Over 160 parents from Meadow View Elementary attended a program on October 16, 2012 to learn more about free backpacks that are provided to students through the Title I program. This was the second program to be presented at the school.
The program was presented entirely by parents to other parents and was offered multiple times during the day to accommodate families with hectic schedules. Principal Rachea Simms said she was impressed with the response from parents who attended and was proud of the parent volunteers who joined in to train other parents in using the free materials provided.
"This is an incredible way to bridge the gap between students, parents, and teachers. By having parents train each other, a real sense of community is established within the school," said Mrs. Simms. "In addition, some parents are more comfortable learning from one another than from a teacher or administrator taking the lead role. This takes the same approach many teachers use in the classroom when students work together on projects, become peer helpers, and teach one another about concepts. It helps them to build a sense of ownership in their learning and pride in what they are doing as well as a strong sense of teamwork."
The materials provided at the backpack programs go along with the curriculum being taught in the classroom allowing parents, students, and teachers to all be working together in reinforcing the concepts students are learning at school.
Alisha Allen, parent of kindergarten and second grade students at MVES, said she was impressed that when visiting on Parenting Day, her kindergartener's class was teaching the same math vocabulary concepts and practicing similar skills as her son's second grade class, just at a more basic level. This vocabulary and foundation for math concepts begins in kindergarten and builds upon the skills each year, providing reinforcement and a deeper understanding of the content at each grade level.
"Both teachers were using vocabulary terms like 'double check' and 'problem solving,'" Ms. Allen said.
Ms. Allen said she was impressed that the backpack materials cover the same reading curriculum and strategies that she had noticed in her children's homework assignments. She said she knew her kindergarten daughter would be so excited to use the "game-like" activities to reinforce what she was doing on her homework and thought it would be a great addition to their nightly routine.
The backpack program seems to be a success and provides additional resources for parents and students. MVES will be having three more similar programs in the coming months with different reading and math materials at each backpack meeting. Parents are encouraged to attend and continue to help this new program grow at the school.