Teachers in a Southwestern Michigan junior high school have been making what they call "P.I.T. Calls" this school year. Positive Information Telephoning was instituted to increase the amount of positive contact between school and parents. Developed and defined at a staff meeting, the project encourages teachers to call parents when positive things are happening concerning a student's behavior or academic performance.

There is no quota. Teachers are encouraged to call only when and if something positive happens. So far, the teachers as a group are averaging 20-25 calls per week.

Calls have been placed for a variety of reasons. Scholastic accomplishment, effort on a project, improved attendance, and demonstrations of interpersonal skills have all triggered phone calls.

Parent reaction has been predictably appreciative. One parent commented, "This is the first time I have ever been called without something being wrong." Another parent drove immediately to school, thanked the teacher personally, stopped in the office to express appreciation, and then drove to the administration building to do more of the same.