Male Parents Assisting Teachers (M-PAT) Academy

According to the National Education Association less than 9% of elementary teachers are males. Additional research suggested males make up less than 25% of teachers in the public schools. In an effort to combat the dearth of male teachers, Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) is seeking men who would are interested in volunteering in classrooms.

PGCPS hopes as you volunteer in our schools, your varied life experiences and training will enhance the education of our youth and have an impact on their lives. This role is exciting and challenging and will provide you with opportunities for personal enrichment and fulfillment.

The Male Parents Assisting Teachers (M-PAT) Academy is designed for those male Parents/guardians and community members who are interested in volunteering in classrooms to assist teachers in the educational/instructional process. The Office of Family and Community Outreach provides a three-hour training workshop which introduces participants to the guidelines and strategies for working with students and assisting teachers in the classrooms. Male Parents Assisting Teachers (M-PAT) Academy workshops provide participants with:

• An overview of the purpose and goals of the Male Parents Assisting Teachers (M-PAT) Academy in order to develop an understanding of expected outcomes.
• An explanation of school district policies, procedures, ethics, and laws in order to internalize guidelines regarding interactions between and among volunteers, students, and staff.
• Hands-on training modules designed to prepare them to work effectively in direct contact with students and staff in the classrooms and school building.

Upon completion of the workshop, participants will be certified as a Volunteer Classroom Assistant and will be assigned to teachers who have specifically requested a volunteer for their classroom. Additionally, as a part of the training, participants will undergo fingerprinting and a background check which will be rendered at no cost to all participants. To register or for additional information about The Male Parents Assisting Teachers program (M-PAT) Academy, contact (301) 925-2535 ext. 289 or a Parent Liaison at any neighborhood school.

The Prince Georges County Health Department is announcing 8-summer Town Forums on Health:

A message from Dr. Brown-Ornish who is a Senior Planner with Prince George's County Health Department.

We have important information to share with the community about their personal health status, the community’s health issues and how we can all maximize our health and well being. We also want to get input from the community about how we can best deliver services. Please help us by sharing the attached information with individuals, groups and organizations in your network. For information please call 301-883-3153 (Melony Griffith – Center for Healthy Lifestyles Initiative in the Office of the Health Officer) or 301-883-7879.

Thanks, Dr. Shirley
240-508-5415

Dr. Shirley Brown-Ornish, MD
Senior Planner
Prince George's County Health Department
Headquarters’ Building1701 McCormick Drive,
Suite #210Largo, Maryland 20774
Vox: 301-883-7846
Fax: 301-883-7893
Email: sebrown-ornish@co.pg.md.us

Summer Youth Program Offers Fun with a Career Focus

Classes Geared Toward Children in Grades 2 through 7

The Summer Youth Program at Prince George’s Community College encourages children to explore career options, strengthen language and math skills and discover the latest trends in science and technology through a series of fun and exciting courses.

Beginning July 6-31 on the main campus in Largo, the Summer Youth Program offers a variety of courses designed specifically for those in grades 2 through 7.

Classes meet Monday through Friday with morning (8:30-11:30 a.m.), afternoon (12:30-3:30 p.m.) and extended day (3:45-6 p.m.) sessions. Choose from more than 20 courses, which represent a mixture of academic, career and enrichment options. A partial listing of Summer

Youth Program offerings includes:

• Reading/Language Arts
• Math
• Technology Education
• Science Fair
• Sewing
• Video Game Design
• Crafts R Us
• Is There a Medical Professional in the House?
• Veterinarian
• Graphic Arts
• If Bob Can Build It, So Can I

“The summer youth program provides youth learning experiences in a college environment with courses taught by industry professionals,” said Cecelia Knox, director, Next Step Training and Education. “To ensure a strong math and language program, the instructors are selected from a pool of highly qualified local public and private school teachers,” she added.

In addition, the Summer Youth Program offers the Basketball Clinic, a one-week day (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) session that runs Aug. 10-14 for children ages 11 to 18. Under the supervision of PGCC head basketball coach John Wiley, participants receive quality instruction and participate in all phases of the game, including rules interpretation, timing, scoring, playing skill and actual game play. Participants are grouped according to age and ability.

For a complete listing of Summer Youth Program courses or information on registration and tuition, visit the Summer 2009 Schedule of Credit & Noncredit Classes on the college Web site at http://www.pgcc.edu/current/schedules/(Page 79) or call 301-322-0158. For more information on the Basketball Clinic, call 301-322-0513.

Summer Reading Can Help Students Avoid The "Summer Set Back"

The Colorado State Library systems suggested reading over the summer break helps to prevent "Summer Set Back". According to the American Library Association the benefits to readers in a summer reading program include:

• encouragement that reading become a lifelong habit
• reluctant readers can be drawn in by the activities
• reading over the summer helps children keep their skills up
• the program can generate interest in the library and books

PGCPS summer reading list can be obtained from any Prince George's County Public Library or by simply clicking on the link below:
http://www1.pgcps.org/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=52360

Resources For The Engaged Parent

Parent Information and Resource Centers, which receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education, works "to inform and educate parents, family advocates, educators, community organizers, faith-based activists and others committed to educational success for all students."


The National PTA provides various resources on Parent Involvement, including an overview of the National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs. Also, the organization offers further information on specific issues such as the No Child Left Behind Act.


National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University, an organization focused on "developing and maintaining comprehensive programs of school-family-community partnerships," offers a digest of publications.


