Denver Public Schools is poised to hire eight people to be responsible for getting parents more involved – and the city of Denver is picking up the tab.
The parent liaisons will work with principals and teachers to make schools more welcoming to parents. They’ll also work with parents on reading report cards, helping kids with homework and watching out for warning signs that kids may be in trouble, said Happy Haynes, assistant to the superintendent.
The funding for parent liaisons is part of a $3.6 million grant given to DPS in May. The eight liaisons will each make about $40,000 in salary and benefits. The grant will also fund 39 social workers who will help high-risk families and students.
“We’re trying to make a seamless link between the city and DPS so that if a student comes to whomever, and says, ‘This is what I need,’ there are multiple ways to give them help,” said Kevin Patterson, deputy manager of the city’s Human Services department and a DPS school board member.
City officials decided to collaborate with DPS when the city began making child welfare services more neighborhood-based, said Roxane White, Human Services Department manager.
White envisions the city and the district working together to keep kids in school when their personal lives are in trouble, she said.
Parent liaison candidates are being interviewed, and hires are expected to be announced at the end the month.
