NBOE Launches Parent University

[Newark, NJ, September 15] Superintendent Roger León and the Newark Board of Education are proud to announce the launch of the district’s first Parent University on September 15th and 16th, 2020.

“The Parent University signifies a renewed partnership between our schools, the district, and families and home,” Superintendent León said.  “We know that parents are their child’s first teachers, and this collaboration will help parents and families to help us to support all children to succeed and thrive.”

The Parent University is a key strategy in the District’s ten-year strategic plan, The Next Decade: 2020-30, which calls for continuous learning for all stakeholders, including a specific focus on providing resources and learning opportunities for parents and families.  “While the District continues to provide remote instruction, the Parent University will offer virtual workshops for parents and families to attend,” said Board President Josephine C. Garcia.  “I am extremely appreciative of the District’s efforts in making this one of the first announcements of the strategic plan and I wanted to commend Chairperson Anderson and Board Member Gomez who have prioritized parental involvement from their start.”

The focus will be on a variety of topics to support student learning, including Technology and Remote Learning, Social Emotional Learning, and Special Education.  Sessions will be facilitated by district leaders and experts in various content areas.  Additionally, the district has partnered with several community-based organizations, including The Abbott Leadership Institute, CREED Strategies, Challenge Day, Parents Empowering Parents, The Secondary Parent Council, Rethink Ed, and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, to provide sessions for parents.

“As we reopen schools and consider the needs of our students and families, the Parent University is a key component of support,” Deputy Superintendent Nicole T. Johnson who is spearheading this initiative added.  “We are so grateful to our community partners and district leaders for joining us in providing this exciting event for our community.”

The Parent University is the first in a series of seasonal workshops that will take place during the 2020-2021 school year. The winter and spring sessions to follow will also offer workshops on important topics and provide parents with critical resources and information to increase their knowledge and support learning in their homes.

For more information about the NBOE Fall Parent University, please visit https://www.nps.k12.nj.us/parent-university/.

For more information, please contact:
Newark Board of Education
Nancy Deering, Interim Executive Director
Communications
973-733-6265