Parents Covenant, Sample 1

Parent/School Covenant

THE ACADEMY and our Parents: Establishing and Maintaining the Partnership

It is the philosophy of THE ACADEMY that we enroll families, not just students. Parents,
legal guardians, grandparents, and all other family members play an integral role in every
child’s education. In addition to requiring the school and its parents to sign a legal contract
each year for a student's enrollment in the school, THE ACADEMY has found it helpful for
the school and parents to enter into a "covenant," a pact by which we articulate the
reasonable expectations we have of each other, to confirm and clarify a partnership between
the school and the parents of its students. In what follows we describe the details of this
partnership.

Involvement in the school

The staff members of THE ACADEMY agree to provide high quality education for students,
in full accordance with our mission. In addition to academic and athletic education, we strive
to teach students responsibility, respect, discipline, and other important life skills. Our
teachers and coaches are professionals trained in their disciplines.

By enrolling their child at THE ACADEMY, parents agree to read, understand, and endorse
school mission and policies. No school can succeed in fulfilling its mission unless parents are
also committed to it. Please read the Student and Parent Handbook and discuss with your
child the philosophy and policies contained in it. Maintain regular contact with your child's
teachers, coaches, and advisor. Show your support and encouragement by participation in
school activities and attendance at school events, especially those in which your child has a
role to play.

Communication

THE ACADEMY agrees to keep you informed of your child's progress in all areas. Teachers,
advisors, and athletic coaches provide written reports each term. Teachers give midterm
reports, and we will contact you promptly if your son/daughter is having academic or
disciplinary difficulties. In addition to the formal reporting of grades and comments and early
warning notices as needed, the school welcomes informal communications between teachers
and parents. Feel free to call or to e-mail for updates at any time. We will try to return calls
and e-mails within 24 hours. Our staff members are all available and open to communication
from parents and families at any time.

Parents agree to treat all THE ACADEMY staff with respect. The quid pro quo of the
partnership with parents is that we expect our parents to treat our teachers as professionals
who know what to teach and how to teach it, just as we expect our teachers to treat parents as
experts about their own children, experts who have something crucial to contribute in our
work with the student.
Supporting the student

Parents and THE ACADEMY staff all have responsibilities to your child as a student at this
school. Professionals in the field routinely counsel parents that young people need three
essential building blocks: support, encouragement, and structure (i.e., clear boundary lines
and significant consequences for crossing the line). Periodically, assess the extent to which
you are giving your child these three foundations (and ask your child and his or her teachers
for their assessments about how you are doing on the parenting side). THE ACADEMY
agrees to provide these building blocks and to uphold the values and ideals stated in our
Mission Statement and Student and Parent Handbook.

Parents’ responsibilities in the development of their child’s moral values include modeling
integrity and civility, listening, supervising, and supporting consequences for dubious
behavior. Be a role model when it comes to honesty and civil behavior at all times, but
especially in behavior towards others at the school, on the sidelines at athletic events, and in
conversations with and about the adults at school. Parents who fail to be civil and/or become
disruptive in their relationships with the school place that relationship in jeopardy, including
the possibility of the school insisting that they withdraw their child from the school. Engage
your child in conversations around events that have moral overtones. Encourage participation
in events that promote high standards (e.g., service) and actively discourage participation in
events that can lead to immoral, unwise, or illegal behavior (e.g., do not permit children to
have unsupervised parties or to partake in drug, alcohol, or tobacco use). Do not fear
opposing bad choices, even if you made them yourself in your youth. Admit you were
immature when you made the bad choice. Help your child to capitalize upon successes, and
even more importantly, to learn from setbacks and failures as a part of life. Attempting to
ameliorate or cover up mistakes on the part of your child is a disservice to your child and to
the school.

Academic or disciplinary difficulties

THE ACADEMY agrees to assist students having academic difficulties and keep parents
informed. Students having academic difficulties put the school’s special services into motion.
Any teacher or administrator can request a support meeting for any student, at which the
student's teachers, coaches, and advisor meet with the school's academic leaders to determine
the causes for academic difficulties and to design a plan to work on them. When appropriate,
the school arranges testing and tutorials.

