By Staff
PARENT CENTER Tia Bajus, home school coordinator at Oakland Heights Elementary School, talks to parents Tuesday about ways they can better communicate with their children. Parents had their first meeting at the parent resource center at the school. The parents are, from left, Jacqueline Roach, Joanna Davis, Camella Darden, Bettye Jones, Alishia Dearing, Jennifer Sumrall, Cynthia Rackley,
Carlotta Larkin and Priscilla Rice Jones. Photo by Paula Merritt / The Meridian Star.
By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
Oct. 15, 2003
Oakland Heights Elementary School administrators held the first meeting of the parent resource center Tuesday at the school library in an attempt to help parents better communicate with their children.
Maust's tips include praising children when they do something right, avoiding fights with children and remembering that parents and children are not perfect.
The parent center, which was started by Tia Bajus, the home school coordinator for the school, and Sandra Crawford, the Barksdale literacy coach, is required as a part of the Barksdale Reading Institute grant.
The school must hold two parent resource meetings, but organizers hope to have at least four meetings.
The parental training is taken from a program called BRIDGES, or Bringing Resources, Inclusion and Developmentally Appropriate Gains to Every Child in Mississippi.
The meeting focused on using positive forms of discipline and the importance of talking with children. About 20 parents attended.
Bajus said she has not scheduled the next parent resource center meeting, but added the center will host an open house on Oct. 27 for parents who are interested.
Bajus said parents are welcome to visit the parent center on that day and check out materials from the parent resource center.
Crawford said the new emphasis on standardized test scores makes it important for parents to, "talk, talk, talk and read, read, read" to their children.