SBPS Encourages Families to "Be There"

by Kelly Reisig

The Scottsbluff Public Schools District has joined the campaign to encourage families to "Be There" for their children.

The research linking student performance in school and parent involvement is conclusive. Students perform better in school, and in life, when they have actively engaged and involved parents.

In an effort to strengthen the partnership between parents and schools, the Nebraska Association of School Boards, the Nebraska Parental Information and Resource Center, and the Nebraska School Public Relations Association is sponsoring a statewide multimedia campaign called Be There. The goal of this effort is to inspire families to become involved in meaningful ways in their children’s life and education.

The campaign has several multimedia components. WOWT-Channel 6 in Omaha is the media sponsor of this program and is spearheading the television advertising. The television PSA will also be made available to other media outlets beyond WOWT’s range in Nebraska. There are also posters available to schools, and an invitation that will be provided this fall to go home to all parents and guardians with their students. A DVD full of scenarios and discussion points will also be available by Jan. 1 to give schools a discussion tool with local parenting groups.

The intent of this campaign is to demonstrate that parents can “make ordinary moments extraordinary” in the raising of their children. But while the campaign targets parents, there are also many other adults who can (and do) play an important role in a child’s upbringing.

“We are distributing the materials through the schools, but the message needs to extend into the community,” said state coordinator Brian Hale, who works as Director of Communications for the Nebraska Association of School Boards. “Raising kids is a job that never really ends. It extends far beyond the school day and the school year. Everyone can find an opportunity to make a difference in a child’s life.”

For additional information about Be There, go to the website www.bethere.org. To see samples of the many components offered, click on Participant Login from the main page. User name is “bethere” and the password is “everyday”.

We hope you will join us in “being there” for all the children in Nebraska. We believe, with your support, this could be the start of something that really makes a difference in the lives of our students.