Engaging Families and Building Community in Berkeley's Schools
The mission of the Berkeley Unified Parent Resource Office is to encourage, assist, and empower parents to support their children’s education. The office team consists of four staff members and several parent volunteers. Parent Outreach Specialists Ramona McGary and Isabel Parra provide direct support to parents and schools. Nancy Johnson provides resources and case management services to Berkeley Unified families who are homeless or sharing living spaces for economic reasons. Dr. Lisa Warhuus leads the Office of Family and Community Partnership including the health, mental health and other learning support programs, as well as the Parent Resource Office for Berkeley public schools.Family and Community Partnerships:
By offering parent workshops and educational seminars (in English and Spanish), parents and families are provided with tools and information to help navigate the school system, participate in school site decision-making, and advocate for their children. Some of the specific activities include:
→An annual Kindergarten Parent Information Night held for parents of students new to Berkeley Unified each August (in 2008 the dates are August 13 (English) and August 15 (Spanish), both are at B-Tech at 6:00pm, 2701 Martin Luther King, childcare will be provided);
→Parent Institutes, a series of four to six weekly workshops held in English and Spanish, designed to help middle school parents prepare for the high school years and beyond;
→Single day parent education events on critical topics, such as Slaying the Homework Dragon, Self Esteem and Discipline, Propel your Child to Reading Success, and Recognizing Street Gang Activity.
In order to address the importance of family engagement in our schools, the Office of Family and Community Partnerships further focuses on:
• Collaboration with schools and community organizations on activities designed to engage parents and honor families.
• Individual support to parents and guardians seeking to address critical educational issues for their children.
• Assistance in linking parents to a variety of programs and services within the community that address unique family needs.
For more information on how the work of our staff can help parents and families, visit them in Room 5 of the BUSD Annex Building at 1835 Allston Way, Berkeley 94704. Or call the office at (510) 883-5222 (English) and (510) 883-5223 (Spanish).