Parents learn valuable lessons at Forest Hills High
About 80 parents , grandparents and other family members spent the morning reliving the high school experience at Forest Hills High School Tuesday , Nov . 15 during Bring Your Parent to School Day .
The school ’ s teacher cadet class and the Future Teachers of America ( FTA ) organization sponsored the second-annual event , which coincides with American Education Week . It was funded with a $ 1,000 state Parent Involvement grant and a LIFTed Higher grant from the Union County Education Foundation .
Parents came to their child ’ s first-period class not only to observe , but participate .
“ I ’ ve enjoyed it ,” said Teneshia Craig . “ I plan to come next year , too . It ’ s good to come to the school so you can get a better idea of what is going on with your child , and see their daily routines and habits . And it shows your child that you care .”
Jennifer Whitley , who coordinated the event , said the purpose of the experience was to show families the importance of parental involvement on the high school level .
“ In elementary school , parents are there all the time ,” Whitley said . “ In middle school , it ’ s a bit less , but in high school , the feeling is that parents are no longer needed . We ’ re trying to show high school students that parents being involved in their academic , social and athletic lives is just as important .”
Whitley said parental involvement might look different on the high school level , but it ’ s just as important as it in elementary and middle schools .
“ We don ’ t have ‘ Come read with your teacher ,’ ‘ Donuts for dads ,’ or ‘ Muffins for moms day ,’ but parents have to have those open conversations with their students and hold them accountable ,” she said .
Forest Hills High School junior Akiya Craig was excited that her mother , Teneshia Craig , and her sister , Quatazia Craig , came with her to her child development class .
“ It ’ s been great to have her in class ,” Akiya said . “ I think she will see what school is like and how I learn . Once she knows the type of learner I am , if I come home with a problem , she can help me because then she will know how I learn .”
Vanessa Avila ’ s parents couldn ’ t come for the event , so she asked her sister , Stephanie Avila , a 2015 Forest Hills graduate . “ It ’ s been a good experience ,” Stephanie said . “ Vanessa talks about school , but it ’ s good to know exactly what she does in class .”
Sisters weren ’ t the only family members to stand in for parents who couldn ’ t come . Ricky Williams , a Wingate resident , came to chemistry class with his granddaughter , Alexus Sims .
“ I just came to be with my granddaughter ,” he said . “ I don ’ t really understand what they ’ re doing . It wasn ’ t anything like this when I went to high school . It ’ s very different .”
After the class , family members went to the media center for brunch and a presentation by the school ’ s teacher cadet class and the FTA . Forest Hills High School principal Dr . Kevin Plue welcomed parents and thanked them for coming .
Parents were given a Parent Day t-shirt to commemorate the experience .
During the presentation , students gave information about the school , the teacher cadet program , and the importance of parental involvement .
Teacher cadets shared research with parents , which explained why being an involved parent was crucial to a student ’ s success in high school .
Plue said he hoped that parents got that message . “ We know that students who graduate at the top of their class have really involved parents who pay attention to everything that is going on in their lives ,” he said . “ We ’ re trying to facilitate more of that .” — This article was provided by the Union County Public Schools Communications Office .
Akiya Craig , ( at right ), her mother , Teneshia Craig , ( center ) and sister , Quatazia Craig , listen to Forest Hills High School teacher , Joanne Hesley , during her class on child development . The family joined Akiya ’ s class during Bring Your Parent to School Day .
Parent Teacher Magazine • Jan / Feb 2017 • 3