Centers guide teachers and parents to educational goals

(Photo: Tina Camberos, resource center consultant at River’s Edge Montesorri PreK-6 School, works in the school’s Parent Resource Center. Credit/Jill Drury, DPS)     

Dayton Public Schools parents play a vital role in their children’s educations. It is mom and dad who must coax a slumbering child out of bed and send him off to school each day, but there is much more to it than that. Studies show that children, whose parents are actively involved in their studies, earn better grades and have better attendance.

     The district’s Title I Parent Resource Centers put the power of teaching into parents’ hands. The centers can be found in all DPS schools serving grades prekindergarten through eight. The centers supply parents and guardians with educational tools to help their children succeed in the classroom. There are materials that assist with homework, educational games to spark children’s interests, and resources that keep a parent on track with their children’s educational needs.

     Members of the Parent Advisory Council are at the helm of each center, guiding teachers, parents and students toward their shared educational goals. Parent consultant, Tina Camberos, is not only a mother of three, but she leads the Title I Parent Resource Center at River’s Edge Montessori PreK-6 School. She works every day to make sure all the ends meet.

     “I’m the go-between among the parents, their children and the teachers. We focus on what the child’s need is and, as a group, put together activities to help the student learn,” Camberos said.

     “I might hear from a parent who is worried about their child failing a math test, let’s say. I’ll go to the teacher, who will tell me areas where improvement is needed. Then I find a game or other activity that fits the need and send it home with the child so that the family can play it together.”

• Watch a video about DPS Parent Resource Centers

     Camberos says the center is full of new games, books and flashcards that a child can check out from the lending library. All the educational tools are based on Ohio’s new learning standards.

     “The child gets to share quality time with his parents, while at the same time, playing a game that is educational and fun,” Camberos said.

     The Parent Advisory Council can influence how school programs are developed and administered. Each principal personally selects the school’s representative to the council. They work closely together to encourage parental participation. The council holds monthly meetings so that the representatives from each school can share ideas and brainstorm ways to get more parents involved. Anyone can join and have the opportunity to become a consultant.

     There is a modest stipend.

     “You don’t do it for the money. I see a real need. We want parents to take ownership of their child’s education,” Camberos said. “We need them to help make the schools successful.”

     To learn more about the Parent Advisory Council and the Parent Resource Centers, call Anthony Newton, Title I parent involvement coordinator at 542-3307.

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