CATHOLIC mum Kaylene Campbell doesn’t believe handing over a credit card to her son’s school is the best way to support his senior secondary education.
The mother of two boys and Brisbane archdiocesan branch chair of the Federation of Parents’ and Friends’ Association believes in having an emotional investment with her son’s school at St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace.
“And it can’t be just a financial partnership – you have to have an emotional buy in,” Ms Campbell said.
“This need that (parents are) fundraising machines is really belittling the role of a parent.
“A parent can contribute so much into the school and we know that because we normally make up school boards.”
Ms Campbell raised her comments following the annual Presidents’ Dinner for Catholic parents involved in their school’s local P and F group.
The federation’s executive director Carmel Nash supported Ms Campbell’s comments, and said P and F groups in schools should “have purpose” and focus on their school community’s strategic plans.
“Money should not be coming out of the community unless there’s purpose,” Mrs Nash said.
“It should be about helping the school get from where they are to here and it’s about learning.”
Mrs Nash said parents in P and F groups could assist their child’s learning beyond the school grounds.
“It’s about the child’s attitudes, your expectations, the way you talk about the school, and the other big ones is reading and talking with them,” she said.
Mrs Nash said local politicians could also assist in making changes but parents needed to inform their state or federal members about any issues.
The federation’s annual Presidents’ Dinner last month presented a unique opportunity for parents to dine with education minister Kate Jones and nine other Queensland politicians include state and federal members from Bulimba, Lytton, Ipswich, Griffith, Algester, Moreton and two Senators.
“It was a real opportunity for local members to sit with school communities in their electorate and they loved it,” Mrs Nash said.
“That’s an opportunity for them to hear from the grassroots about issues in the school, and that’s a really good area for parents to let politicians know what’s happening at the school.”
