To help ease the transition—and to begin a long pattern of school and family engagement—Bell City School hosted a PreK Parent Breakfast on the very first day. To increase students’ interest in math and to give back to the community, Bell City School’s student in grades K-5 took part in the St. Jude Math-a-Thon.

Lake Charles, LA

PreK Parent Breakfast

The first day of preschool can be a difficult separation for many parents and children.  To help ease the transition—and to begin a long pattern of school and family engagement—Bell City School hosted a PreK Parent Breakfast on the very first day.  Families met teachers, received parenting resources, and felt close to their children without remaining in their classrooms.  The children knew their parents were nearby.

After bringing their children to class, parents were welcomed by the PTO in the cafeteria with coffee, donuts, and pastries.  There, the principal, counselor, and Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) members presented useful information, mingled with parents, and answered their questions.  Parents were encouraged to take copies of several resources, including the PTO calendar, upcoming ATP events, and how to join these groups.  In the ATP packet, families could volunteer to assist or lead specific activities.  They noted the talents and skills they wanted to offer to assist the schools and students (e.g., art, technology, baking, crafts, and other helpful tasks).

PreK Parent Breakfast is featured in Promising Partnership Practices 2015.

St. Jude Math-a-Thon

To increase students’ interest in math and to give back to the community, Bell City School’s student in grades K-5 took part in the St. Jude Math-a-Thon.  After receiving parental consent, students recruited sponsors who pledged funds for the project.  St. Jude sent Math-a-Thon books to all participating students.  Math books for each grade level included standards-based problems, along with a story of a patient at St. Jude in the same grade level.  The students were guided to do the math activities with a family partner to show what they were learning.  The students liked knowing that funds raised for the problems they completed would help a child in need.

The completed booklets were returned for prizes from St. Jude.  The school received a plaque to spotlight its students’ math work and the dedication of students, families, and others in supporting sick children.  Students also received individual certificates from St. Jude acknowledging their participation.