Puente Family Resources

The Puente Project engages parents and family members of Puente students at both the high school and community college levels. Recognizing the critical importance of family support in a Puente student's academic success, Puente counselors and instructors strive to educate and involve families in all aspects of the program. By doing so, the relationship between school and home is strengthened, resulting in greater access to the school by parents, and increased student accountability.

At Puente high school sites, regular communication is maintained with families, before, during, and after the formal enrollment of students in the program. The activities coordinated and hosted by the Puente counselor and English instructor include:

Informational presentations at middle schools to parents of potential Puente students
In-person parent and student interviews for program eligibility the summer immediately preceding 9^th grade
Orientation programs for all selected students and families in 9^th grade
Parent meetings in 9^th and 10^th grades: approximately four group meetings per year, on specific topics
Individual counseling with students (and parents) as needed
Individual parent meetings in the 11^th and 12^th grades
Social and cultural events

These activities achieve several important goals, not the least of which is empowering the parents, enabling them to advocate for themselves, their children, and improving the school-home relationship.

Many sites have Puente Parent Councils, which help teams coordinate social events, parent meetings, assist with the participation of parents of former Puentistas, and conduct peer counseling.

At the community college level, because students' ages vary widely, the connection with families is a less significant and formal piece of the program. However, family members are invited to orientations, social events, and end-of-the-year celebrations.

Links to helpful resources:

En español:
http://mapping-your-future.org/espanol/
http://www.hsf.net/programs.aspx?id=750
http://www.hsf.net/programs.aspx?id=734

In English:
http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/plan/