Durham Schools Seek Parent Ambassadors

Got kids in Durham Public Schools? Want to stay informed about the latest programs and initiatives – and then help spread the word to other parents in the DPS community? Then maybe you’re a good fit for the district’s Parent Ambassador program.

Ambassadors attend monthly meetings where they get briefed on student support services, community partnerships, and projects like the ambitious Growing Together plan.

“They have the opportunity to share their feedback, and they learn information that they can then take into their communities to help other parents become more informed and identify their own opportunities for engagement,” said Maria Bajgain, director of marketing for DPS.

The district currently has about 15 active ambassadors. Ideally, DPS wants at least one parent ambassador for every school.

Mary Sanford, one of those current ambassadors, has three daughters at Pearsontown Elementary School and Rogers-Herr Middle School. She got involved during the 2023-2024 school year to learn more about the district after the rollout of Growing Together and the controversy over classified worker pay, which ultimately led to the departure of the superintendent and the chief financial officer.

“Honestly, it’s been kind of fun,” Sanford said. “I’ve learned a lot about DPS and met some wonderful people. So many negative things have been said about the school system, but there are truly so many kind, smart, dedicated people working in the background.”

Besides the monthly meetings, Sanford also got the chance to attend the Teacher of the Year banquet and received recognition from the Board of Education in June.

Kelly Jones has twins at Forest View Elementary School. He joined the Parent Ambassadors program to become more engaged in the district that’s educating his children.

“I think there tends to be a disconnect between district administration and the parents/student levels,” Jones said. “My children’s school, Forest View Elementary, does an amazing job connecting with us and informing us and serving as an extension of the overall district. But inherently there just seems to be a void between administrative leadership and the parents. Candidly, this is what the program is all about. In my opinion, it exists to bridge that gap.”

He has enjoyed putting faces with names and voices, learning about the district’s initiatives, and connecting with other parents in the program.

“Parenting is hard. Helping your child through school is challenging,” Jones said. “It’s amazing to have this network of engaged parents to learn from.”

The deadline to apply is today, Aug. 2. Here’s the application link.