Leal Elementary administration and staff is committed to helping parents through a program called the Parent Leadership Academy through Parenting Partners. This program focuses in providing parents with information and tools that can help them better understand their child’s needs. Parenting Partners is an initiative that was implemented in all the elementary schools last year through the Parental Involvement Program.
The Parent Leadership Academy consists of attending class one night a week for one hour during a period of eight weeks. These parents demonstrated their commitment by attending class every week. Several topics were covered throughout the course that were essential such as; tools that allowed parents to better help their child in their educational setting, there were also group discussions in which parents helped each other through similar situations, and role playing exercises provide insight that could help parents in the future.
“The program is extremely beneficial and we’ve had parents as well as grandparents attending these classes,” said Nancy Villarreal, MCISD F.A.C.E. Coordinator. “The program provides them with not only information but the interaction between the parents is also helpful because together they can find solutions to issues that they may be facing with their children. I would really would encourage other parents to attend these classes because it provides them with tools that can help them support their children emotionally as well as academically.”
The other elementary campuses have also been celebrating their graduates at the completion of their eight-week program. For more information on Parenting Partners contact Nancy Villarreal, MCISD F.A.C.E. Coordinator at (956) 323-5350.55