Charter school also teaches parents lessons
by Camille Doty, Medill News Service on 06/07/10
WASHINGTON – The Meridian Public Charter School offers classes to help parents. Their motto – Parents Love Learning Too.
Hilda Marquez, parent center coordinator, said parental involvement is crucial for a child’s academic development. “Students tend to succeed more in their education if parents are able to help them with their homework and are actively involved,” she said.
Steven Hill is taking advantage of the Parent Center’s resources by going to a General Education Development course. The forty-three-year-old father says he wants to help his daughter, Kennedy, with her homework. “I don’t want to not be able to help her when she needs help,” he said.
Right now, Hill is the only student in the class and he like the one-on-one attention. Between breaks, he visits his second-grade daughter’s classroom. Kennedy says it makes her feel “happy.”
Hill says he is grateful for this opportunity. And on his days off from class, he volunteers at Meridian.”The school is doing everything they can to help the parents,” he said.
Hill plans to the take the GED test in September. Once he passes, he will take computer classes at a community college.
