PARENT COORDINATOR – CHAPTER 1

DEFINITION

Under the general supervision of the building principal, the role of the Parent Coordinator is to establish meaningful communication between the school and the community to insure educational achievement of all students.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS/REQUIREMENTS

The Parent Coordinator will be primarily concerned with parent training and school-to-parent communications.  Because of the need to communicate with all parents, the position requires a bilingual person who speaks and writes in both English and Spanish.

The Parent Coordinator position should have experience as a Parent Trainer, Community Coordinator and/or other experience working with adults.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES (Not ranked according to importance)

Establishes channels of positive communication between the school and students’ families; uses channels of communication to enhance the participation of parents in school activities; develops parent training sessions to meet the needs of parents; develops a monthly newsletter as a form of communication to parents; assists parents with the development of a Parent Club to enhance the educational opportunities for their children; works with staff in opening lines of communication with their students’ parents.

REQUIREMENTS

            Ability to read and write in English and Spanish;

            Knowledge of skills with word processor;

            Knowledge of parenting skills, parents’ rights, parent responsibility.

LICENSE

Possession of an appropriate California operator’s license issued by the State Department of Motor Vehicles.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

            Community problems, interests and concerns;

            Public and private community service agencies;

            School needs and regulations.

Ability to:

            Work effectively and harmoniously with others;

Understand and communicate with children and adults of different racial and cultural background;

Understand and carry out oral and written directions;

Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action;

Communicate (orally and in writing) in English and Spanish.

and

EXPERIENCE

One (1) year of paid or unpaid experience in work involving contact with various ethnic and racial groups in the community.

EDUCATION

Equivalent to completion of twelfth grade.