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InPavrenotlvement
by Erika Donalds
Collier County School Board Member Our approach was a hybrid of utilizing
state expertise, while also considering
W e’ve all heard the mantra – “Parent Involvement is the key materials not on the state list. We
to Student Success.” It has been my mission for several agreed the district’s process should be
years to engage parents and provide an avenue for greater inclusive, consistent, and transparent.
involvement in their children’s education. Looking forward, Also discussed were the factors to be
we have some excellent opportunities to connect parents and other considered by selection committees,
stakeholders with schools and education decision makers. This is an such as quality, accuracy, and alignment
exciting time in our local school district and state.Citizens are paying with education standards. The new
close attention to education, and board members and legislators are law requires parents be included in the
listening. We’ve made some instrumental changes already, and we adoption process, and tasks districts to
need your support even more now to continue improving education ensure parents can review adopted materials and have any concerns
for our students. addressed in a timely manner.
I ran for the Collier County School Board because I felt strongly This month,the focus turns toTallahassee and the legislative session.
that we needed a parent’s voice – someone with direct experience in Our Collier School Board legislative platform includes requests for
today’s education environment. As a mother of three young boys - local flexibility on the student start date, currently mandated to be
one of whom just finished elementary school - I know, and also hear “no less than 14 weeks prior to Labor Day”; a relaxation of the new
from friends and neighbors, many of the strengths and challenges state high stakes testing consequences; and concerns about funding
of our school district. While President of Parents R.O.C.K., a local mandates. The annual education statute changes have not allowed
parent advocacy organization, I’ve been fortunate to help many local districts fully implement existing laws before having to adjust to
families navigate the system and speak up on issues affecting their new ones. I am advocating there be no further changes to graduation
students. Our group reaches hundreds of parents monthly, informing requirements in the current year. As it is, each graduating class from
them on the issues, sending meeting reminders and recaps, while also 2015 to 2019 has a different list of courses required to graduate from
gathering feedback on their experiences. high school! Schools, guidance counselors and families are scrambling
to keep up. As new bills are introduced, I am reaching out to parents
At our first school board meeting just two weeks after the election, and the community to help support our district by writing legislators
we moved monthly meeting times from 4–5:30 p.m. to allow more in support of,or opposition to,bills,based on the needs of our students.
parents and taxpayers to participate. Attendance has increased more
than ten-fold! Monthly workshops were added to provide opportunity I am thrilled to see so many of my fellow parents involved at
for discussion and feedback on parents’ top concerns, including high every level of this important mission. Parents, grandparents and
stakes testing and curriculum. At the board’s Testing Workshop in other advocates for students have rallied around our district to
December, parents received detailed information about the number provide support and constructive feedback. We are an ‘education
and type of tests given each year. They were also informed about how community’. Our students need to know that we surround them with
test results are used and how opting out would affect their students. high expectations and reinforcement; our leaders need to know that
School-specific testing calendars were added to the district and school we will hold them accountable for academic results; and our parents
websites for increased transparency. need to know we back them to be the most important factors in their
students’ academic success.
In January, the board workshop focused on textbook selection
and curriculum. The board room was filled with parents, teachers If you’d like to contact Erika Donalds, you can reach her at
and concerned citizens. Recent legislation allows school districts to 239.377.0485 or e-mail her at Donale@collierschools.com.
adopt policies and procedures for selecting instructional materials, a
duty previously assigned to the Florida Department of Education.
38 Life in Naples | March 2015