Parent Leadership Associates aims to engage "parents to become decision-making partners in public schools." The group offers a number of publications and compiles resources and news.


Project Appleseed provides a self-assessment tool for parents to use to rate how involved they are in their children's education.


Read an overview of the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory's Involving Family and Community in Student Learning program, and learn more about its other projects, including the National Center for Family and Community Connections With Schools, which "fosters effective family and community connections with schools by developing and distributing research-based resources and tools to a wide audience."


Parents for Public Schools, a national group devoted to increasing parents' involvement in public schools, offers parent resources, publications, and a directory of its local chapters.


The National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education provides resources for those involved in family-school partnerships: parents or families, educators, and administrators.

Experts Weigh In On Parental Engagement/Involvement

"The most valuable way you can become involved in your child’s education is to provide a rich learning environment in your home to support your child’s academic achievement". (Joyce Pollard, Director,Institutional Communications jpollard@sedl.org

"When parents are involved in children’s schools and education, children have higher grades and standardized test scores, improved behavior at home and school, and better social skills and adaptation to school". (Kimberly L. Keith for About.com)

"When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more."
(Report from the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory)

Mentoring Is A Benefit To Everyone

How is mentoring a benefit to everyone:

The Mentor Gains
• Personal satisfaction by helping children learn
• The opportunity to learn new skills or polish old ones
• Knowledge and understanding of Prince George’s County Public Schools

The Mentee Gains
• Additional individual attention
• An accepting atmosphere for learning reinforcement
• A chance to succeed, thus building a better self-concept
• A good friend who is a warm and caring adult

The School Gains
• Positive public relations with the community
• Improved student achievement and behavior
• Additional services without extra costs
• Increased community understanding and support

The Prince George’s County Community Gains
• Better educated students
• Greater confidence in the educational system

Additional Gains
• An increase in the probability of graduation
• An increase in the attendance rate of students who have shown loss of academic interest
• An increase in daily participation in school chance to succeed, thus building a better self-concept
• An increase in the grades of performing students



If you would like to find out more about mentoring opportunities with PGCPS contact· Jim Smith, 301.883.8255, e-mail at jsmith@digitalnetworkgroup.net· or Michael Robinson, 301.925.2535, e-mail at michael.robinson@pgcps.org

Just How Engaged Are You?

This was the question posed by the Denver Public Schools (DPS) to parents. In an effort to measure just how engaged parents percieved themselves to be, DPS created a short quiz for parents to take.

We invite our parents to take the quiz. Feel free to comment on your results in our comment section for this posting.

1. YES NO
Do you make sure your student completes his/her homework?

2. YES NO
Are you a member of the PTA/PTO in your school?

3. YES NO
Do you make sure your student reads everyday?

4. YES NO
Do you volunteer at your child's school?

5. YES NO
Are you on the CSC committee? (the decision making body for the school)

6. YES NO
Do you regularly attend parent/teacher conferences?

7. YES NO
Do you participate in parent trainings/workshops?

8. YES NO
Do you attend family nights such as literacy and math?

9. YES NO
Are you involved in the school improvement plan?

10. YES NO
Do you communicate regularly with your child's teacher?

11. YES NO
Do you know the reading level of your child?

12. YES NO
Do you call the attendance line when your child is ill?

13. YES NO
Are you on the interviewing committee at your school?

How to score your quiz

Questions 1, 3, 6, 12: if answer is yes, give yourself a 1 for each question

Questions 4, 7, 8, 10, 11: if answer is yes, give yourself a 2 for each question

Questions 2, 5, 9, 13: if answer is yes, give yourself a 3 for each question

Score Totals: 0 - 4 = Emerging; 5 - 12 = Developing; 13 - 26 = Exemplary

New Deputy Superintendent Selected For PGCPS

Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) will have a new Deputy Superintendent starting next week. Approved in a unanimous vote from the Board of Education, Dr. Bonita Coleman-Potter will begin her position on July 1.

“The Board of Education welcomes Dr. Coleman-Potter to the school district and the County,” said Verjeana M. Jacobs, Esq., Board Chair. “We will look forward to working with someone who shares our vision of equity and access for all students in our County.”

Originally from Jackson, Mississippi, Dr. Coleman-Potter will assist School Superintendent, Dr. William R. Hite, Jr. with overseeing day-to-day operations of the school system.

"I am thrilled to have Dr. Coleman-Potter join us in our work to improve education for children in Prince George’s County," said Hite. "Her wealth of knowledge and broad experiences are aligned with many of our goals for the school system, and I look forward to working together to serve our students, staff, and community."

Coleman-Potter served as the Deputy Superintendent for the Jackson Public School District in Jackson, Mississippi where she provided leadership for all schools and instructional divisions in the state’s only urban school district. With demographics similar to Prince George’s County, the Jackson school district served a student population made up of 98%African-American students.

29th - Spy at Night, International Spy Museum

Intrigue, deception, daring escapes, delicious drinks and five star treats… now it's your turn to live a spy's life!

The hottest destination for cool cocktails and sophisticated fun in Penn Quarter is now declassified at the International Spy Museum. Whether you're in the mood to sip The White Knight signature cocktail or prepared to leap into a covert operation, Spy at Night is the secret mission for you.

Join WPGC at the International Spy Museum on Friday night, July 29th, 5pm at 800 F St NW, Washington DC for Spy at Night!