Re: [Winona] Cherisa Templeton has good points

[Karen J. Fawcett]

Joliene, I appreciate your comments about parent involvement being the basis for children's success in school. As you implied, that has been a value long held by citizens of Winona and the school district. I agree with you that "a well run program of educational options is much more important than which building they are educated in."  That is exactly what Winona has at this time, and families are benefiting. Community Education is involved in a collaborative of agencies that supports many programs for parents. Baby Connections supported by the Winona County Community Connections Project has created a team of professionals including public health nurses, early childhood and parenting educators, home visitors, and other human services workers who visit new parents in the hospital and offer education and support. These professionals in their agency roles continue the process with home visits and parenting support groups. ECFE currently offers parenting and early childhood classes at sites throughout the district including the ALC, Rollingstone Community School, and Dakota School. They have seen that neighborhood schools are a great site for parent groupings. The locations begin the process of parent hospitality and familiarity with class rooms even before their children enter the K-12 system. Historically, the program has used even more community sites such as church rooms and community centers.All of these programs and many more community activites have discovered that parenting education and support can happen wherever people are grouped and led by staff who are committed to strengthened families. A central building hasn't been the only solution.   But this discussion raises a greater issue, that of empowered parents who have voice in shaping the learning experiences and educational sites of their children. Research shows that it is not only the parents' presence in the school or class that insures stronger schools. It is parental involvement in the decision making...school boards and officials listening to parents' voices and perspectives as quality of education is held as a priority. Each time a parent's voice is diminished, energy in education is lost.   This returns us to our discussion of last June. How are parents empowered in the district? Are the site base teams providing an opportunity for parental voice? How have school site teams helped solve the issue of relocation of services? And, how are the individual site base team decisions connected to the greater vision of quality education throughout the district?   This is a rich time for dialogue about something we all highly value...quality of life in Winona through its educational systems. Karen Fawcett