We begin a new school year in challenging and uncertain times. Complex situations such as these call for a particularly rich and enthusiastic community response. Given literacy’s profound impact on learning, communication, enjoyment and agency, it is timely to revisit the literacy landscape at Mount Carmel – a landscape central to the intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual development of all students.  

Literacy is the ability to read, write, view, speak and listen for different purposes in a range of situations. It is fundamental to a student’s ability to learn at school and to participate in life beyond school. Parents are a vital component of the literacy learning process. Parent engagement in learning is known to lead to improved outcomes for students of all ages. The role of parents and other adult caregivers is therefore critical. Connecting learning at home and learning at school in the form of a literacy partnership is an exciting initiative at Mount Carmel. The Mount Carmel Home-School Partnership is a commitment to joint action in which parents and teachers work together to improve student learning outcomes. 

This collaborative and creative venture is based on the following core principles: 

• parents are the first and continuing educators of their children
• learning is life-long and occurs in multiple settings
• partnerships grow from mutual trust, respect and responsibility
• schools and communities flourish when the diversity and strengths of families are valued and privileged.

The key dimensions which frame the building of this partnership include the following:

• communication
• connection between home and school
• community and identity building
• recognition of the important role of the family
• consultation on decision-making
• participation.

As part of this literacy partnership, Mount Carmel is committed to the following:

• engaging with parents and families to explore ways to support learning at home 
• providing development and training opportunities that bring teachers and parents together
• providing resources and opportunities to support and facilitate home-based learning
• proactively communicating and discussing students’ progress with parents 
• integrating family engagement into curriculum planning. 

Parental engagement strategies which lead to positive student learning outcomes include:

• having high aspirations for your children
• the privileging of books and reading for pleasure
• shared reading experiences
• establishing reasonable screen time boundaries 
• having rich and regular parent-child conversations
• communicating to your children the value of education
• positive parent-teacher relationships.

As the Literacy Instructional Coach, I will be communicating with parents and caregivers regularly throughout the year. I encourage you to contact me if there are any questions or concerns regarding literacy and learning. 

Clare Murphy
English Coordinator and Literacy Instructional Coach