The premiere program of the James R. Jordan Foundation Vision for Families, VFF/Parent Partnerships aims to strengthen ties between school and home by creating an active support team for students in underserved communities. Parent Partnerships brings together parents, teachers, principals and community organizations to create a positive academic and school culture experience for students.
VFF/Parent Partnerships begins with the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Because the schools have varying levels of PTA participation, VFF/Parent Partnerships works with parents to create or reinvigorate the PTA, and to find practical solutions to the obstacles preventing parents and caregivers from attending meetings.
The meetings provide an open forum for families to connect with school administration and teachers, and to discuss the challenges they face as they guide their children through the school years. In response,VFF/Parent Partnerships facilitates speakers that help tackle the issues affecting the parents and community, and connects parents with the appropriate organizations that can further assist them.
VFF/Parent Partnerships has served as the launching pad for other JRJF programs. Parents and caregivers concerned about continuing their children’s education in a safe environment through the summer months helped to create our Student Explorers program; principals troubled by low 3rd grade reading levels inspired Read with Me!, a program supporting pre-Kindergarten-3rd grade students and their parents.