GoBigEd

Posted 10:10 AM by Susan Darst Williams

IT’S ‘ASK-A-PRINCIPAL’ HOTLINE TIME

One of the reasons parents are often reluctant to speak frankly with their school principal is that they fear repercussions to their children.

Also, those who don’t do well around authority figures are often intimidated, and many don’t want to appear ignorant. Still others don’t want to appear to be making a mountain out of a molehill, so even if they have a concern they err on the side of caution and say nothing.

Not feeling comfortable enough around your school principal to even ask a question is a sign of bad school-home communications, which in turn causes mediocre or poor parental involvement in the school. Unfortunately, it’s fairly common.

But once a year, there’s a way you can get some burning questions answered, either about a major or minor problem your child is having, or a school issue in general, by calling an anonymous national “Ask-a-Principal” hotline.

It’s sponsored by the National Association of Elementary School Principals and staffed by more than 125 principals and school psychologists during the group’s annual convention Sunday through Tuesday.

Call toll-free (800) 944-1601 during these times:

Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

Monday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday, 6 a.m. to noon

Wouldn’t it be nice to have this service going year-round? Let’s fan the flames of putting a parents’ hotline on the front burner . . . and light a fire for more parental involvement in school.