SL Mason Elementary Hosts Community Walk! Did you know about this Community Leaders? If not, why not?

SL Mason Elementary Hosts Community Walk

(Picture_015 – Principal, John Davis meets with an SL Mason family during the community walk)

Jennifer J. Steedley, Director of Public Relations
jsteedley@gocats.org
[p] 229.671.6065 [c] 229-460.3133

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 22, 2010

S.L. MASON HOSTS COMMUNITY WALK

S. L. Mason Elementary School’s faculty and staff not only talk the talk, they literally walk the talk. On Wednesday, October 13, 2010, a group of dedicated educators walked door to door meeting parents and members of their school’s local community. The mission of the community walk was to build relationships between the school and its local community. Enhancing the community’s perception of the school will ultimately result in an increase in student achievement. The faculty and staff visited approximately one hundred homes in the neighborhood between the hours of 4:00 and 6:00 p.m.

Each neighbor was greeted with a brochure filled with information on how to become proactive and help student achievement as a parent or volunteer. Early learning kits packed full of manipulatives were given to homes where kindergarten age and younger children resided. Addition, subtraction, and or multiplication flashcards, along with suggested activities for their use, were given if children in the home were in grades first through fifth. If no children lived at the address, the community member was given a list of ways he or she could help with student achievement and were invited and encouraged to become a volunteer in the school.

S. L. Mason believes having open lines of communication built on mutual respect fosters a win-win situation. Schools are a fundamental part of the community. Reaching out to the community widens the learning environment. Only through developing strong school-community relationships can the school learn to understand the socially constructed realities of the students it serves, which plays an integral part in educating the whole child. To be an effective school, we must have a steady flow of communication with our community and positive parent involvement.

This visit could not have occurred without the donations from and support of S. L. Mason’s Community Partners in Education: Office Max, Teacher’s Harvest, and Texas Roadhouse. In addition, parent volunteers, Mrs. Peck and Mrs. Vickers were instrumental in preparing materials for the home learning kits.

S. L. Mason’s goal is to visit all neighborhoods in our school zone. The October 13th community walk was the first of four planned for the school year. We are committed to walking the talk. Through this endeavor, we hope to make parents and the community feel more valued and welcome at their school, which will assist us in meeting the needs of all children and result in superior performance for all.

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Jennifer J. Steedley
Director of Public Relations
1204 Williams Street
Valdosta, GA 31602

TitleTown, USA!!!
229-671-6065 (Direct Line)
229-460-3133 (Cell)

jsteedley@gocats.org
www.gocats.org