The Trenton Times published the following article on January 19th regarding a parental empowerment forum that is being hosted by the Trenton Teachers’ Union on February 9th.
Trenton teachers union holds parent empowerment forum
By Erin Duffy/The Times of Trenton
on January 19, 2013 at 8:20 AM, updated January 19, 2013 at 8:21 AMTRENTON — The Trenton school board and local unions will hold a parental empowerment forum on Feb. 9 to teach parents how to become more involved in the city school system and in their children’s education.
At the all-day summit, which will include child care, breakfast and lunch and access to vendors and social service providers, school officials hope to build on a prior parent forum held last June. Turnout then wasn’t stellar, Trenton Education Association grievance chairwoman Janice Williams said, but this time around they’re offering transportation and child care and reaching out to community churches to talk up the event. It will take place at Joyce Kilmer Elementary School on Stuyvesant Avenue.
“We’re providing this follow-up workshop,” TEA communications vice president Christine Clark said. “Our goal is to help parents be advocates for their children and all the children in the Trenton district. We see parents that come and speak at meetings but we’re trying to encourage that to be a larger base, giving them tools and letting them understand they have the power to make a difference.”
Workshops will focus on topics such as getting involved and becoming parent leaders, Trenton’s growing Latino student population, special education and perceived threats to public education, such as charter schools and school voucher legislation.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. and workshops run until 3:30 p.m. The keynote speaker is Reginald Lee Weaver, former president of the National Education Association and a national public education expert.
For more information, call the TEA at (609) 396-0016 or
e-mail teaoffice@verizon.net