South Whittier School District hosted their first Title 1 Parent Conference on Saturday, November 5, at the Family Resource Center at Monte Vista.
This conference provided a half day of events with educational and information sessions for parents and guardians. The morning began with breakfast and a welcome from SWSD superintendent, Dr. Gary Gonzales. Dr. Gonzales spoke to parents sharing the importance of parents and the district coming together to create an environment for students to thrive.
“If they [students] see parents and teachers working together, they’ll know how important and serious we are. Together we can do this.”
Dr. Gonzales closed by urging families to get involved whenever they can. He also shared that the district gathers input from families through the Healthy Kids Survey and the LCAP and stressed the importance of families providing their input through those two surveys.
After the welcome, attendees were able to choose from a variety of sessions to participate in. The day allowed for each attendee to take part in two different sessions. The sessions included “Fostering a Love for Reading,” “Screen Time, Social Media, and Online Safety,” “Driving Beyond the Basics of Bullying,” “AVID to Support Student Success,” “Supporting Your Child’s Health and Wellness,” and “Accommodations, Modifications, and Supports for Students with Disabilities.” All sessions were given in both English and Spanish. After attending sessions, there was a Chik-Fil-A lunch and raffles.
In an effort to make the event as accommodating as possible, the district provided child care and had a bus available for attendee transportation.
The Title 1 Parent Conference was the first for the district, however, they plan to continue the conference in an effort to meet the needs of parents, families, and students throughout the district.