Tuesday, March 3, 2015

PASOS GRADUATES READY TO HELP KIDS THROUGH COLLEGE



By Raul Garcia Jr.

Parents at Brownsville Independent School District finished a series of classes to better help their child through school and into college. They will graduate in cap and gown for their accomplishment and their children to see Wednesday March 4 at the BISD Central office auditorium located at 708 Palm Blvd.

Brownsville parent, Christina Salazar, who will graduate said the Parent Academy for Success of Schools, PASOS, is helping parents reenforce the education of their children in school. She continued with saying parents that have a chance to join the class will have a good experience learning how to help their children at home with school.

“Research shows that the most successful schools are those that partner with parents and share the responsibility of student education,” said Dr. Roland Arriola, president of the Texas Valley Communities Foundation. “PASOS informs parents about the workings of the school district and provides them with the skills they need to best support their child’s education.”   

Keynote speakers for the ceremony include BISD School Board President Minerva Peña, Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Esperanza Zendejas,  Asst. Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction   Bertha A. Peña, and Dr. Mary Alice Reyes, Executive VP, Texas Valley Communities Foundation. 

This is the first group to complete the Parent Academy for Success of School in the district. Thirty parents attended each class on Saturday's at Perkins Middle School for six weeks. All classes were taught in Spanish to Spanish speaking parents with children attending school in the district.PASOS is an initiative of the Texas Valley Communities Foundation. The program helps parents create a better learning environment at home and shows parents strategies to better navigate their children’s educational pathway.

Parents who participate in PASOS program learn how to create a positive and lasting educational environment at home using a number of proven academic success tools: dedicating a home study location and time of day for homework; creating ongoing dialogue with their children surrounding their academic successes and challenges; and discussing children’s college expectations.

 “Its amazing to see the impact that the mothers have when walking in cap and gown with their children taking their pictures,” said Alma Ortega-Johnson, Wells Fargo area president.  “I was crying just seeing all that.”

The Wells Fargo area president was a keynote speaker at the PSJA PASOS graduating ceremony in 2014. 

PASOS has also taken place as a parental involvement program in the Donna and Mercedes school districts this year.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Basically, the SDs are "teaching" parents how to be parents. Why stop with parenting, have the state teach everyone how to behave as an adult? That way we would not have any prisons, no? Then the tax payer can support millions more "teachers". The only job in Brownsville. This is like doing each other's laundry and calling it an economy.

Why is only taught in Spanish? This is discrimination. I am sure there are hundreds of English only parents out there who need help as well. Brownsville is an Express Train barrelling down the track toward total third world poverty.

Anonymous said...

Spanish, English, wtf, just put birth control in the water supply. The priests could give out birth control pills instead of a host during communion. puros mamones criando mas mamones

rita