DIXFIELD — Four workshops directed toward parents and guardians who want better communication between their children, their children’s progress and the schools kicks off Wednesday at the Region 9 School of Applied Technology on River Road in Mexico.

The workshop begins at 6 p.m., and is a project of the newly formed Family Connections Coalition led by Katherine Harvey, RSU 10 grants administrator.

“We want to bridge the gap between schools and families, and to provide tools and resources for parents or guardians to help their children be more academically successful,” Harvey said.

Plans are to reach out to parents, to encourage membership in the new coalition, and to provide a means for parents to connect with each other.

The first workshop will focus on preparing children to be ready when school starts next week.

Harvey said a variety of calendars and routines that have helped her and organizers Susie DeRoehn and Libby Martin get their children organized will be among the resources presented. Also, each participant will receive for their child a planner that records assignments and houses completed schoolwork. Drawings will be held for gift cards to a supermarket, book store and for gasoline.

Some topics to be discussed include maintaining a regular bedtime, setting up the next day’s clothes, breakfast and other early-morning necessities the night before, and other routines that work for some parents.

The second workshop, likely to be held prior to November’s parent/teacher conferences, will focus on how best a parent may prepare for the meeting.

The next session will explain how important volunteerism is in the schools and the many ways a parent or guardian can take part.

The final workshop will be devoted to digital citizenship, cyber bullying, and other forms of communication youngsters may use.

“We want parents to be aware that email, texting and other modes of technology could be dangerous,” Harvey said.

She said the Family Connections Coalition brings together one of the goals of the No Child Left Behind program, the 21st Century Grant, and the Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports procedure recently begun in the schools which call for more family involvement.

Soon, a website devoted to the Family Connections program will be established. In the meantime, those interested may log onto the district’s website at rsu10.org.

Harvey said the coalition hopes to recruit at least one parent/family from each of the district’s schools Wednesday night.

Superintendent Tom Ward said the group is an effort to bring parents into the schools.

“We really need them to have a voice,” he said.

Supporting Sponsor for the Advertiser Democrat
Keeping communities informed by supporting local news. norwaysavings.bank