W.T. Brown Elementary School Parent Center

 Our Parent Facilitator’s Mission:

It is my goal to increase parent involvement on our campus. There are many things that parents can do around the school, such as helping in the classroom. Teachers always appreciate a helping hand.  Parents can also help provide supervision during lunch or help with upcoming events.  By creating these opportunities, it is our belief that we will support an environment that will allow parents, guardians, and families to further support their child’s ability to succeed in school. Our parent facilitator will help teachers and parents work together to improve student achievement. Here at WTBES, we are dedicated to providing resources and training to parents and assistance and support to our teachers.  We can help you learn how to help your child with homework, how to create a positive learning environment at home, how to find the resources that your family needs, and how to improve your skills as a parent. Our parent facilitator’s focus is to empower parents so that they can assist their child/ren in maximizing their full potential.

You may be asking yourself why should I be involved in my child’s education?   Studies have shown that students achieve higher levels of academic success when parents are involved in their children’s education. Involvement is crucial during the elementary, middle school and high school years when students’ educational performance is most significant in determining their future.  Parents will benefit from resource materials, community resources, seminars, and educational workshops on topics from test prep information for their children, to finances and to how to live a healthier life.  Parents are encouraged to take full advantage of the resources and allow the facilitator at the center to empower them to be a more successful parent.

“Building a bridge between home and school in order to improve student achievement.”

 

Material/Resource Content Topics

1. Maternal & Child Health
2. Child & Youth Development
3. ATOD Awareness &  Prevention
4. Mental Health & Disabilities
5. Finance
6. Violence Prevention
7. Health Promotion
8. Injury Prevention
9. Safety Awareness
10. Crime Prevention
11. Emergency Preparedness
12. Family Support

 

Workshops for Children:

• The Value of Respecting Others
• The Value of Responsibility
• The Value of Self Respect
• The Value of Making Good Choices
• The Value of Cooperation
• Bullying
• Substance Abuse Awareness & Prevention
• Disaster Preparedness (ages 8-11)
• Gang Resistance (ages 8-12)
• Healthy Eating/Nutrition (ages 6+)
• Internet Safety
• Safety Awareness
• Healthy Habits
• Stressing Down & Managing Anger

 

 

Six Slices of Parental Involvement

Slice 1 – VOLUNTEERING
GOAL: Recruit and organize parent help and support.

Slice 2 – PARENTING
GOAL: Help all families establish home environments to support children as students.

Slice 3 – COMMUNICATING
GOAL: Design more effective forms of school-to-home and home-to-school communications with all families, each year about school programs and their children’s progress.

Slice 4 – LEARNING AT HOME
GOAL: Provide information and ideas to families about how to help students at home with homework and other curricular-related activities, decisions, and planning.

Slice 5 – DECISION MAKING
GOAL: Include parents in school decisions, developing parent leaders and representatives.

Slice 6- COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY
GOAL: Identify and integrate resources and services from the community to strengthen school programs, family practices, and student learning and development.

 

Parents:   How You Can Be Involved in the W.T. Brown Elementary School Parent Center?

AS DECISION MAKERS WHO

• Serve on the steering committee to guide the establishment and operation of the center

• Offer the parent perspective on school issues

• Help school staff understand families’ questions and concerns about children’s learning and development

AS COLLABORATORS WHO

• Work to promote center activities and goals among families and in the community

• Create opportunities for families to become involved in the school, learn about school programs, and support children’s learning

• Identify activities and events at the center that link home and school learning.

• Serve on other school committees and connect other school activities to the center

AS VOLUNTEERS WHO

• Work one-on-one with children in the center to help and listen to them

• Assist teachers and other school staff assemble learning materials and  organize events

• Identify community contacts and resources for use and support of the center

• Help staff, organize and supply the center

AS COMMUNICATORS WHO

• Help the center design clear, usable materials for families, including families who do not speak or read English well

• Network with families to explain and promote center activities

• Help design and respond to parent surveys that identify families’ needs

• Collect information from families about what they need and how the center can help meet those needs

AS TRAINERS WHO

• Train parents to meaningfully participate in school programs and decision making

• Train staff to work with parents on all levels

• Help build trusting relationships among families, students, and school staff

AS PARENTS WHO

• Provide important information about their child away from school – his experiences, hobbies, strengths, and temperament

• Bring their questions and concerns to the attention of school staff

• Evaluate and offer feedback on center activities involving their child

• Carry out learning activities with their child at home

• Possess the deepest interest in the well-being and success of their child.

As your Parent & Community Facilitator, I would like to know what the center can do to help you, your child and your family.  Please let me know how you want to be involved and contact me to share your ideas about how to involve others in the center.  If you have an interest in any of these areas please contact Yolanda Burse, Parent & Community Facilitator, 910-497-1258 (school).

