Target Success is Sequoia Union High School District's parent involvement program. Established in 1991, the goal of Target Success has always been promoting student achievement by actively involving parents. Dorthy Burnside, Parent Involvement Coordinator has served in this position for 10 years, first as a parent volunteer and then coordinator. Ms. Burnside holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Relations & Organizational Behavior. As a Parent Involvement Coordinator, she organizes parent eduation workshops and trainings on how to negotiate the school system and how to become partners with educators. In this capacity, she develops plans to facilitate parent involvement in the schools and publishes written resources to help parents ensure academic success for their students.

Parental Involvement is the support and participation of parents at home and at the school site that directly and positively affects the educational progress of their children and is actively promoted by the school.

Target Success helps parents to . . .

• Get information they need about schools, school programs and activities, graduation requirements, support groups, post-graduation opportunities, etc.
• Get answers they need to frequently asked questions.
• Evaluate their children's schools.
• Learn where to go for answers at the district.
• Get skills they need to help their students – learning how to lead, how to create home environments that support learning, how to help with school assignments without being an expert on the subject, how to negotiate school regulations and officials.
• Create networks of concerned parents to share problems, brainstorm solutions, push for changes in schools and community programs and provide mutual support.
• Develop leadership skills. (Current parent group leaders/potential leaders are invited to participate in "Situational Leadership" and Meeting Skills Training.)
• Learn about their rights. Call for information on Complaint Procedures, Family School Partnership Act, and Parents Rights Brochure.
• Learn about the following parent education topics: Encouraging Good Home Habits; School Site Council Management; External and Internal Trends in Education; Title I Programs & Services; Financial Aid; Improving Family Communication; College Planning; and many others. Translation Services Provided.
• Draw out parents, especially those who have not traditionally been involved in school activities.
• Contribute to the academic success of all students.

Parent Involvement Plan Goals

• Build infrastructure for sustaining parent involvement(attained)*.
• Increase parents participating in organized parent involvement at each school(attained)*.
• Help under-represented parents gain better access to school system (attained)*.
• Empower parents as partners with educators in ensuring student success (ongoing).
• Track parent involvement and link to student achievement, performance & graduation rates (ongoing).