantage of. But our students and families cannot do this unless they know about them! Using technology like Bloomz makes it easy to put community resources online. Bloomz also has a fantastic translation feature so that all families can access the information without a language barrier. Clothing exchanges, free eye exams, and afterschool programs are some of the many things that can be posted on Bloomz to help all students have their best year yet.

Organizing Support from Community Partners

Members of the community love helping out our schools but often need to be invited to do so! For example, if the school is having a science night, members of the PTA can reach out to local businesses to sponsor the science night and help to make the event successful. The beginning of the school year is also the perfect time to have information nights. The library, local sports teams, and afterschool tutoring centers can come in and share information on their programs with the parents.

Turning the School into a Hub of Community LIfe

Our schools are often vacant on the weekends and in the evenings. Allowing community members to utilize the campus can greatly benefit students! The PTA can work with scout groups or the Lego robotics team. These groups can use areas of the school campus to meet throughout the school year. Bloomz makes it easy to schedule events in shared spaces with the use of the calendar feature.

PTA Partners with the Community

Helping our families means helping our students. The beginning of the school year is a great time for the PTA to reach out to grassroots organizations in the community and discuss what needs the families have. Creating a community garden, fixing up local parks, and collecting school supplies for families are just some of the many ways the PTA and community organizations can come together to help support student success.

There are many ways the community can come together to support students. Do you have another idea? Leave it in the comments below.

Resources:

• National Standards for Family-School Partnerships Assessment Guide. National PTA . (n.d.)..