The San Saba ISD Parent Academy is nearly here! There will be some great information available. The hamburger and hotdog meal will start at 5:00pm in both cafeterias. At 5:30pm in each cafeteria, information about how parents can be involved in their children’s education will be shared. There will be a number of resources available for parents to take with them. At 6:00pm, the breakout sessions at each campus will take place. Childcare will be available at 6:00pm in the high school library. High School Students will be taking care of the children that parents drop off. The movie “Tangled” will be shown for children dropped off in the high school library for childcare. The Parent Institute has provided information booklets for parents on various topics. Information will be available in English and Spanish in each cafeteria on the night of the San Saba ISD Parent Academy. Information on these topics will be available: Questions and Answers about Standardized Tests, Discipline, Homework, Working with School, Reading with Children, Talk and Listen, Internet Safety, Reading for Meaning, Internet as a Study Tool, Bullies. With as many things bombarding our students and families today, it is important to prioritize certain things. Sometimes things that might fall to the bottom of the priority list might not seem important. With financial problems, family distress, the loss of loved ones, and tragic events sometimes filling a family and student’s world with anxiety and distress, it is easy to put education at the bottom of the priority list. We as educators and parents need to always make a point to emphasis that education is important. This philosophy doesn’t only count in the classroom but also in the attitude we teach our children about life. We should always be modeling and trying to provide an opportunity for students to reach their potential. Parents are not perfect. As a parent, I definitely understand this. As parents we should always be trying to provide better for our children. Parents, we want students to take advantage of what the school system offers, but we need your help and support. The circle of education includes families, students, the school and the community. We must all work together to provide the best possible chance for our kids to be successful. They are “our” kids. We want to provide our students the opportunity to soar as high as they can every single day. Public education shouldn’t be a holding cell that satisfies the state and federal mandates while it waits to release students upon the world after their senior year of high school. Our goal is to see the greatness of our students now! Parents, the education process might start at home, but it definitely will not end there. Below is list of the presentations what will be taking place at the Parent Academy on March5, 2012: Elementary Sessions, CSOPE Math, CSCOPE Read, Web/Computer, Reading/Dyslexia, Gifted & Talented. Middle School Sessions “What’s Your Outcome?” by Mrs. Easterwood/Ms. Smith,“Flying with Pythagorean Theorem” by Ms. Heine/Mr. Thiebaud/Mr. Escamilla,“Expository Text” by Mrs. McGilvray/Mrs. Higginbotham,“Poetry Tools” by Mrs. Pulatie/Ms. Cummings,“Figurative Language” by Mrs. Barfield/Mrs. McIntosh/Mrs. Byrd,“All Mixed Up” by Mrs. Stewardson/Ms. Foster,“Lights Out!” by Ms. Auldridge/Mr. Schulze,“SSMS Web Page” by Mrs. Saucillo/Mr. Welch,“Discover..Imagine..Accomplish!” by Mrs. McCoy, High School Sessions:“Advanced Science Skills” by Mr. Wheeler,“AG and FCS Programs” by Mrs. Rogers/Mrs. Seabourn,“PALS Information” by Mrs. Thomas,“Now and Back Then” by Mr. Martin, “Technology in Schools” by Mrs. Chambers,“The World at Our Fingertips” by Mrs. Womack/Tech Students,“High School Math” by Ms. Haley/Mrs. Vidales,“Writing for STAAR” by Mrs. Bohensky,“Is it Possible to Learn Spanish as a 2nd Language?” by Mrs. Thomas,“Title I Information” by Mr. Bohensky,“Providing Tips to Spanish Speaking Parents” by Mary Castanuela from Region XV,“State Assessment and GPA” by Dana Pannell.Parents will be asked to complete an evaluation of the Parent Academy after they have attended the sessions. The evaluation may be put in a designated box at each campus, or given to the student volunteers working the Parent Academy. Parents that complete the survey will be eligible for the door prizes that will be announced on March 7th on KUNZ (106.1) Winners will be notified.The community businesses have given 29 door prizes that will be drawn after all surveys have been collected at the end of the Parent Academy. We appreciate everything these businesses do for our schools! These door prizes have been donated so far: Alamo Pecan: Pecan basket valued at $69.00,Bon Ami Bistro: Gift certificate for a dozen cake balls,Harry’s: Two $50 gift certificates,MBellishments: Fragrance Warmer & Wax Melt,Millican Pecan: 2 Tins of Cho-colate Turtles,San Saba Printing: 12 T-Shirts,Oliver Pecan: $20 gift certificate,Salon 111: A basket of products,Sister’s Country Store: 2 Reel Reed Diffusers,Top Donuts: Gift Certificate for 2 dozen donut holes,Lowe’s: Ice Chest SetSan Saba ISD thanks these sponsors for donating to the Parent Academy meal: Everett’s Furniture, Hibler Meat Processing, Alco, Hamrick’s, G&R Grocers, Sonic, Dr. Pepper, Central Texas Telephone, Government Capital.