Parent Coordinator

Margaret Pasach
BSGE Parent Coordinator
mpasach@bsge.org

The Role of the Parent Coordinator
The Department of Education (DOE) created the Parent Coordinator position to help parents and their children. The Parent Coordinator’s first job is to create a welcoming environment in the school for all parents to help increase parent involvement in education.

Parent Coordinators are parents’ first stop in their search for information about their child’s school; the system in general; or for issues or concerns which need to be addressed at the school.

In creating this position, DOE realized that most problems involving students and their families must be solved at the school level. Unlike parent volunteers working in a school, the Parent Coordinator is a staff professional who can work with her/his colleagues to solve problems.

The Parent Coordinator supports existing parent organizations, such as the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the School Leadership Team (SLT). While some Parent Coordinators are former PTA officers, the position of Parent Coordinator is not an extension of the PTA. The job of the Parent Coordinator is to work with parent groups to find ways to attract and serve a broader range of parents in the school.

The Children First reforms also address the key need to involve entire communities in improving schools. Parent Coordinators reach out to community and faith based organizations to seek their assistance. Health care, after school activities, and mentoring programs are part of a broad range of issues for which Parent Coordinators seeks community assistance. The goal is to support students in the broadest sense.

Every parent should take the time to introduce themselves to Margaret Pasach, the BSGE Parent Coordinator. As the school year unfolds, Parent Coordinators offer many opportunities for parents to learn more about supporting their children’s education.