Parents
How to start a Cluster Parent Group
Recommended Practice Guidelines from Existing Clusters

1.  What is a Cluster Parent Group and why have one?

A cluster parent group (CPG) is a group of parents made up of two representatives from each school in the cluster. These parents get together, usually monthly, to share ideas, identify cluster-wide concerns, and possible ideas to improve the schools both within the cluster and the city as a whole.  Communication is a key role for the CPG.  The group is a means to increase communication between the schools’ PTAs, parents, other schools and the administration.  The CPG also works within the cluster to smooth the transition from elementary to middle to high school. The more the schools work together the stronger the programs are at each level.

2.  Who are the Cluster representatives and what do they do?

The PTA (PTO, PTSA, or other school parent leadership group) at each school designates two people as cluster representatives. These may be PTA board members or simply involved parents selected by the parent organization. The representatives should be individuals who can communicate the schools’ issues and not just their own. They should be dependable and committed to attending cluster meetings. In addition to taking ideas and feedback from the school to the cluster meeting, part of the role of the representative is to report on cluster meetings to PTA or other school groups.

3.  When and how often should the CPG meet?

There is no perfect meeting time.  The members of the cluster should select the time that works best for the majority of the members.  Some successful clusters groups meet at noon or 7:00 pm, which are convenient for working parents. Most parent cluster groups meet with their principals during all or part of the meeting. In these cases, the CPG finds a time that works for the principals as well as the parents.  One meeting per month for the ten months of the school year works well. That is enough to maintain continuity and enthusiasm but not so many that it becomes burdensome.  Continuity and interest is difficult to maintain with fewer than 10 meetings per year.

4.  What role do the principals have in the CPG?

The role of the principal is crucial.  In some clusters the principals help identify and encourage appropriate parents to become the school representative and help bring groups of parents together at the school to exchange ideas or concerns. In other clusters, the principals meet with the cluster parent group for all or part of the meeting and they work together as a team on cluster issues. It is important however for the principals and the parents to meet alone as well to deal with issues that are specific to them.

5.  Who should lead the Cluster Parent Group?

The CPG chooses one (or two) of its parent members to act as chair or coordinator.  The role of the chair is to prepare the meeting agendas, run the meeting, and delegate tasks to the group members. The chair must keep the group focused and efficient. This chair needs to be someone skilled at leading the group without imposing his or her ideas.  The chair will prepare an agenda for each meeting and then use the agenda as a tool to keep the group moving forward towards a solution.

6.  What makes it work?

The Cluster Parent Group can be effective at helping schools and communicating only when it has the support of the principals, an effective chair, and most importantly it has committed parent members who are in touch with the issues of their school. The members must follow through on attending meetings and pursuing plans made at the meetings. The group should be willing to work with the school system, not simply to criticize the system.  It is important for members to understand the system’s limitations and to work for solutions within those constraints.  If the CPG simply complains about the system or makes demands to the central administration or principals without offering possible solutions, it will meet with little success.

7.  Nuts & Bolts

Rapid communication within the group and between the Representative and their school is important. E-mail, where possible, is one very easy method. Each member should set up contacts at their school either in their e-mail contact’s list or as a phone-tree to allow rapid communication to spread school news and share concerns. Designate someone to keep the group informed of school system and education news.  Many schools distribute information from the cluster meetings by putting minutes or a cluster report in their newsletters or by posting them on a bulletin board in the school. To facilitate taking minutes, some clusters find that rotating minute- taking duties among members works well rather than burdening one member with this duty.

8.  Help

Members from the existing cluster groups have volunteered to meet with new cluster parent groups to share their experiences and to help in any way.  For more information or to sign up a volunteer contact: David Kern at 460-9291 or davidkern@comcast.net.