Help your child's school thrive

It's sad to see the energy expended fighting school closures, which could have done so much more good helping the schools thrive all along.

So, here are some suggestions for school communities, for strengthening schools now.

• Get involved in your school and your kids' education. Go to PTA meetings, school events, teacher conferences. Ask your teacher or your PTA officers how you can volunteer. Mountains of evidence link parent involvement with higher achievement by their kids (and think of the good karma). And involved parents are the hallmark of a thriving school.
• Pay attention to what's going on at the school. Read the school newsletter, dig into your kids' backpacks to make sure you get information sent home from school, join the listserve, listen to the autodialer calls.
• Do everything possible to ensure that your children are learning effectively. Make sure they do their homework and get to school on time; limit screen time; make sure they get adequate sleep and good nutrition; support and encourage their achievements; require them to behave appropriately, dress appropriately and respect their teachers, and model that behavior yourself; talk to and listen to their teachers.
• If your school doesn't have a PTA, START ONE. Contact the San Francisco PTA online or at 415/241-6048. You need 15 members and three officers.
• This applies if you're a teacher, too. Join the PTA or start one and work to keep it thriving. The T is for teacher.
• Attend district PTA events and subscribe to the SFPTA newsletter. E-mail to 2nd-dist-biweekly-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to subscribe.
• Promote your school to parents looking for schools. Bring your friends in. Invite parents to visit the school and lead them on tours.
• Get involved in Parents for Public Schools (415/468-7077) to support and promote your school and your child's learning.

&mdash Caroline