Kayenta Unified School District
Yá’át’ééh!
Kayenta Unified School District No. 27 is located in the Navajo Nation of Arizona. We are a people who take great pride in our heritage. It is our privilege and honor to be in the position to accompany our children on their journey to great heights and solid futures. As you learn about us, we know you’ll catch our enthusiasm and appreciate our awe-inspiring past, present, and future. We know that by working together, we accomplish great things!
Message from our Superintendent
Kayenta Unified School District Parents/Guardians,
As we are well into the school year, this is a perfect time
to talk about an essential part of education, parental engagement. I am a
strong advocate for and believer in the importance of parental engagement as an
element in the success of every student in the Kayenta Unified School District.
Parent engagement starts and ends with a powerful everyday
message. Providing a subtle, everyday reminder of your aspirations for your
child captures the essence of what research tells us about how parents
influence their child’s academic outcomes. Parent engagement matters – a lot.
In looking at the factors that influence student achievement, research
indicates that 33% of the variance in student achievement could be predicted by
factors related to students’ home environment, far more than the influence of
school quality (7%) or teacher quality (13%). Parents can best influence student
learning, behavior, and success in school by communicating high expectations
for their child.
Parent Engagement – What is it?
As a parent, your aspirations for and your expectations of your child have a real impact on how well your child achieves.
- The most effective form of parental engagement is when parent and child talk regularly in the home about school.
- Effective parental engagement does not require any teaching by parents. You don’t even have to understand what students do in the different subjects, in fact, it can be a real advantage when you don’t.
- Parental engagement is about parents simply showing an interest in what their child is doing in school. It’s about showing them that what they do in school is important to you.
- Regardless of the parents’ background, income, ethnicity, and educational experience, parental engagement is second only to having a great teacher in influencing their child’s performance in school.
- The engagement of fathers has a greater impact than the engagement of mothers.
The most important thing is to let your child know that what they do in school is important to you.
Parental Engagement – How do I start?
Start by talking to your child about what they have done in school. This doesn’t need to be an inquisition; just one or two well-timed questions every day are all you need to improve your child’s achievement. Some estimates show that the impact can be as much as three months additional achievement in any one year, just by talking to your child about the importance of what they do in school. Finally, make sure your child attends school!
I invite you to work to increase your engagement in your child’s
education. Together, we can be sure that all our students excel.
Have a wonderful school year.
Dr. Bryce Anderson
Dr. Bryce Anderson
Superintendent