Parent Education Outreach Workshops

“Understanding the Content Standards”: A ‘parent-friendly’ program that addresses the Language Arts, Math, and Science standards. Grade level standards will be shared with parents. It includes suggestions of ways parents can reinforce the Content Standards at home. (1 session per grade level)

 

 “Closing the Achievement Gap from Home” This series is designed for the parents of those students who need to raise their achievement and testing levels. Using the standardized test results, each parent will be provided with the specific areas in which their child needs remediation. Parents will be given grade-level activities to use with their child, to strengthen and reinforce skills

 

 “Parents as Learning Partners” “Parents – the First Teachers”, “Parents as Reading Teachers,” Parents as Language Teachers,” “Parents as Math Teachers,” and “Parents as Science Teachers.” Parents will be given ideas of ways to extend and support children’s learning in the home environment. Make & Take workshops include the making of home learning aids, games, and activities that parents can share with their children.

 

 “Parents as Homework Coaches” Parents will learn strategies and techniques to motivate their children to complete ‘good quality’ homework assignments. Participants will receive “Homework Logs” and Interactive ‘standards-based’ home activities. Parents are also, encouraged to bring shoeboxes to make “Homework Tool Boxes” for each child.

"Literacy – A Family Affair” Parents learn how to use videos, games, recipes, songs, as well as books, to make reading fun for the entire family.

 

“Motivating Your Child to Succeed in School” One of the more popular Make & Take workshops. Parents leave with dozens of ‘tried-and-true’ techniques that can be used, immediately to motivate their children to do better in school. Whether it is a behavior, class, or homework problem, students can be motivated to change.

 

“Family Night-Math/Science or Reading” A Make & Take Evening or Saturday workshop. The entire family may participate in activities that make math, science or reading interesting and exciting. Lots of educational games, books, crafts, and fun ‘make and take’ activities.

 

 “Home Learning Activities’ Workshop” Parents enjoy making books and games that can be used in the home to support learning. Each Make & Take activity is designed to strengthen skills that address the content standards.

 

“Deal Me In” Parents and their children will love this hands-on exciting Make & Take Workshop! It will provide math practice for the entire family through ten ‘easy to play’ fun card games.

 

“I’ve Got Time and Money on My Hands”- Money and time concepts are covered and practiced during this hands-on interactive pair of classes. Parents make learning aids and games to use at home.

“Writing from the Senses” This fun, creative, and interactive workshop builds capacity by teaching parents how to enhance their child’s writing. Parents will be given practical tools and strategies for incorporating sensory details that compliment the writing curriculum.

 

“Stories, Stories, Stories” This series of Make & Take workshops offers parents and their Pre-K-2nd-grade children with marvelous ‘make and take’ literacy experience. The purpose of this series is to teach parents the joys and benefits of reading aloud to their children. The stories include “The Little Red Hen,” “The Three Little Pigs,”

 

“Family Fitness and Nutrition” Parents will learn the latest research and studies on eating healthier and how it improves children’s overall concentration at school. Parents will also learn about the need to stay fit and learn how to make exercise a part of their daily routine. (2-4 sessions)

 

“Blue Prints for Living” A very interactive workshop designed to foster behaviors of responsibility, trustworthiness, caring, fairness, respect, compassion, and perseverance. Parents will learn how to reinforce and develop Character Traits within their children.

 

“Effective Parent-Teacher Conferences” This workshop helps parents get the most out of the Parent-Teacher Conferences. It includes questions to ask, what to look for in the classroom, and how to establish a meaningful partnership with the teacher.

 

“Making SMOOTH Transitions” It is sometimes difficult for students (and their parents) when they move from Elementary to Middle School or Middle School to High School. This workshop will answer the many questions that parents ask, and help them, help their children feel more confident and comfortable about moving to the ‘next level.’

 

“Getting Ready for Middle School” Parents will learn the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development of the pre-adolescent. Ideas and activities will be focused on what parents can do to support their child during this challenging time.

 

“Megaskills” This workshop is designed to help parents develop a positive learning environment. Parents will develop skills and techniques to help their child meet his/her responsibilities to become a self-directed and lifelong learner.

 

“Positive Parenting” This series covers many areas of parent concerns including responsibilities of parenting, child development, parenting styles, discipline, avoiding abuse, communication, and anger management.

 

“Parenting and the Single Parent”- This workshop addresses the concerns of the single parent and offers solutions for the challenges of joint custody, positive communication, discipline, and homework.

 

“Positive Discipline” This session shows parents some practical, yet simple ways to change undesirable behaviors and foster an environment to uplift each student socially, emotionally, intellectually, and physically.

 

“Developing Self Esteem in Your Child” Children who feel confident, capable, and loved are more successful in school and in life. This series of workshops assist parents in building their child’s self-esteem and increasing academic achievement.