Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parent University topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parent University trains Savannah‑Chatham County parents to use PowerSchool and support student learning
Summary
Presenters described Parent University as a long-running program that offers parents hands-on technology training (including PowerSchool), guidance on reading grades and attendance, and opportunities to align families and educators around student learning.
Parent University provides hands-on training to help parents access and use student information tools such as PowerSchool and to support family learning, presenters said.
The program, which speakers described as having run for a “quarter of a century,” emphasizes a holistic approach that combines technology coaching, information about standards and classroom expectations, and connections to community resources, presenters said.
Speakers said an early and continuing focus of Parent University is making parents comfortable with technology used by schools. "As a parent, it really is empowering to be able to know what your child's grades are," one presenter said, noting that parents can click into content areas to see assignment-level detail and, for high school students, check class attendance.
Presenters said Parent University offers practice sessions where parents can learn in a low-pressure environment. They described the program as designed to "equip" parents with tools to act as their children's first teachers and to foster a culture of parent support for learning. Another presenter summarized the program's purpose: "The hero in Parent University is the parents."
Speakers also emphasized alignment between Parent University and school-based educators so families and staff share an understanding of standards and how best to support students. They said the program connects parents to data and suggests ways to use that information at home to support conversations with children.
Presenters framed Parent University as one tool among others offered by the Savannah‑Chatham County Public School System and its partners, designed to strengthen family engagement rather than replace classroom instruction. No formal actions, votes, or policy changes were recorded in the transcript concerning the program.
The presenters characterized the approach as time-tested and adaptable: "It's a holistic approach ... that's been tweaked over the quarter of a century of the program. But the core is stronger than ever," one presenter said.
