Firgrove Family Room Supports Parent Involvement

This article was written by Susan Gifford and published in the April 2013 Puyallup School District Community Connections Newsletter:

For years Blair Slankard has wanted to be more involved at her son’s and daughter’s elementary school. Her volunteer time has been limited, however, because of also caring for a preschooler at home.

A new “Family Room” at Firgrove Elementary School provides a place for Slankard and other parents like her to volunteer and take care of their younger children at the same time.

The spacious room, formerly a classroom, opened in December down the hall from the school office. More than 50 people attended a grand opening celebration.

The Family Room provides a place for volunteers to cut out shapes for classroom bulletin boards, correct spelling tests, and work with students as they learn to read or do math.

The volunteers’ young children, meanwhile, can play quietly near them in an area filled with bins of colorful hands-on activities and a small table and chair set.

The room is also furnished with a couch and chairs where adults can sit and chat, as well as child-sized beanbag chairs.

A mini refrigerator is stocked with cold juice packets for children who get thirsty, and a countertop is lined with snacks, coffee, and hot chocolate — all offered at no cost to Firgrove Elementary families.

A lending library is set up to encourage families to take books home, and donated children’s clothing and perishable food items are free for the taking.

“We needed a place for families to come and feel welcome,” said Principal Lisa Russell-Nolan. “We want families with little ones to know that we have a spot for everyone, and we want all of our families to know we are here as partners to help them navigate the education system.” 

Russell-Nolan schedules one hour in the Family Room each month for “Coffee with the Principal.” She encourages Firgrove Elementary parents, caregivers, or other family members to drop in, ask questions, share successes, or simply chat with her informally.

The Family Room is the first of its type among the district’s 21 elementary schools. Community donations combined with federal grant money help pay for food, furnishings, toys, and learning supplies.

Melanie Williamson, a paraeducator (teaching assistant), oversees the room and said she is thrilled with the numbers of families that have used the support center in the first three months.

“We wanted a family-friendly place where people could come and get the resources they need and really feel connected to the school,” she said. 

With one-fifth of the school’s 500-plus students made up of English Language Learners, and a majority of those children from Spanish-speaking families, the Family Room also provides a computer-based program that teaches adults how to speak English.

Spanish-speaking parents can come to the Family Room any time during the school day, sit at a table, put on headphones connected to a computer, and learn English at their own pace.

Interpreter and paraeducator Silvia Awai is on hand throughout the day and at the monthly coffee chats with the principal to translate, answer questions, help families fill out school forms, and provide other help as needed.

Rosa Perez, whose son is in kindergarten, came to the Family Room recently to learn how to use the computer program that teaches parents English.

Perez said through the interpreter that she is thankful to have the Family Room and Awai’s translation because it helps her to communicate more effectively with the school office staff and teachers.

Every Wednesday after school, Perez’s son joins more than a dozen other kindergartners identified as English Language Learners for one hour of small-group and one-on-one instruction in the Family Room. The extended day kindergarten is led by three paraeducators. 

Firgrove Elementary families are also invited to the Family Room to use several computers set up for general purposes, such as accessing the school district website or other learning resources.

Williamson said her goal is to schedule classes for parents to teach them computer skills such as how to access the Internet, how to fill out applications online, and how to find Web-based resources to help children with homework.

PTA Vice President Stacey Reeve is another regular visitor to the Family Room. On one recent morning, she spent time grading papers for her son’s fourth-grade teacher. She said she has room to spread out her work and feels it is less distracting for students than sitting in front of their classroom.

Slankard spent a recent morning working one-on-one with first graders to help them learn to read while her preschool-age son played in the children’s activity area.

“The Family Room is great,” she said. “It is so nice that I can be a part of my kids’ education.”