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Partners in Parenting, Building Community

Parents encouraging students at a class play.

Durham Academy parents, caregivers and extended family are all vital partners in the DA experience.

There is a wide variety of opportunities for parents and caregivers to participate in the life of the school — helping DA become stronger and more innovative, ensuring a welcoming environment and partnering with the school in ways that help parents and students thrive.

DA welcomes parent/caregiver engagement, and the Family Association welcomes new volunteers every year.

"When you have a community that’s close-knit and united in so many ways, your school is only going to be that much more successful."

Asha Patel
Family Association President

Volunteer Opportunities, Parent Education and Signature Community-Building Events

Below you’ll find examples of ways that parents and caregivers support DA, and the ways that DA’s educational expertise supports families in their parenting journey. Whether sharing your experiences with future DA families at admissions events, serving as a lunchtime reader for a rapt audience of Preschool or Lower School students, sharing a unique skill or interest with curious Middle and Upper Schoolers, participating in parent education or helping to plan DA’s signature community-building events, we encourage parents to find an opportunity that fits the needs of your family and knits you into the DA community!

Family Matters @ DA Events

Speaker Series: Educating for Sustainability with Jaimie Cloud, The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education
Upper School Parent/Caregiver Coffee: New-to-DA Families
Middle School Parent/Caregiver Coffee: Social-Emotional Learning
Lower School Parent/Caregiver Coffee: Meet Lower School Assistant Director
Family Association Event: DA Night at NC Courage
Diversity, Equity and Engagement Night
Family Association Feature: Safety and Security at DA
Head of School/Associate Head of School Family Conversation: 2023 Family Survey Results

DA Family Association

Every DA parent and caregiver is automatically a member of the Family Association. The Family Association Board and its committees meet throughout the year to organize event planning, support and programming, but anyone who would like to learn about the work of the DAFA Board is welcome to attend. In addition, the Family Association hosts Family Features, a speaker series designed to help parents and caregivers better understand the inner workings of DA, with guests from various departments of the school.

Family Association events are designed to foster community and include a volunteer open house, a fall Turkey Trot, school outings to attend professional soccer, baseball and hockey games, a spring family festival, social opportunities to dine with individual classes or grade levels throughout the school year and a college student care package for parents of alumni.

Division/Grade Level Representatives and Room Parents

Family Matters @ DA

In 2023, a parent education task force worked with DA administrators to improve the home-school partnership through increased parent education and community building. Family Matters @ DA is a comprehensive listing of the educational, informational and engagement events throughout the school year. Families can participate in a wide variety of on-campus and virtual opportunities, including head of school conversations about school initiatives; Family Association Features highlighting different departments within the school; an educational speaker series about social, emotional and parenting topics; parent/caregiver coffees about academic and developmental topics; diversity, equity and engagement and grade-specific events designed to help:

Prepare families for important developmental stages in your student’s journey
Understand the work of the school
Connect parents/caregivers with one another

Family/Caregiver Affinity Groups

Durham Academy is a community of individuals and families from different socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities, family structures, religions and races. In this community, we acknowledge, celebrate and promote each other’s differences. Parent/caregiver affinity groups support the very notion of an inclusive community by boldly stating that diversity is a value welcomed and promoted at DA. Affinity groups provide a forum for meaningful conversations, support, and fellowship related to cultural identifiers.

DA PARENT/CAREGIVER AFFINITY GROUPS

Asian and Pacific Islander Parent/Caregiver
Black Parent/Caregiver
Christian Parent/Caregiver
Foster and Adoptive Parent/Caregiver
Jewish Parent/Caregiver
Latinx/Hispanic Parent/Caregiver
Muslim Parent/Caregiver
Parents/Caregivers of LGBTQ+ Students
Parents/Caregivers of Students with Food Sensitivities or Allergies
Parents/Caregivers of Students with Learning Differences
Veteran and Active Military Parent/Caregiver
White Action and Accountability Parent/Caregiver

Learn more about diversity, equity and engagement at DA

Welcoming Prospective/New Families

Members of the DA Welcoming Committee are parents and caregivers who serve as mentors for incoming Lower, Middle, and Upper School families. They welcome new families into the community beginning in early-May at New Family/Caregiver Night and serve as resources and mentors during their transition into life at DA. The Welcoming Committee also hosts informal gatherings on campus to introduce new families to DA and each other.

Parents Athletic Council

The Parent Athletic Council (PAC) is composed of 12 to 15 current and former parents of Durham Academy athletes and athletics department staff. This group represents a broad range of sports programs and interests. The purpose of the council is to act as a sounding board and idea source for the director of athletics, be advocates for the entire athletics program, assist with special programs, and assist in recruiting volunteers as needed for athletics events.

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