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CREC School Hosts Panel Discussion About Parent Engagement
(New Britain, CT) On November 10, CREC’s Medical Professions and Teacher Preparation Academy hosted a panel discussion about parent engagement. The audience was comprised of Central Connecticut State University professors and their students.
Panelists included Ava M. Hart, a supervisor of maternal child health at Middlesex Hospital; Mitchell Wynn, a Ministerial Alliance pastor and iCARE behavior consultant interventionist; Luis Rodriquez, a family and community liaison for the CREC Museum Academy; and Dana McCorkle, a parent engagement specialist for CREC’s Discovery Academy.
During the discussion, each panelist shared their unique experiences, perspectives, and best practices for successfully engaging parents in school. For example, Rodriquez recommends that schools utilize social media to establish relationships with parents, and he advocates that schools should replace traditional curriculum nights with more enticing activities, such as paint parties. Curriculum can still be discussed during these fun activities, he said.
McCorkle recommended asking parents to share their special talents with the school, and she said it is important for schools to offer food and childcare at events. Hart encouraged educators to remain observant and be patient when working with families, and Wynn spoke about how to bridge the gap between schools and communities.
