Sometimes, a written progress report just isn't enough.
Parents of about half of the more than 140 first-graders in the school spent some morning hours visiting and observing last Wednesday.
From about 9 to 10 a.m., the parents went to class with their children.
Article Photos
Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry
Working together
During Reading Day at South Street Early Learning Center on Wednesday, Lisa Wolfgang, left, works with her son, Casey Wolfgang, and Tara Knupp works with her daughter, Ella Bouchard. Parents of about half of the school’s more than 140 first-graders joined the classroom activities for about an hour.
They saw two different lessons - a more traditional word-building lesson and a high-tech Smartboard lesson on high-frequency words.
Parents helped their children cut apart vowels and consonant blends, then reformed them into as many words as they could.
In the Smartboard rooms, parents got a look at the technology and how it is utilized in school. Some tried it for themselves.
During breakfast, Principal Ann Buerkle spoke about Title I and how Title I status impacts SSELC. The goal of Title I is to improve academic achievement of economically disadvantaged students.
Based on the percentage of students who receive free or reduced lunches, South Street, like every other Warren County School District school except Russell Elementary School, qualifies for Title I funding.
One of the acceptable expenditures of Title I funding is parent involvement activity. The School Improvement Team decided that inviting parents in to see what their children are doing would be a worthwhile activity.
"Mrs. Buerkle thought it would be great if we had a reading day so the parents would know exactly what their child is doing and what level they should be doing and working toward," first-grade teacher and SIT member Lori Murphy said. "The kids were great. They have learned a lot in four months."
Before they left, parents were given a trade book and a word-building activity to work with their kids at home.
"The parent comments were very positive," Buerkle said.