The following statement on Parents and Independent Schools was written by the Association of Independent Maryland Schools and is used with permission. The statement has been adopted by the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS) of which Chapin is a member. Working together, parents and school professionals exert a strong influence on children to become better educated; they also help them to mature by modeling adult working relationships based upon civility, honesty and respect.
In practice, the greatest impediment to effective teamwork between independent schools and parents grows out of misunderstandings about school decision-making processes: Who makes decisions in independent schools? How are those decisions made? Independent schools must communicate their procedures to parents, who, in turn, share the important responsibility to become informed members of the school community.
Parents And The Board of Trustees
In most independent schools, decision-making authority at the highest level resides in a volunteer Board of Trustees whose membership often includes current parents. The Board of Trustees does not intervene in the daily affairs of the school, such as curriculum development and the hiring, evaluating or firing of faculty and staff. Instead, the Board focuses on three areas critical to the success of any independent school: it selects, evaluates and supports the Head of School, to whom it delegates authority to manage the school; it develops broad institutional policies that guide the Head in running the school; and it is accountable for the financial well-being of the school. In the conduct of its official business, the Board acts only as a whole; individual Trustees, including the Board Chair, have no authority to act unless specifically authorized to do so by the Board acting as a whole.
- NJAIS encourages parents who are interested in high-level decision making to stay informed about the work of the Board of Trustees by reading school publications, talking to the Head of School and attending appropriate meetings.
- Parents with concerns about the school or with decisions made by the administration or faculty are encouraged to inquire about and follow the school’s review process, but they should not expect the Board of Trustees to act as an appeals board. In a day school, trustees often interact with others within the school community and hear concerns about the daily operation of the school. As a matter of good practice, the trustee reports those concerns to the Head of School.
Parents play an essential and positive role in the life of an independent school. Not only are parents advocates for their children, they also support the faculty and administration through extensive volunteer activities and events.
Parents And The Faculty & Administration
The relationship between parents and the faculty and administration is formally governed by the school’s written enrollment contract and handbook, in which procedures are spelled out. When parents choose to enroll their child in an independent school, they agree to subscribe to its missions, follow its rules and abide by its decisions. However, most teachers and administrators would agree that trust and mutual respect are the most essential underpinnings of effective working relationships with parents.
- NJAIS encourages parents to work productively with teachers and administrators by staying informed about their child and important events in the life of the school. It is incumbent upon the school to provide parents with timely and pertinent information.
- Parents best support a school climate of trust and respect by communicating concerns openly and constructively to the teacher or administrator closest to the problem. Efforts by parents to lobby other parents will be viewed by the school as counterproductive.
- While parents may not agree with every decision by the school, in most cases, the parent and school will find enough common ground to continue a mutually respectful relationship. In the extreme case, however, an impasse may be so severe that the parent cannot remain a constructive member of the community. In such cases, both the parent and the school should consider whether another school would be a better match for the family.
To be successful, every independent school needs and expects the cooperation of its parents, who must understand and embrace the school’s mission, share its core values and fully support its curriculum, faculty and staff. When joined by a common set of beliefs and purposes, the independent school and its parents form a powerful team with far-reaching positive effects on children and the entire school community.
Chapin School believes that a positive, constructive relationship between the school and a student’s parents or guardians is essential to the fulfillment of the school’s mission. Therefore, at the sole discretion of the Headmaster, the school reserves the right to terminate a student’s Enrollment Contract or to deny re-enrollment if parents or guardians engage in actions or inaction which are detrimental to a constructive, working relationship with the school.