Family involvement is a critical link to student achievement, to achieving a high quality education and to a safe, disciplined learning environment. Your participation in your child's education is important to us.
Parents and guardians have opportunities to become involved both at home and at school. Here are just a few ways you can partner with your schools to benefit your child.
Parent Teacher Advisory Council (PTAC): PTAC groups meet monthly to discuss pertinent school issues, coordinate school activities such as book fairs, family nights and others, and raise funds that help provide equipment, student rewards, counseling materials and more. Read more.
Committees: District and program committees make important recommendations to the district departments and/or the School Board. Parents have an important role on these committees. Some of these committees are the Instruction and Curriculum Advisory Committee, Citizen Finance Advisory Committee, Community Education Advisory Council and Early Childhood Family Education Advisory Committee.
When the need arises, special committees or task forces are formed. Parent and community involvement in the educational process is encouraged because this helps ensure the district is providing quality education to its learners. Contact your school principal or the Superintendent's Office for more information.
Other Volunteer Opportunities: Each school needs parents to help give our students additional learning opportunities. Volunteer opportunities, which vary by school, include tutoring, reading to children, helping with school plays, or serving as academic team coaches (e.g., Destination Imagination), school event chaperones or field trip chaperones.
Parent Teacher Advisory Council
The Parent Teacher Advisory Council at Horizon Middle School Campus gives parents and guardians the opportunity to be involved in their children's education. PTAC works to enhance the education process and provide a better learning environment by bringing parents together with staff for the benefit of the children.
PTAC serves to increase communication between parents and the school, support parent involvement, increase awareness of the school by parents and the community, aid in securing funds for equipment and activities that support education and the school environment, and assist at school functions.
The PTAC membership includes parents and guardians, staff representatives, School Board representatives, and the principal. Any parent or guardian of a Horizon Middle School Campus student is welcome to become a member and attend the PTAC meetings. Parents are encouraged to email hznptac@moorheadschools.org for more information.
Previously PTAC has granted the following requests:
- Purchased books for students as part of a summer reading program to be incorporated in fall classroom activities,
- Contributed to the cost of the grade 7 Courage Retreat,
- Purchased geography curriculum,
- Assisted in covering the cost of author Bill Durbin's visit to speak to all grade 6 students,
- Donated funds to purchase art supplies for the after-school Art Club,
- Promoted nutrition and academic success by purchasing food for a breakfast served to all students on the first day of MCA testing, and
- Enhanced the Horizon community by donating toward the cost of Spring Fling for all Horizon students to enjoy on the last day of school.
These are just some of PTAC's previous contributions. There is more to be accomplished, and we need your help. But that is not the only reason to take part.
More than 500 research studies about parent involvement have found that when parents get involved in their children's education, children's grades and test scores go up, children become more likely to pass and to attend better schools after high school, they have fewer discipline problems, and they are less likely to use drugs and alcohol.