Parent Volunteers Can Support Positive School Climate Policies and Programs

Parents can become involved in prevention through their school in a number of ways. This page describes how parents can support and advocate for positive school climates. The school climate is determined by a number of factors, including the relationship between students and staff, the school ethos or culture, the school’s rules for discipline and the connection between the school and families as well as the local community.

Parents should not try to address all of these factors at once. Instead, parents can work with school staff to improve different aspects, one by one. For example, parents could organize a variety of activities to involve parents or they could review the school discipline policies and how they are being enforced/implemented. They could look at whole-school programs that encourage a “safe and caring” climate. A specific issue worth mentioning is the need for alternatives to suspension of students from school, as often “zero tolerance” policies end up pushing the students out of school and into more trouble.

Speak with your principal, then, together see if you can identify teachers who would be willing to help. Then approach some of the associations and resources below for advice on how to get started.

The research on the impact of positive school climate on substance abuse has been described in international reviews and papers. (The research is often described as “mental health” among health professionals, “effective schools” as well as “social/emotional learning” among educators and “safe and caring schools” among those who are seeking to prevent bullying and other anti-social behaviours.)

- Making the Case for Social and Emotional Learning and Service-Learning (Education Commission of the States)

- The Critical Role of School Culture in Student Success (Voices for Children)

- Enhancing School Learning Climate: Theory, Research and Practice (Saskatchewan School Trustees Association)

- School and the Emotional Health of Canadian Adolescents (Queen's University)

If your school is looking for a description on how to get started and how to improve school discipline and climate, take a look at these resources below:

- Creating a positive school climate (Manitoba Education)

- School Discipline (ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management)

- Positive Learning Environments (Canadian Consensus Statement)

- Youth Engagement Through Schools (Canadian Association for School Health)

- Involving Parents in Schools to Promote Health (Canadian Association for School Health)

- Positive School Climate(Canadian Association for School Health)

- School Discipline/Codes of Conduct and Zero Tolerance (Shannon & McCall Consulting Ltd.)

- What Makes a Good School? (OSSTF)

- Safe and Caring Environment (Regina School Board and Saskatchewan Learning)

- The Role of the School in Promoting Mental Health (Canadian Association for School Health) Checklist

Positive Learning Environments

(Canadian Consensus Statement)