When a student has disciplinary difficulties, the school agrees to investigate thoroughly and
adjudicate fairly. The school authorities will inform parents at the earliest appropriate
juncture about any disciplinary event and its consequences. Students may be accompanied by
their advisors to any disciplinary proceeding or conversation (but may not be represented by
parents or legal counsel). If the event is serious enough, a 3-way conference with the parent
and child and school authorities may be required. The school handles these situations in loco
parentis, attempting to balance consistent discipline within the school with the needs of the
individual child.

Parents agree to trust that THE ACADEMY will respond to academic and disciplinary
problems fairly and appropriately. They will support the policies and decisions of the school.
THE ACADEMY governance structure

It is the responsibility of parents to understand the structure of THE ACADEMY and its
board of trustees. As an independent school, THE ACADEMY is governed by a self-
perpetuating board of trustees, whose job it is to secure the future of the school. It does so by
setting basic policies, hiring, supporting, and evaluating the head of school, undertaking
strategic planning, evaluating the performance of the school, and leading in financial support
of the school. The board entrusts all the daily operations of the school to the head of school,
who supervises and evaluates all programs and personnel and is the final arbiter of any
disputes that may arise, including those of parent issues or student disciplinary issues. The
board does not sit in review of administrative decisions, so the head of school is the court of
last resort for any problem. For matters large and small, the proper channel to raise an issue
or register a complaint is to go the most direct level first i.e., to the teacher, coach, or staff
member most closely related to the issue and capable of addressing it. If not satisfied at that
juncture, a parent should seek out the next level (department head, division head, or other
administrator). If all else fails, one should then go to the head of school. We also invite
parents to contact any staff member for quick responses to questions or needs. We suggest
avoiding the assumption that what you hear from your child, or in the parking lot, is a
completely accurate rendition of any event.

Financial responsibilities of parents

Parents agree to make timely tuition payments. It is also important that parents commit to the
annual giving, fundraisers, and capital campaigns. We also accept in-kind gifts of time,
service, materials, equipment, or whatever else they may be able to offer. While
contributions to the annual fund and fundraisers are not mandatory, they are crucial for an
independent school. It costs the school thousands of dollars more than we charge in tuition to
educate each child, and therefore we are absolutely dependent upon the generosity of parents
and patrons to make up that difference. Please be respectful and responsive when you are
called upon for a gift. The average THE ACADEMY School Parent gift is $630, but we are
thankful of course for gifts at any level. Additionally, the fundraisers are major events for our
school. We need parent volunteers to help us plan and orchestrate these events and all parents
to participate. You will find that these evenings are entertaining and spirited.

If we all work together with honesty, respect and sincerity it will benefit the student and all
parties involved. Children prosper when the people who care for them are united. We look
forward to working with you.

I/We have read and understand the agreements contained in the Parent/School Covenant

Parent Signature_____________________________________________
Date___________________
Parent Signature_____________________________________________
Date___________________

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Author: Crested Butte Academy (CO), David Rothman, head of school. Based in part on
themes from ISACS monographs and presentations.ISACS Update, Fall 2000
Parents Covenant, Sample 2

SCHOOL CODE OF CONDUCT

To be a member of our school community is to accept and abide by the following

expectations…

Principles of partnership for parents:

It is expected that all school parents will:

Seek, in selecting an independent school, an optimal match between the needs of their
child, their own expectations, and the philosophy and programs of the school.
Recognize that effective partnerships are characterized by clearly defined
responsibilities, a shared commitment to collaboration, open lines of communication,
mutual respect, and a common vision of the goals to be achieved.
Respect the school's responsibility to do what is best for the entire community, while
recognizing the needs of their individual student.
Familiarize themselves with and support the school's policies and procedures.
Provide a home environment that supports the development of positive learning
attitudes and habits that are consistent with those of the school.
Involve themselves in the life of the school, through volunteerism and other means, to
promote the best interests of their student.
Share with the school any religious, cultural, medical, or personal information that the
school may need to best serve their child and the school community.
Seek to resolve problems and secure information through appropriate channels (i.e.,
teacher/advisor, division head, head of school-in that order).
Treat everyone with respect and maintain an educational, rather than adversarial tone, in
the face of the inevitable conflicts and challenges.
Utilize the support of the Parents' Advisory Committee when appropriate.
Acknowledge that their payment of tuition is not an investment of ownership in the
school, with related controls, but rather an investment in the educational process of their
child.
The school believes that a positive and constructive partnership between the School and
a student's parents or guardian is essential to the fulfillment of the School's mission.
Thus, the School reserves the right not to continue enrollment or not to re-enroll a
student if the School reasonably concludes that the actions of the parent or guardian
make such a positive, constructive relationship impossible, or otherwise seriously
interfere with Wellington's accomplishment of its educational purposes.
Principles of good conduct for school employees:

