LITTLE ROCK Ark.; (KTHV)- Friday's school shooting in Newtown, Conn. is shedding a light on a program getting off the ground this weekend. The Parental Education Program is headed up by a UALR professor.
It's all about communication and parents working with their kids to help them have the best future possible. Directors say good behavior and lifestyles start at home, and it's important your child knows they are safe.
Saturday's effort started the first of many meetings to happen before next year."I came to get information to pass it on to our parents," says Gertrude Stubblefield. She and about 50 others came out to the kick off of the Parental Education Project.
It's an effort geared to getting parents more involved with their child so they can have a future full of success. Stubblefield teaches seventh grade and works as a parent facilitator at a Dunbar Middle School. "It's my job to find out about information or any activities to help support parents and to get them involved with the education of their child," explains Stubblefield. She says it doesn't take much to get involved; attending events like parent teacher conferences lets your child know you care. "When the parent and the teacher are communicating the student knows they are working together."
UALR professor David Montague says the Parent Education Project comes from the Cradle to Prison Pipeline Initiative and they plan to execute their mission in four phases. "We have a lot of educators that we are hiring to come out and talk to parents about the realities of school," says Montague.
The group also plans to have inmates come speak to parents and suggest some ideas to help their kids stay focused. Funding for this new effort comes from Little Rock's Office of Community Programs. If you would like to keep up with the initiative and attend one of their meetings you can click here to find their facebook page.