Parents will get chance to ask questions at public forum
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on November 8, 2009 1:50 AM
A public forum for parents of Wayne County Public Schools students is being planned Thursday in the southern end of the county.
The program is similar to last year's series of "Kitchen Table Conversations," with an added twist. The session will be in tandem with the Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Task Force.
Patsy Faison, principal of Tommy's Road Elementary School and moderator for the event, said the two efforts were consolidated as a means to share the same information.
"We just felt like it would certainly send the message of a blending and a connection throughout the community because we are all trying to work on the same focus," she said.
It is the first of two forums planned for this school year, allowing the community to weigh in on various topics of interest. A second will likely be held in the spring.
Theme for Thursday's event will be "empowering the Male Student."
The information session will be held at the Evangel-ical Fellowship Center, 120 S. Center Street in Mount Olive. It will take place from 6 to 8:15 p.m.
This is the first session held in the southern end of the county. Parents of children attending any of the six schools in that region -- Brogden Middle, Brogden Primary, Carver Elemen-tary, Grantham School, Mount Olive Middle and Southern Wayne High -- are encouraged to attend. The meeting is free and open to the public.
The format will kick off with a question-and-answer session featuring staff members from the school district's central office, followed by an open discussion around the kitchen table, Mrs. Fai-son said.
It promises to be an informative discussion, officials said.
"Our teachers and administrators are working hard to ensure students can be successful in school and in life," said Dr. Steven Taylor, schools superintendent. "We recognize that it takes parent involvement for our schools to help meet the needs of each child.
"This information session and kitchen table conversation event will be a great opportunity for parents to become engaged in the education process of their child."
Parents planning to attend are encouraged to notify their child's school Monday.
"We want people to come out and show support and get more involved in what's happening in the schools," Mrs. Faison said. "For us to close the gap we have got to close the gap between home and school, and ensure that people feel very positive."