Daniel Tyler Gooden / L’Observateur / April 21, 2000

LUTCHER – Parents and teachers met last Friday to discuss their common bond, their children and students.

The Parent’s Institute, the second one of the school year, was organized by the Title I Instruction Resources Center. The conference gave parents achance to discuss their concerns with the teachers and the teachers a chance to provide information on what parents may do at home to improve their children’s education.

“Parents Are Springing Into a Healthy Way of Life” was the theme of the conference and a literal activity by way of a 10-minute aerobic workout, said Carol Weber, facilitator for the federal program. Parents were invited fromall the elementary schools and the Headstart program in St. James Parish,and there were visitors from Assumption, St. John and Terrebonne parishes,as well. The meeting covered six hours of informational presentations andactivities. Presentations covered academic growth, smart snacking forchildren, 10 minute family exercises, resolving conflicts at home, drug abuse – signs to look for – and a small group sharing session.

The parents also played Book Bingo for a chance to bring home books for their children.

“Twice a year we get parents and we spend all day on them, and based on their surveys we construct the agenda,” said Francis Trosclair, director of the program.

Aside from the Title I staff representatives from local organizations who attended included St. James Parish Hospital, St. James Parish Sheriff’sOffice, St. James Parish Library, Region III Office of Public Health, RiverParishes Community College, Bayouland Families Helping Families, LSU Cooperative Extension Service, Title I Mobile Learning Center and Title I Instructional Resources Center. The organizations displayed informationalbrochures and packets for the parents concerning their services.

The purpose of the conference and of the Title I Instructional Resources Center is to enhance the academic achievement of the students in St. JamesParish, encouraging and supporting efforts by families and teachers to take a more active role in children’s learning.

Its goals are to offer parenting training sessions, to guide parents in helping their children with school work, to loan educational materials to parents and teachers, to provide a variety of resource materials to teachers and parents and to provide a professional library for teachers professional growth.

The center is located at 1876 W. Main St. in Lutcher and is open between 3and 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The service is free to all parents ofchildren attending the public school system or teachers of the public school system in St. James Parish. To contact the center call (225) 869-5375 or(225) 265-3021.

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