Engagement

Mike arrived home tired and sweaty from work. The house he was working on was ready for the smart technology and he was looking forward to a couple of days off. He had ten minutes before he had to go and pick up the kids from school. Cheryl would be home in another half an hour so he called out for pizza and pop.

 “Two large with everything and two mega bottles of cola.”

“Be there in 33 minutes.” said the guy on the phone.

Just enough time, thought Mike, and he went to pick up the kids.

Saint Peter’s School was ten minutes from their house. It took five minutes, usually, waiting for Jola and Rudy to be let out and then there would be ten minutes home. 

Waiting inside the school for the buzzer to sound he was waved into the office by the secretary.

“Mr. Dewey,” she said, “how are you?”

Judy was a tall woman with short cut shiny blonde hair and a square face that seemed like a mask. She looked down at him with her sparkling green eyes and softly treacherous grin.

“Fine.” he said with some hesitation.

“We have sent you lots of e-mails on parent involvement and, as I was checking the response rates and the read rates, I noticed that you have done neither respond or read.”

“I beg your pardon?” Mike asked a bit stunned.

“You haven’t read the e-mails we sent you.” Judy said with a jovial tone.

“No,” Mike said, “I don’t really have the time - maybe you can tell me what’s in them.” 

Judy looked at him with incredulity and said, “Well there’s been quite a few. Our Principal, Mr. Blakith asked me to pull up the data on those peculiar to parent involvement as that’s the Ministry focus this year.” she stated coldly and added, “Parental Engagement Means Student Success!” and she made a fluttering gesture to a poster on the wall.

The poster showed a golden cog with six spokes. Between the spokes were pictures of happy parents reading with happy children, studious parents working on homework with thoughtful young kids, active parents working on problem solving projects with excited boys and girls, interested parents walking to the library with eager sons and daughters, awe struck parents at the museum with equally awe struck teens, and searching parents looking things up on the internet with confident off spring. Emblazoned over the cog in an arch were the words “Parent Engagement Means Student Success” in a deep yellow on an ominous green.

“Well, uh,” Mike said as the buzzer went off, “Oh, I have to get my kids.”

“The e-mails.” she said in a crisp tone and added with some frustration, “Mr. Dewey!”

“I’ll try to get to them.” he called back quickly.

“Mr. Dewey,” Judy said following him out the door, “The Ministry takes this very serious.” but he was already around the corner.

The kids tore pieces of pizza from the box and poured great large glasses of cola. Mike was in the shower and the kids were doing their homework and eating when Cheryl came home to the insistent ring of the phone.

She hooked the receiver around her ear and tapped it:

“Hello.”

“This is Principal Blakith from Saint Peter’s.”

“Yes, hello Mr Blakith,” Cheryl said with a cheery tone but was interrupted half way through his name.

“It has come to my attention that you have been ignoring the extensive e-mails I have sent regarding Parental Involvement and I am wondering if you are aware of the Ministry’s serious commitment to this initiative and it’s importance to the success of your children’s education.”