A resource for PTA and parent involvement project ideas
How to get the Hispanic Popluation involved?
Our school is rughly 88-90% Hispanic. Over the years it grows more and more. Well as the secratary last year and President for the coming year I am just trying to figure out more ways to get these families more involved. Both the board last year and this year have 2 wonderful ladies who are Hispanic and both years they also realize this as well. They said that they feel that our families arent understanding what PTA is. They are also unsure of how to acheive this. If anyone has any helpful tips and ideas...please let me know!!!!!
Thank you
Shaanon
Views: 75
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jessalyn on -
Our school has two Latino Nights a year - one at the beginning of the school year and another one about 6 weeks before standardized testing. At both sessions, free babysitting is provided (approaching your local high school's Spanish Club is a great idea for this). A representative from our county's International Welcome Center is on hand and our school's ESOL teacher talks about school policies, ways to be involved and ways to help students succeed. At the session before testing, parents are taught ways to help their students prepare for the test (including how to access and use computer prep tests). Our school only has about 12% Hispanic enrollment and these nights usually have a great turnout. I would think something like this would be a great start at your school.
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Permalink Reply by Deborah E. Gabrielson on -
That is a great idea, thank you. I am the President of a High School with about 50% Hispanic population; 30 Black; 10% Caucasion and 10% Asian, it is very diverse. We are thinking of having a Multicultural Event also.
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Permalink Reply by Idali Feliciano on -
I suggest a Global Food Festival where everyone brings a favorite ethnic dish. Do stay away from the stereotypical foods (such as tacos....). Have local restaurants donate the food and get involved.
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Permalink Reply by Carissa Dollar on -
Were you at Nat'l Convention by any chance? There were some great workshops on diversity and one that I went to on engaging Latinos. The workshop materials should be available on the Nat'l website.
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Permalink Reply by Carissa Dollar on
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Permalink Reply by Shannon Riser on
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Thank you everyone for the great ideas. We will try to put them to use and see how it goes!
Thanks
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Permalink Reply by Kim Washington on
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Not sure how you are reaching out to your population, so this comment may be a silly one, but are you inviting those families in writing in a language they can understand? Are you using an automated call out system using their native language. Too many times, we forget that a large number of the non-English speaking families at our schools are in households where only the children speak English. Also, again I may be speaking the obvious, but have someone there who can interpret the meeting for them as well.
Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Lori L Fiddmont on
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Translating notices is a great tool for getting more of the Latino population involved. Another thing that Byron Garrett told me last fall at our State convention is to hold your meetings outside of the school, they may feel intimidated by school's and they don't feel comfortable coming in to the buildings for things. Such as a community rec center, a park, etc..........
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Permalink Reply by Lissette Cortina on -
I feel your pain.
Our school is roughly 60% Hispanic and it has been quite a feat to bring the latin community (from a variety of different countries and backgrounds) into our PTA community.
Just a couple of years ago we had many families prefer to stand outside in the Florida heat than come in to the PTA meeting before the Open House. However, they did line up to meet the teacher and see their kids perform on stage. So we built on that to combine our meetings with school shows and PTA sponsored family night type of events that the teachers would really promote and even offer no homework passes for the kids that attended (nothing works better than the nag factor). You might also want to try to get your Hispanic board members to conduct parts of the meeting in Spanish and translate flyers that go out to your community. Sometimes these families feel they can't be valuable if they don't speak the language, which if your community has such a high percentage of hispanic families, it shouldn't be a factor. Every year we host what we call a P. Tea A. which is a volunteer orientation as well as networking event for the volunteers. The PTA brings in baked goods, coffee and tea. You can try to put something in the flyer for that in Spanish welcoming those persons specifically and have your Hispanic board members on hand to personally address them and their questions. Reaching out and making people feel welcome makes a huge difference! We used the following wording "¿QUIERE SER VOLUNTARIA/O PERO NO HABLA INGLES? SU APOYO ES IGUAL DE VALIOSO PARA NUESTROS NIÑOS Y MAESTROS. BIENVENIDOS, SE HABLA ESPAÑOL!" Roughly translated, want to be a volunteer but don't speak English? Your support is just as valuable to our children and teachers. Welcome, we speak Spanish! Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Carrie Schor on -
I think you really need to get those people who know the population and the language involved in recruitment and retention of the Hispanic Members. Just translating letters is not enough. They need to be approached in a different way. It's easier the younger the kids are, the easier it will be. I'm a teacher in middle school with a majority of Hispanic families and our PTA is almost nonexistant. I hear it's not as bad at the elementary schools. I think you need to plan some programs and get the kids involved. In the school my kids attend, they recognize students periodically and those are the nights that parents show up. I like the multicultural celebrations - coincide them with a very brief bilingual PTA meeting. You need to make all familis feel welcome. Have you reached out to local churches, etc. If they are on board, then many parents will become involved.
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Permalink Reply by Scott Huse on -
Does anyone utilize the translation equipment (http://www.lexiconusa.com/pages/Sales-Translation-Equipment.html) to offer real time communication so your non-english families can participate during presentations at school?
I have seen this to be very effective so that it doesn't extend the time and also allows the school community to be together.
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