Parents SEE (Supporting Educational Excellence)
Parents SEE is a 13 week training program focused on parent leadership in education. Created by the Partners for Educational Leadership and the Connecticut Commission on Children to provide parents, grandparents, and guardians with the skills, tools, and understandings they need to become leaders, change agents, and active participants in education.
Parents SEE facilitates partnerships with parents and district/school personnel to address inequities, improve schools, strengthen community engagement, and increase student achievement.
Topics include:
equity in education
what an effective schools look like
how a school district functions
school improvement
student success
educational policies
how can parents lead in schools
Congratulations to Stratford's 11th Cohort of Parents SEE!
For more information or to be considered for Cohort 12 in Winter/Spring of 2025, call Stratford Parents' Place at 203-381-6992.
What is Parents SEE?
■ a chance to make a difference for children and schools.
■ a place to engage in dialogue and practice skills needed to effect constructive change.
■ an opportunity for parents to acquire knowledge to become leaders, change agents and active participants in education.
How Do We Do It?
■ Participants explore Leadership, Change, Educational Policies and Partnering.
■ School and community leaders attend as guests, facilitating dialogue and policy partnerships.
■ Parents acquire skills to address public policy issues and engage as civic leaders to improve schools for all children.
Why Do We Do It?
■ Research shows a clear link between student achievement and parent/family involvement.
■ Students are more successful when schools, families and communities work together.
■ Parent involvement at home, at schools, and in communities really does make a difference.
Stratford has completed 11 consecutive cohorts of the Parents SEE Program, that is 191 parents, grandparents or guardians that have graduated Parents SEE in Stratford.
After graduating, participants use their training in many different ways. Some report a better comfort level in communicating with school/district leaders, some pursue advocacy efforts in schools/the district, some take on leadership roles within the district/community. Many credit Parents SEE for empowering their success.
Some examples of alumni leadership roles:
Elected BOE Member
Elected Town Council Member
Youth Sports Coach
Girl/Boy Scout Troop Leader
SPS Strategic Planning Committee
SSRACCAC (Stratford School Readiness & Child Care Advisory Council)
BOE Subcommittees
Stratford's Democratic and Republican Town Committees
Sterling House Committees
PTA/PTO/PTSA Board Member
Teacher of the Year Selection Committee
C.A.R.E. Board of Directors