Newark Public Schools Hosts 29th Annual Citywide Title I Parent Conference

Nearly 400 parents and community members attend to learn how to become better advocates for their children and support academic learning at home

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[Newark, NJ – April 05, 2016] – Newark Public Schools’ (NPS) offices of Title 1 and Family and Community Engagement held the 29th Annual Title 1 Citywide Parent Conference on Friday at the Best Western Robert Treat Hotel in Newark. The theme of this year’s conference was “Fathers Families Future” with a focus on empowering and engaging parents, caregivers and community members on how to better advocate for their children and support academic learning at home. Approximately 385 parents and community members attended this year’s conference.

“The gathering of parents and community members at the 29th Annual Title 1 Citywide Parent Conference was extraordinary,” said Christopher D. Cerf, Superintendent of Newark Public Schools. “Providing parents and caregivers the resources they need to better advocate for their children is critically important to a child’s long-term academic and personal success. I look forward to continuing these important conversations with the Newark community to make sure we are doing everything in our power to provide an excellent education for our children.”

The conference is a forum where the offices of Title 1 and Family & Community Engagement inform parents, stakeholders and community members of district procedures, policies and curriculum through workshops that will help parents in supporting their children’s academic success and a 21st Century education and career.

“The conference is an important opportunity for parents and community members to get together and talk about how we can come together to support our children and ensure they are set up for success both in the classroom and at home,” said Margarita Muñiz, Executive Director of Family & Community Engagement at NPS.

As a continuation of the district’s emphasis on community engagement over the past several months to support the development of the strategic plan, the district also took this opportunity to give parents and family members a “sneak preview” of the district’s goals and priorities document that is being released publicly in the coming days. Parents were given an executive summary of the documents, and Assistant Superintendent Roger León shared an overview of the report’s content and findings.

“I was very excited to be able to share this document first with our parents and families,” commented Roger León, Assistant Superintendent. “These goals and priorities have been driven by their input and feedback, and giving them the first chance to see what we have come up with was important to us. I look forward to hearing more from them as we work together to create a final strategic plan for the next three years.”

In addition to the strategic plan, the conference provided families with opportunities to engage in a wide range of topics for conversation and/or learning, including sessions on the following:

  • Parental Involvement Funds, which provides parents with information on funds that are available to them within their child’s respective schools to help support students’ academic success
  • An overview of all the Special Education resources that are available for parents to advocate to the needs of their children under the special education umbrella
  • College and Career Readiness for students in Newark Public Schools
  • Anti-Bullying efforts that are underway across the district to ensure the safety of their children
  • F.E.L.L.A.S. or Fathers Empowered to Learn, Lead and Achieve Success, a program that assists fathers and fathers-to-be to become and remain involved in their children’s lives in a positive and interactive.

For more information, please contact Margarita Muñiz at 973-733-8481.