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District launches parent forum and a 'Lunch Buddy' volunteer mentoring pilot
Summary
The district described a new parent forum intended to increase parent-school communication and announced a Lunch Buddy volunteer mentoring program; sign-up and vetting will be handled through school offices and the district.
The Carlton County School District announced a newly formed parent forum and a community "Lunch Buddy" mentoring pilot during Tuesday's board meeting.
Tati Shulidly, identified at the meeting as a member of the parent forum, told the board the group's purpose is "to build a stronger community." She said the forum will provide an ongoing, informal space for parents, caregivers, teachers, administrators and community organizations to share ideas and improve communication between schools and families. "This parent forum ... gives everybody a seat at the table," Shulidly said.
The forum's stated rules will keep discussions general; presenters asked members not to raise concerns involving named students or staff in the public forum so privacy issues are handled through administration. Shulidly said parents can sign up through school front offices or by calling the district office and asking for Angela Green.
As an early initiative, the forum will pilot the Covington County School "Lunch Buddy" program. Shulidly said the mentoring program "gives the community the opportunity to help mentor a student. Just give a little bit of your time. It can be 30 minutes to just sit with them at lunch, talk with them." Volunteers will go through the district's standard volunteer clearance process and complete a short questionnaire to match mentors to mentees.
Why it matters: the forum and the Lunch Buddy program are intended to increase parent engagement and provide low-barrier mentoring opportunities for students.
Board members thanked the presenters and encouraged parent participation; district staff said information about meetings and sign-up will be published on school webpages and available at school front desks.
