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Parent Responsibilities
The Learning Coach's Role
Parents play a significant role in their students’ academic success in any school. But, at ORCA, parents have the opportunity to truly make a difference when they choose to actively serve as Learning Coaches for their children.
By staying informed about their students’ lessons and keeping them on track, our Learning Coaches help instill a sense of accountability and encourage achievement. In the elementary years, they may help students grasp the material and develop necessary study skills. As students become more independent in the middle school and high school years, the Learning Coach may provide support, but far less daily supervision.
Because the Learning Coach’s role is so critical to the student’s success, ORCA:
- Recommends that an at-home parent or designated adult serve as the Learning Coach to provide daily student oversight and support.
- Requests parents sign an agreement outlining their responsibilities as Learning Coaches and describing suggested steps for creating an optimal learning environment at home.
- Provides an array of support services to make Learning Coaches effective: tutorials, an orientation program, a supportive network of fellow Learning Coaches, and ongoing advice from our teachers and counselors.
Community Coordinators: More Opportunities for Parent Involvement
Parents may also get involved by serving as local community coordinators working with teachers to create opportunities for special projects and field trips with other students and parents throughout the year.
These fun, interactive events—in places such as local news and radio stations, museums, parks, aquariums, and planetariums—provide additional learning opportunities for students.