As a school superintendent in Northeast Ohio, I am often asked what makes the greatest difference in a child’s education. We talk about great teachers, strong curriculum, safe schools and high expectations — and all of those things matter.
However, there is another ingredient that also matters: strong relationships between families and schools.
Parents and families are a child’s first and most important teachers. When families and schools work together, students receive a consistent message that education matters, effort matters and they are capable of succeeding. That partnership does not require parents to have all the answers or schools to have all the solutions. It requires us to listen to one another, communicate openly and keep children at the center of every conversation.
Today, parenting also comes with challenges that previous generations did not face.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how our children learn, communicate and access information. AI can be an incredibly useful educational tool, but it also raises important questions about academic integrity, critical thinking, privacy and the ability to distinguish reliable information from misinformation.
Schools have a responsibility to teach students how to use these tools thoughtfully and responsibly. Families have an equally important role in talking with children about when and how technology should be used.
The same is true for social media. Parents cannot — and should not be expected to — navigate this landscape alone. Setting reasonable boundaries around screen time, encouraging healthy habits and understanding what platforms children are using can be difficult. Schools can help by providing information, resources and guidance, but the most important conversations often happen at home.
Perhaps the most powerful thing we can do is remember that technology should never replace relationships.
Our children need adults who know them, listen to them, encourage them and hold them accountable. They need parents who ask about their day, teachers who notice when something seems different and school leaders who create environments where students feel valued and supported.
That is why our commitment to family-school partnerships must remain at the heart of our work. A phone call home should not happen only when there is a problem. A parent-teacher conversation should not be limited to report-card time. We should celebrate successes together, address challenges together and share responsibility for helping every student grow.
No school system can do this work alone, and no family should feel they have to do it alone.
The challenges facing children today may be different from those we experienced growing up, but one thing has not changed: children thrive when the adults around them work together.
As a school community, let us continue building those relationships — one conversation, one partnership and one student at a time. When families and schools stand together, our children are stronger, more confident and better prepared for the future.
Joe Chaddock is the superintendent of the Stark County Educational Service Center.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Schools and families must work together for children’s sake | Opinion
Reporting by Joe Chaddock, Special to the Canton Repository / The Repository
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Joe Chaddock, Special to the Canton Repository | USA TODAY Network
