Parents, you can play a significant role in supporting your kid’s school! Donations are, of course, always welcome. But which parent has a lump sum of money at the ready? Thankfully, there is more than one way to unlock fundings without making it look and feel like you are breaking the bank. Understandably, parents have had a rough time adjusting to the pandemic challenges. Self-employed individuals and those working in face-to-face businesses have faced substantial financial losses during the lockdowns. So, it is fair to say that not everyone can afford to give money.
Simple, inexpensive events such as a quiz night or a bake sale, for instance, can prove helpful in raising funds without pressuring some of the most affected parents into paying more. But there is more than one way to show your support to your local school. Parents can help raise school visibility and reputation, which can always affect funding in the long term.
Offer to run a blog for the school community
Prospective students carefully check schools’ communication before making their decisions. That’s precisely where blogging can help promote your school community and encourage local households to attend sponsoring events. Who should run the school blog? Ideally, you want the blog to be a community effort, combining selected members of staff, involved parents, and perhaps some students. It’s a fantastic opportunity to show off the school’s vision and values, sharing fun content about day-to-day routines. Parents can help prepare articles to support new parents and students, such as back to school tips, easy lunchbox recipes, and homework strategies. On the other hand, teachers can provide helpful exercises and even behind the scenes information about lesson planning. It can be helpful to reach out to students and speciality staff for informative interviews about everyday routines.
Discuss funding digital visibility
Every school should have a website, as it’s the first place parents are going to check. Unfortunately, an ineffective website can affect the school’s influence within the local community. Ultimately, when parents are looking for the best schools based on their locations, they turn to search engines for guidance. That’s where search engine optimization, aka SEO, will play a huge role. Parents who are familiar with SEO strategies can provide support regarding technical SEO and content generation. Ideally, you want to reach out to a professional agency to tackle these areas. However, if you are working in a marketing role or cooperating with a marketing team, you can become the priority contact for agency management. Alternatively, marketing trained parents can also offer tips and ideas on how to improve the website on a shoestring budget.
Similarly, it’s worth mentioning that parents who already own a blog can write an article linking back to the school website. This will act as a backlink, and it’s always a bonus for SEO!
Have a vocational lottery event
What do children want to do? A lot of kids find it tricky to make a choice for their GCSE or their A-levels. When it comes to their careers, our kids are often at a loss. Many are unaware of the options available and end up picking a path without gathering enough information. So, it can be a fantastic idea to invite a few parents who can help with career advice. Why not plan a recurring vocational event where some parents can talk about their jobs? It can be an eye-opener for a lot of young teens who can hear about jobs they didn’t know. For instance, you can consider vocational interviews by school subject. Software engineers, data analysts, maths teachers, accountants, and architects could offer insights into some career paths with maths-focused studies. On the other hand, interpreters, language teachers, translators, international sales managers, and communication experts can share the paths they’ve followed with language and English subjects.
These events can also encourage kids to find a work placement in local companies to gain first-hand experience.
Have a hobby club
Most hobbies can be shared with individuals of all ages. So it can seem like a good idea to start a hobby club where students and adults can mingle and exchange their passions. Whether you are a prolific knitter or an avid reader, hobbies clubs at school offer a new perspective into stress management issues, creativity, and inclusiveness. For a lot of kids, the world of adults is a separate entity. So, encouraging exchanges and friendship can be a game-changer. Kids who need guidance or mentoring in their day-to-day life can find support in a hobby club. They can also learn essential life skills that are not typically taught at school.
As a parent, you can help your school community to grow. When finances are not an option, sharing knowledge and giving time can ensure the school and its students receive the attention they deserve.
This is a collaborative post.
