At our school we include LEP parents in all activities by inviting them in their native language via school messenger and translated printed notices when time allows. We have volunteer and staff interpreters at registration, parent-teacher conferences, parent workshops, etc. Teachers and support staff have increasingly been reaching out to parents with the OTC phone interpretation service and making greater efforts to communicate with LEP parents through interpreters which has encouraged LEP parents to come into the building with their concerns as they have increased confidence that we will do all possible to build understanding. Holding events in the evening and some weekends has also increased participation among LEP parents.

We encourage LEP parents to volunteer. In many volunteer positions language is secondary. Most LEP parents can read numbers and prices and help at Book Sale or Plant Sale where their native language can also be helpful to students who are new to the country. We are fortunate to have a lot of bilingual parents in the same language groups as our LEP parents – mainly Arabic, Chinese and Spanish – who are usually willing to help out newer arrivals to the school community with interpretation and invite them to volunteer and attend PTA meetings.

I hold parent ESL conversation class one morning each week. This two hour class is not sufficient to promise a rapid improvement in English (I refer them to outside classes) but is excellent for welcoming LEP parents and making them comfortable in the school. Many friendships are formed and misunderstandings about school language and policies and procedures are cleared up. Attendance has increased at many PTA events and parents who attend ESL class also share what they learn with other parents who speak their language.