Parents spend day at school

• By DEBRA LEMOINE
• Advocate Florida parishes bureau
• Published: Oct 17, 2009 - Page: 1B

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DENHAM SPRINGS — Even though Nick Canterbury is not a designated teacher’s helper, the Lewis Vincent Elementary School first-grader helps other students use the computer during class, teacher Linda Miller confided to Nick’s mother.

Parents received such detailed information Friday about how their children were doing in school during the Livingston Parish School System’s first systemwide Parent Conference Day. On this special day, the kids stayed home from school while their parents went to class.

Teachers addressed classroom skills, the first report cards of the year and the results of last year’s standardized test score of students, said Jan Benton, director of curriculum. Teachers also told parents what skills their children need to master by the upcoming springtime round of testing.

Benton said she learned that other school systems across the country, as well as in neighboring districts such as Ascension Parish, have similar parent conference days.

“If you get parents involved and there is good parent-teacher communication, research shows there is more academic success,” Benton said.

At Lewis Vincent Elementary in Denham Springs, Chardelle Canterbury said she received valuable information while visiting the teachers of her sons,  Nick, 6, and Nathaniel, 8.

“They go into real detail. They give you their strengths and weaknesses,” Chardelle Canterbury said.

A grade isn’t always an indicator of exactly what skill they excel in and what they need help with at home, she said.

“Education is the most important thing,” Chardelle Canterbury said. “I don’t mind taking a day off for them.”

As another parent, Amanda Matthews, sat waiting to talk to a teacher about her second-grade son, Justus, she, too, said she was glad for the opportunity.

“To me, they’re making sure the parents are involved with the parish schools,” Amanda Matthews said.

Lewis Vincent Elementary Principal Carol Robertson said teachers often meet with the parents of children struggling academically. But this day offers another chance for teachers and parents of all students to get to know each other better.

“The good thing about having this during the first nine weeks is we can meet with parents and all can monitor their progress,” said Carol Robertson, principal of Lewis Vincent Elementary School. “They can get additional help now rather than later. It’s difficult at the end (of the year) to catch up.”