Under the new system, where will parents go if they have a concern about their child’s school?
The reorganization creates many points of access for parents to address concerns and obtain information. Each school will have a trained Parent Coordinator who will be available on a full-time basis to help parents become further involved in their schools and to address parent concerns and inquiries. In addition, the reorganization establishes new Parent Support Offices in each of the Learning Support Centers sites, staffed by teams of full-time, trained Parent Support Officers to supplement the engagement and response functions of the school-based Parent Coordinators. In addition to workday hours, these Parent Support Offices will be open in the evenings twice a week and on one weekend day so that parents can receive services at times convenient to them.
What will be the role of the new Parent Coordinators at each school?
Parent Coordinators will be responsible for encouraging and promoting active involvement by parents in their child’s education. They will also work to make all our schools welcoming to parents. The Parent Coordinator will serve as the first point of entry for parents in each school and will be trained to respond effectively to parent concerns.
In addition, the Department of Education will soon launch a citywide Parent Academy, which will provide Parent Coordinators with training and school—based workshops. Workshops will include everything from understanding instructional programs and curricula to developing school-home connections and strengthening parent leadership and participation in such key organizations as Parent Teacher Associations/Parent Associations and School Leadership Teams.
What if a parent has a problem at the school level and it is not resolved there?
Parents can go to any Parent Support Office within any Learning Support Center to address concerns about instruction, registration, transportation, safety, security, facilities or other matters about which parents may have concerns.
Where are the Parent Support Offices located?
There is a Parent Support Office at each Learning Support Center site. The Learning Support Center for each Division are located at the following addresses:
Instructional Leadership Division 1 — 1 Fordham Plaza, the Bronx
Instructional Leadership Division 2 — 1230 Zerega Avenue, the Bronx
Instructional Leadership Division 3 — 30—48 Linden Place, Queens 90—27 Sutphin Boulevard, Queens
Instructional Leadership Division 4 — 28—11 Queens Plaza North, Queens
Instructional Leadership Division 5 — 82—01 Rockaway Boulevard, Queens 1655 St. Mark’s Avenue, Brooklyn
Instructional Leadership Division 6 — 5619 Flatlands Avenue, Brooklyn
Instructional Leadership Division 7 — 415 89th Street, Brooklyn 715 Ocean Terrace, Staten Island
Instructional Leadership Division 8 — 131 Livingston Street, Brooklyn
Instructional Leadership Division 9 — 333 Seventh Avenue, Manhattan
Instructional Leadership Division 10 — 4360 Broadway, Manhattan
Can parents use any of the Learning Support Centers and Parent Support Offices in the city?
Yes. Every Parent Support Office will be equipped to handle any parent inquiry and will be open on the same schedule.
How will the Department of Education ensure that parents are welcomed into their children’s schools and are responsive to their concerns?
Each school will have a full time dedicated Parent Coordinator who will be responsible for actively engaging parents in their child’s education and responding to parental concerns at the school level. Parent engagement standards are part of every principal’s performance review. The criteria for evaluating principals will include the effectiveness of each school in successfully engaging parents, keeping parents informed, addressing parent concerns and creating a school atmosphere that is welcoming to parents.
What is the Parent Academy?
The Parent Academy will be a full—service resource center with support and training for school—based Parent Coordinators and Parent Support Officers in the Learning Support Centers. The Department of Education will provide parents with more information about the Parent Academy in the months ahead.
