Parents & Students: Resources
Overview
The Parent Resource Center’s goal is to provide the proper resources that will assist, guide, help and support parents with their children’s education and promote parent engagement by encouraging parents to take an active role in their children’s educational processes. This goal is achieved by a number of services including workshops, support groups, meetings, seminars, trainings at local schools and district meetings. The Parent Resource Center also maintains partnerships with local community organizations, faith-based organizations and agencies to bring additional resources into the schools and develop stronger ties between the schools, parents and the community. In the Parent Resource Center, there are a variety of resources, including booklets, magazines and computers with internet access where parents can access information on how to help their children succeed and be proficient. The Parent Resource Center also offers parent leadership seminars that emphasize the importance of parental involvement and the benefits to children, parents and our schools.
The Parent Resource Center is responsible for the oversight of all PTAs, EPIC Parenting Workshops, Project PLAN, Blue Book trainings, and Presidents’ Council Meetings. The Center also offers guidance to parents when a specific concern or issue arises in relation with their child at school. For more specific information, please click on the links below.
On this Page:
- PTA
- Blue Book
- EPIC
- Project PLAN
- Presidents’ Council
- Que Pasa Padres
- Newsletter
- Parent Volunteer Programs
- The Parent Place
- Contact Information
- Event Calendar
Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The primary role of the PTA is to provide an established and recognized mechanism through which parents can become partners in the education process. The PTA carries out this role in many ways, including:
- Helping to bring information to all the parents in the school.
- Bringing parent issues and concerns to the attention of school staff and working with educators to address these issues.
- Planning and holding activities to promote parent involvement in their school.
- Organizing and running fundraising activities, within established guidelines, to benefit the school.
Blue Book
The Blue Book was designed as a guideline for running an effective PTA. It contains information concerning the role of the PTA in the school and the responsibilities of the officers. It also provides samples of agendas, letter to parents, minutes, by laws and budget outlines. The Blue Book also provides specific information on the PTA election process step by step. A Blue Book training is offered to the newly elected PTA officers and staff members as needed.
EPIC (Every Person Influences Children)
EPIC is a series of free parenting workshops given in small, supportive discussion groups, offered to parents of children from birth through adolescence. These workshops help parents/guardians strengthen their parenting skills for raising children in today’s complex society. Parents who attend and complete the workshop series receive a certificate verifying completion of the EPIC workshops.
Project PLAN (Parent Leadership Assistance Network)
Project PLAN is an institute that educates, equips, and empowers parent leaders to develop collaborative relationships and partnerships with teachers and administrators in their respective school and district. Its goal is to develop and form a Parent Community Network that will provide support to individual schools and district-wide programs, as well as to form partnerships and collaborations with community and faith-based organizations. The purpose of these collaborations is to support the educational agenda of the Lawrence Public Schools.
Presidents’ Council
The Presidents’ Council Meeting was formed by Superintendent Laboy to provide a forum for the PTA Leaders to share their concerns with him and senior district leaders on a regular basis throughout the school year. PTA presidents or other officers are invited to place items on the agenda of the bi-monthly meetings to share information and/or to address any issues or concerns of parents from their schools. This forum also provides the opportunity for the Superintendent to share data and information on what is happening the in the Lawrence Public Schools with the PTA Leaders so they can bring this information back to the parents they represent.
Que Pasa Padres
Que Pasa Padres is a half hour TV program for parents broadcast in Spanish on LPS-TV Channel 10. PTA officers and other parents, as well as organizations or agencies, are invited to share information on what is going on at their local schools, district wide or in the community. This program also provides strategies and information on how parents can be more active in their children’s school and education. There is also an English version of this show entitled: “What’s going on with Parents.” For more information, please contact the parent resource center or LPS-TV Channel 10.
Newsletter
A district-wide newsletter is sent to parents of children in the Lawrence Public Schools, notifying them about PTA meeting dates, EPIC parenting workshops, Parent Leadership Workshops, PAC meetings, parent conferences and workshops and other activities offered to parents and families at local schools and district wide.
Parent Volunteer Programs
There are many opportunities for parents and other adults to volunteer their time to help in local schools. The Parent Volunteer Program matches a volunteer’s interests with an area of need in the Lawrence Public Schools. All parent volunteers must complete a CORI Check in order to be cleared for on-going volunteer work. Please contact the Parent Resource Center for more information.
The Parent Place
The Lawrence Public Schools and The Parent Place have entered in a partnership to provide trainings and workshops to PTA officers, parents and staff members. They will also be working very closely with the Parent Resource Center. Please contact the Parent Resource Center for more information.
Contact Information
|
The Parent Resource Center 255 Essex Street, 2nd Floor Lawrence, MA 01840 |
Susan J. Santos Parent Education Facilitator 978-975-5905, ext.373 ssantos@lawrence.k12.ma.us |
|
Vivian Rodriguez Parent Advocate/Special Education PAC 978-975-5905, ext. 388 vrodriguez@lawrence.k12.ma.us |
Ada Vargas Parent Liaison 978-975-5905, ext. 364 amercedes@lawrence.k12.ma.us |
Event Calendar
Presidents’ Council Meetings
Hall of the School Committee
255 Essex Street Lawrence, Mass.
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, November 18, 2008
- Tuesday, January 20, 2009
- Tuesday, March 17, 2009
- Tuesday, May 19, 2009
PTA Leaders Workshops 2008-2009
Hall of the School Committee
255 Essex Street Lawrence, Mass.
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 16, 2008
- Tuesday, February 24, 2009
- Tuesday, April 28, 2009
- Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Parent Information Forum
Saturday, November 15, 2008
9:00 A.M. – 3:00 p.m.
South Lawrence East Education Complex
"Many of us here today are the embodiment of our parents' hopes and dreams; the reason they have sacrificed to provide us with the opportunity to pursue our own dreams unhindered by poverty, want or war," 2007 LHS valedictorian, Cam-Tu Huynh