This is part one of a two part series on promoting effective parent and school partnerships. Part 2 focuses on Seven High-Touch Communication Strategies.

During new parent orientation, I ask parents to pray for us because we need the wisdom of Solomon in making good decisions. After all, as I tell them, “We only deal with people’s children, money, and religion: what could possibly go wrong?” 

This lighthearted acknowledgment elicits hearty laughter, creates a relaxed atmosphere, and conveys an important truth. As school leaders, we deal with three of the most important things in parents’ lives—their children, their religion, and their money. And depending on what is going on around us and what might be said in a classroom, we can throw politics into the mix. What could go wrong?!

Indeed, things do go wrong or are perceived to have gone wrong. Either way, too often parents, teachers, and administrators find themselves at odds and engaged in tension and conflict. My purpose in this article is not to address the reasons for the tensions, which are many. Instead, I will focus on practical things we can do to promote positive partnerships with parents. 

In Part 1 of this two part series, I outlined Six Principles to Promote Parent and School Partnerships. In Part 2 I am focusing on Seven High-Touch Communication Strategies. 

Good communication fosters confidence, trust, and positive relationships. Poor communication does the opposite. Promoting a positive partnership with parents is ultimately not about the programs we put in place, though those are valuable. It is about fostering positive relationships. Such relationships are best nourished by consistently and warmly engaging with parents. When strong relationships are encouraged, a strong partnership with the school forms. This is honoring to the Lord, life-on life transforming, and ultimately enhances the school’s ability to fulfill its mission.

High-touch communication is essential to developing healthy partnerships with our school parents. While we cannot always control how others communicate to and with us, we can certainly work on responding in ways that effectively address the issues at hand—as well as do our part to foster positive relationships into the future.

While technology has its place, it must be kept in its place. More often than not, our over reliance on high tech communication diminishes the effectiveness of our communication and impedes the school-to-home partnership. Here are seven specific strategies for developing high-touch communication, which if applied consistently will go a long way to fostering an enduring healthy partnership with your parents.

Having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 1 Peter 3:16

When it comes to a worldview that encourages judgmental, legalistic attitudes, it’s hard to beat atheism. Maybe that’s because it’s a perspective that hasn’t room for biblical concepts of sin, repentance, redemption and spiritual rebirth, and so has to depend on a list of externally imposed, arbitrary rules to hold society together. So it’s no surprise that in North America’s functionally atheistic society - especially in its media - legalistic, condemning judgements are the popular pastimes du jour: 

Evangelical Christians? = “BAD!” 

Most students still learn using a method that has existed in our schools for over 100 years. In a typical classroom setting, students sit at desks in rows and the teacher “teaches” from the front of the room. The typical student has been trained since childhood for someone to give them information and take notes or listen.

While the traditional classroom is adept at preparing students for industrial and knowledge-based jobs, it has not kept pace with preparing students for today’s economy that employs a greater share of workers in service and innovation-based economies.

Today, new learning methods are available to give students an expanded skillset needed for their future. Many schools today are utilizing Project Based Learning (PBL) and computer-based instruction in the form of online and blended learning to fill the gaps left by traditional instruction. These initiatives are expected to grow as research studies indicate that families want more technology-based instruction and less use of teacher-driven instruction ...

Have you ever flown in a 1967 Piper Comanche? Until recently, I had not. Here’s the story… We were scheduled on a flight from Atlanta to Birmingham. We boarded the plane; they shut the door and about three minutes later, the pilot said, “This plane is not flying today.” What would you do in that situation?

My traveling companion said, “Follow me.” We left the airport and drove about 20 minutes south. We pulled into a driveway and a just a minute later a plane was pulled out of a garage behind the house!

Moments after the plane’s appearance, we were taxiing down a grass runway in front of this guy’s house. He told me his plan was to get us airborne before we hit the trees at the end of the runway (pasture). We made it. The rest of the trip was uneventful compared to the takeoff.

During this adventure, I was reminded of a trait I admire in other leaders and have always tried to cultivate myself. Certainly, we all know there’s not always a way. But that’s one reason I love hanging around leaders, they always think there is.