Submitted by Edward Grande, Interim Superintendent of Schools
Our fourth annual Parent University sessions will be held on Wednesday, June 15 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in various classrooms throughout Arthur L. Johnson High School. The evening will consist of three 30-minute sessions (6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., 7:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., and 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) around the theme of “Summer Programs and Transitions.” You will be able to sign up for anywhere from one to three sessions that evening.
A catalog of sessions for the evening is posted below. Kindly send Terri Rodrigues an email at trodrigues@clarkschools.org stating which session(s) you are interested in attending. You can also call Terri at 732-574-9600 ext. 3337 with your selections. Once we have this information, session times and locations will be sent out.
The ALJ Key Club will be offering free babysitting during these sessions, so please let us know if you will be making use of that service (for how many children and their ages) when you respond. We will be concluding this evening with a graduation program for the parents who participated in Parent University at some point during the school year. As always, thanks for all that you do to support our schools.
CATALOG OF SESSIONS GRADES K-5 SUMMER READING PROGRAM
Presenter: Mallory Applebaum, Assistant Principal of Elementary Schools
Target Audience: Parents/Guardians of Students Currently in Grades Pre-K to 4
Description: Participants will gain an understanding of our elementary summer reading program, supports that can be put into place at home, and the expectations for students upon their return to school in September.
GRADES 6-12 SUMMER READING PROGRAM
Presenter: Yuri Diaz, Grades 6-12 Content Area Supervisor of Language Arts and the Humanities
Target Audience: Parents/Guardians of Students Currently in Grades 5 to 11
Description: Participants will gain an understanding of our middle/high school summer reading program, supports that can be put into place at home, and the expectations for students upon their return to school in September.
ADDING EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT TO FAMILY TRIPS WITH EASE AND FUN
Presenters: Joseph Beltramba, VRS Principal and Bryan Lowe, VRS Grade 5 Teacher
Target Audience: Parents/Guardians of Students Currently in Grades Pre-K to 8
Description: Ideas for using fun activities to add learning to a vacation trip will be shared.
Participants will be engaged in several hands-on activities which may educationally enhance a trip.
TRANSITIONING INTO KINDERGARTEN
Presenters: Kimberly Belverio and Emilia DiFrancesco-Citsay, Grade K Teachers; Eunice Pangiochi, District Social Worker; and Lori Kowalski, Supervisor of Preschool/School Nurse
Target Audience: Parents/Guardians of Students Currently in Grade Pre-K
Description: Parents will be provided with information as to how to make the transition into kindergarten as smooth as possible.
POST-SECONDARY PLANNING
Presenter: Caroline McLaughlin, Transition Navigator at Planning for Adult Life
Target Audience: Parents/Guardians of Students Currently in Grades 9 to 12
Description: Participants will learn about options available for students with special needs and how to prepare them for life beyond high school. Services are available and it is never too early to start learning about them.
USING THE SUMMER FOR COLLEGE PLANNING
Presenter: Bonnie Mingin, Supervisor of Pupil Personnel Services/Guidance
Target Audience: Parents/Guardians of Students Currently in Grades 10 and 11
Description: Parents will gain an understanding of how to optimize the summer months for such aspects of college planning as standardized test preparation, essay/application writing, and school visits.
