Parent Liaison Chris Kamerow 703-239-4000

Today's Tip for Parents

Chris is available most mornings between the hours of 9:00 and 12:00. You can stop in the school or reach her by phone.. If she is not available, you can leave a message and your call will be returned as soon as possible during the day or evening, whichever you prefer.

Who Are Parent Liaisons?

Parent Liaisons are special staff members who work in your child's school. They help you get the information and assistance you need to support your child at home and to ensure your child's academic success.

Why Do Schools Have Parent Liaisons?

Parent Liaisons serve as a communication link between home and school. They welcome and orient families to the school and familiarize the families with the school's culture, policies, procedures, and practices.

What Can Parent Liaisons Do?

Because parent liaisons know a great deal about your child's school and community, they are a valuable resource for you. They can connect you with the appropriate people within the school or community who can help you meet your child's needs.

Parent liaisons establish and build successful working relationships with the families of all children in the school. They appreciate the school's cultural diversity and work to foster unity, cohesiveness, and cooperation among all families.

All parent liaisons are proficient in the English language; many speak one or more additional languages.

How Do Parent Liaisons Help Parents?

• Parent liaisons provide services such as the following to assist you and your child:
• Encourage open communication between you and school personnel.
• Explain the purpose and process of conferences and school meetings.
• Attend conferences and school meetings with you to clarify procedures and processes.
• Arrange meetings between your family and school staff members.
• When needed, make arrangements to have language interpreters or translators at school meetings.
• Explain school policies, practices, and programs.
• Provide information about school goals, resources, and activities.
• Give school tours.
• Offer suggestions about how you can become involved in your child's education and your school community.
• Help you connect with any special help or service you child may need.

Family Services and Involvement site is a part of the Fairfax County Public Schools site. The center offers classes to parents, which are listed at the site, as well as services to school personnel and community groups. PEC is part of the Offce of Early Childhood and Family Services, in the Instructional Services Department.

Downloadable copies of "School Success Ideas for Parents" are available from the Parent Institute. This service is available to all schools in the system. The service, linked above, delivers practical, research-based parent involvement information that is automatically updated every day.