On April 27 over 100 parents and young children met at the Park Lodge Elementary for Communities In Schools “Growing Up is Fun!” family night out, an evening of dinner, childrens activities and parental break-out sessions.
The goal is to give parents resources and advice on how to best prepare their children for kindergarten, and to encourage parents to make a stronger connection to their children’s schools and teachers.
Hundreds of children in Lakewood enter kindergarten without preschool experience. In many cases they are 1-2 years behind their peers when they start and many struggle to catch up. Those who don’t often stay behind, eventually dropping out of school.
“Growing Up is Fun!” family nights connect parents with specialists who speak both English and Spanish. In addition to receiving bilingual educational resources and agency brochures, parents are advised on how to access community services there to help their children succeed.
Over the past three years Communities In Schools of Lakewood has organized seven family nights out and has helped hundreds of families become more connected to their children’s education.
Comcast and Target are major financial sponsors for the family nights and Caring for Kids provides notebooks, crayons, pencils and dental kits.
Special thanks to Park Lodge Elementary for allowing Communities In Schools to use their facility, Diane Formoso for heading up the event, and the many volunteers who made this an evening to remember!