Establish positive, professional relationships with students, characterized by mutual

respect, warmth, and good will.
Participate in the establishment and maintenance of an atmosphere of collegial support
and adherence to professional standards.
Initiate growth in their own intellectual and professional development, seeking out
opportunities to learn.
Know the mission and policies of the school and as they arise, raise questions or
concerns with appropriate colleagues and supervisors.
Model integrity, curiosity, responsibility, creativity, and respect for all persons.
Model an appreciation for diversity of race, religion, culture, gender, and learning style.
Be teachers to all students at all times; be committed to teaching ethics and character
formation.
Develop and sustain relationships with colleagues that benefit their students, and further
their own professional growth.
Strive to be mentors and friends to each other, treating colleagues with the same degree
of respect that we expect students to demonstrate for their teachers and peers.
Avoid gossiping, spreading rumors, or making judgments about colleagues, students, or
parents.
Develop and sustain partnerships with parents that support each student's well being and
increasing autonomy.
Enforce standards of student behavior in a fair, firm, compassionate and educationally
sound manner.
Make the school’s philosophy implicit in their teaching and other work with young
people, and also interpret this philosophy to parents as necessary.

Principles of good conduct for students:

Attend all classes (unless excused well in advance) and arrive on time.
Come to class prepared to learn and to help others with their learning.
Show respect for others, starting with basic civility and courtesy, and extending through
acts of kindness.
Consider the safety, feelings, and general needs of others at all times.
Tell the truth and act truthfully.
Respect the property of others and of the school; keep our building and campus clean.
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Author: Wellington School, Richard O’Hara, head of school. ISACS Update, Fall 2000.
Parents Covenant, Sample 3

MJDS PARENT EDUCATOR COVENANT

Set up a teacher for yourself

And get yourself a friend

And give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

An optimal educational experience for our children requires an interactive partnership

among parents, educators and children. Both educators and parents hope that every
school day is filled with learning, joy and grace. In acknowledgement of the
collaborative relationship between parents and educators, the School recognizes these
fundamental principles of communication:

• Mutually respectful approach.

• Ongoing and effective communication.

• Resolution to gather information/data from appropriate sources prior to forming an

opinion and making a judgment.

• Recognition of the power of words and avoidance of lashon harah (harmful speech).

• Effective listening, acknowledging the legitimacy of differing opinions.

• Clearly defined lines of responsibility.

• An agreed-upon process for solving problems.

• Recognition of specific roles in the process.

• Mutual trust that the process is just and fair.

• Well defined, clear boundaries.

• Shared commitment to work together toward a solution.

In an effort to realize these principles in our daily interactions as a school community,
we agree upon the following expectations:

Reasonable Expectations of Parents

• Recognition that:

1. Educators are trained professionals.

2. Educators and parental perspective may justifiably differ.

3. Educators have multiple time commitments.

• Be ready to be heard by educators.

• Be ready to listen to educators.

• Hold discussion with educators at a time and place that permits full and confidential
exploration of the issues.

1. Direct concerns to educators

2. Be prepared to clearly articulate the issues

3. Provide an opportunity for educators to work toward a solution

4. Remember that comprehensive solutions may require time

Reasonable Expectations of Educators

• Recognition that:

1. Parents have a depth of experience with the student.

2. Parental and educator perspective may justifiably differ.

3. Parents have multiple time commitments.

• Be ready to be heard by parents.

• Be ready to listen to parents.

• Provide appropriate time and place for full and confidential discussion.

• Ensure the concerns are well understood.

• Identify the issue.

• Establish reasonable expectations for solving the problem.

• Construct a written "action plan."

• Confer to evaluate the effectiveness of the "plan."

• Provide an opportunity for the parent to work toward a solution.

• Provide an opportunity for every student to shine.

_______________________________

Source: Minneapolis Jewish Day School, Fall 2000.