How do parents and the school community respond to the call of establishing a clearer platform to communicate, interact, and strengthen ways and means to assist and support the students in the second year of the Marist VIOLETS?

The Marist Home and School Partnership was launched last August 14, 2021, a first of a series of webinars, on “Creating Opportunities in ODL: The Home & School Partnership” with Dr. Ma. Teresa Bayle as the guest speaker. With 183 parents in attendance, Dr. Bayle stressed that parents play an important role alongside teachers, students, and the school in the implementation of distance learning. In addition, the gracious speaker said that in order to assure acceptance and successful change in online distance learning (ODL), readiness and collaboration should be achieved among the main players: the student, the teacher, and the parents.

Among other things discussed were how to be a parent in distance learning mode, how can parents interact or relate with their child or children, and how parents can teach their child be good digital citizens. The partnership launch was a success for parents who recognize the importance of partnership as they strongly recommended to have more webinars which would let them understand ODL, particularly on how they can help their kids cope and deal with stress, anxiety, depression, and online gaming addiction.

In addition to recognizing the purpose of home & school partnership, Mrs. Helen Uvas, former PTA President, aptly expressed in the webinar that this year will be better partnership with the school.  According to her, parents will be more ready and prepared with foreseeable mini workshops and trainings that the partnership will create. As a follow through to the partnership launch, the Chid Protection Desk of the Marist Brothers East Asia Province invited parents and guardians of students of the Marist institutions to a webinar, “Are Your Children Safe? Engaging Parents in Creating Cyberspace Home,” last August 21, 2021.

To cap off the update, an ongoing collaboration is taking place among and between the school’s program of Conducting Practical Research 1 with parents, and the Marist School Alumni Association (MSAA) headed by the MSAA President, Mr. Coco Madrasto, to assist Grade 11 students in their data collection for the qualitative studies. Mrs. Clarissa Marie Robles, the incumbent PTA President with Mr. Albert Jerome Biason, the PTA Vice President and Mrs. Flordeliza Luces, the Grade 6 Year-Level Representative met and discussed with the Grade 11 Research and Strand Teachers the details of the program last October 8, 2021. Details and posters of the collaboration are posted in the PTA and MSAA social media platforms.