SEBRING — Beckie Townsend cuts a cardboard letter "N" that will have a noodle attached to it to help students at the Kindergarten Learning Center learn the alphabet. Next, she cuts a "B" that will be accompanied by a bean to also be used for a letter recognition exercise. One day a week Townsend volunteers in her 5-year-old daughter's class and reads stories and sings songs. She also makes copies and prepares materials in the teacher work area. As vice president of the school's parent teacher organization (PTO) and co-chair of the school advisory council (SAC) and volunteer, Townsend is a very involved school parent. But despite various efforts by school administrators to reach out to parents, many don't become actively involved in school events and functions. ...more

November 19, 2007

Getting parents involved in their children's education is often considered the key to a student's success. At least three Highlands County schools are helping parents do that, and we hope many more do. In the last few weeks, one school has held a Better Readers workshop to guide parents on how to help their children's reading at home. The Kindergarten Learning Center had a curriculum night to familiarize parents with what is expected of their children in school while another middle school had something similar. ...more

November 19, 2007