PARENT RESOURCES: CENTER AT WASHINGTON SCHOOL PROVIDES ITEMS FOR HOME STUDY

Parents who want to help their children with school work will get a boost from Cape Girardeau public schools.

The school district has opened a Parent Resource Center at Washington Elementary School for parents with children enrolled in the district's Chapter 1 program.

Using federal funds, the school district has purchased about $30,000 worth of instructional materials and equipment for parents and children to use at home.

Director of Elementary Education Richard Bollwerk said, "We hope to get parents more involved in their child's education by helping them with the materials they need.

"We can't do it alone," Bollwerk said. "We can't do it all at school; parental support is necessary for success."

The items include math and reading workbooks, many electronic game-type instructional items, and even computers and software.

"We have books for kids in remedial with read-along audio tapes," Bollwerk said.

The first month has been spent cataloging the materials and devising a check-out system. The center even has tote bags for parents to carry home materials.

"All of the items we have purchased for parents to check out and use at home we already have at Chapter 1 programs in school. The kids will use them at school and then can practice at home.

"Our parents and teachers had heard about similar programs there are quite a few across the state," Bollwerk said.

They visited the parent resource center at Chaffee Elementary School headed by teacher Nancy McGrew.

"We thought we'd give it a try," Bollwerk said. "We have high expectations that it will be real beneficial to parents.

Chapter 1 is a federal program for economically and educationally disadvantaged students.

Schools that have high percentages of families on free or reduced lunch programs may qualify for Chapter 1. In Cape Girardeau, Jefferson, May Greene, Franklin and Washington elementary schools are designated Chapter 1 schools.

Once a school has qualified for a Chapter 1 program, students must qualify based on low, standardized test scores.

The district offers extended day kindergarten, remedial reading and remedial math through the Chapter 1 program. Bollwerk said about 600 students are served in these three programs combined.

A parent advisory council meets periodically to make suggestions about the programs. The council, which includes parents and teachers, asked for the Parent Resource Center.

"A couple of years ago we began to explore the idea of providing an opportunity for parents of Chapter 1 children to come to school and get resources to work with children at home to help them learn reading and math, or for parents themselves to find out how to help their child at home," said Bollwerk.

"What we lacked for a long time was a place to house these materials where people could then come in an use them," he said.

With budget cuts and staff reductions last year, Washington School ended up with a free room in which to put the center. So, in the Chapter 1 application, a proposal for the resource center was included and funded.

"We have employed a para-professional half a day every day," Bollwerk said. "She will be available to parents who can come in and check out materials or get information."

Syd Fleming, a parent, has been employed to coordinate the resource center. The center is open from 12:30 p.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.

"We also plan to have some evening sessions on a regular basis, maybe one evening a week or once every two weeks," he said. "We might have a session on math, make and take items, or we might have parents come in and learn a little about the computers."

Teachers may call the center and line up specific materials for a student and parent. Parents can call and ask for information.

Bollwerk said information will be sent to Chapter 1 parents about the resource center.

The federal money that funds Chapter 1 programs is tightly controlled and can only be used to benefit children in the program, Bollwerk said.

Students must be on the current Chapter 1 class list to participate.

"Initially it's only to be used by Chapter 1 parents," Bollwerk said. "But it's a start."