MSD Warren Township family engagement liaison offers parents reading, math and test‑taking tips ahead of state exams

Tabitha Jackson, the family engagement liaison and lead facilitator for MSD Warren Township, led a virtual "lunch and learn" that offered parents practical strategies to support reading, math and test taking as students approach the district's spring testing windows.

Jackson said the series aims "to enhance family engagement in our district and also share knowledge and power with families," and she listed several concrete ways caregivers can reinforce learning at home. "When we all work together, our children will be more successful," she said.

She urged parents to build simple, everyday routines that make learning part of daily life: ask open-ended questions about school ("What was the best thing you learned today?"), set up a cozy reading corner, and read aloud for about 20 minutes each day. For younger readers she recommended phonics practice and having children sound out and blend words rather than guessing from pictures; for older students she encouraged questions that probe comprehension and reasoning.

On math, Jackson emphasized informal, applied practice: counting items while grocery shopping, comparing prices, measuring and doubling recipes, estimating time, tracking allowance savings, and playing board or card games to reinforce number sense. "Math isn't just pencil and paper," she said. "When learning is fun, learning is easy."

Jackson gave parents the district's testing schedule and timing: iRead for second and third grades runs March 3–14 (with second graders sometimes given an option to take the test early to avoid retaking it in third grade), SAT/PSAT activity for high schoolers on March 5, and the iLEARN window for grades 3–8 from April 14–May 9 (with a high school iLEARN window through May 16). She encouraged attendance and consistent sleep and morning routines as key preparation steps: "One of the biggest tips for passing tests, attend school every day."

During test administration, Jackson advised arriving on time — especially for online exams that require students to be logged in — reading instructions carefully, answering easier items first and returning to harder questions, and double‑checking answers. Afterward, she suggested reviewing mistakes with teachers to learn from them and celebrating growth.

Jackson also shared a short effort‑rating chart parents can use to talk about persistence with children and listed free online resources for at‑home practice and enrichment, including Khan Academy (which partners with College Board for SAT prep), Newsela, Freckle, PBS Kids, Crash Course videos on YouTube and Storynory audio stories. For older students she noted College Board and Khan Academy practice materials for the SAT are available without subscription.

She highlighted local supports, including the Moorhead Community Resource Center (which Jackson said offers tutoring on Tuesdays and Thursdays with specified times for elementary and middle/high school students and provides Chromebooks for some tutoring sessions) and the Indianapolis Public Library's Warren branch near Lakeside Elementary and Warren Central High School, where library cards are free and study spaces are available.

For additional help, Jackson directed parents first to classroom teachers, then to ParentSquare, school counselors (who can run small‑group interventions), and their school's family engagement liaison to connect families with more support. She closed the session by asking participants to complete a two‑minute event survey (QR code or chat link) and said the district will upload the recording to the family engagement page on the MSD Warren Township website.

The lunch‑and‑learn series will continue with sessions on special education rights (March 18), STEAM at home (April 22) and preventing the summer slide in May.