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What
is First Day?
First Day of School America is a grassroots movement
that brings together schools, families, and communities
in joyful celebrations of education. First Day events are happening in
thousands of schools
across America, in small towns and big cities. And
it’s a movement
whose message is as simple as its reach is wide:
Get
parents to come to school with their children on
the First Day of each school year; make
them feel welcome right away;
encourage their continuing involvement; then reap
the benefits as parents, schools and communities
team up to support their children’s education!
How
it Works
Schools present First Day activities for families,
as simple as a morning assembly with refreshments,
or as ambitious as a full day of workshops, picnics, and parades. Each
school and each community
decides what’s best for them.
Employers
allow time off to working parents (paid, unpaid or
flextime) who participate in First Day activities
at their
children’s schools.
Parents
begin the school year right, building better relationships with their
children’s teachers, starting
on day one.
Why
it Works
First Day attracts all parents, even those who may
find parent-teacher conferences, PTA meetings, and
other school events intimidating. When the First Day of School turns
into a community-wide
celebration, everyone feels welcome!
First
Day generates widespread community support of schools and education,
and excitement
about the beginning of another
school year. It gains the attention of business and
political leaders, and of the local news media, and
helps generate stronger community partnerships
for education.
Brief
History of the First Day Campaign
The First Day of School America campaign was initiated
in 1997 by Terry Ehrich, late publisher of Hemmings
Motor News in Bennington, Vermont. Eleven schools in the Southwest Vermont
Supervisory Union tried
out the idea and liked it so much, they decided to
make First Day celebrations an annual tradition. Based on their success,
Ehrich established the First
Day Foundation to spread the word and inspire other
schools to join the campaign.
In 1998,
First Day events were hosted by 62 schools
in Vermont, plus 17 others around the country. By
1999, nearly 400 schools had joined the campaign, and Hemmings
Motor News was recognized with
a President’s Service Award from the White House, Points of Light
Foundation, and Corporation for National Service.
Today
there are thousands of schools across the nation
hosting First Day celebrations for families and students in grades
kindergarten
through high school.
First
Day Foundation
The First Day Foundation is a nonprofit organization
that offers free planning and other technical assistance to schools and
communities, through the First Day Newsletter and First Day Activity
Guide. First Day staff also offer coaching and coordinate networking
efforts among participating schools. The Foundation is not a grant-making
organization. |
