PARENT EDUCATION IN SUDBURY (PES)

Parent Education in Sudbury (PES) is a valuable contributor to our town remaining a vibrant learning community.  Learning for all is an integral component to our overall success in helping students learn and grow. 

The number and variety of educational programs for parents has grown in the past several years with a myriad of providers stepping forward.  These include teachers, counselors, administrators, SERF, Sudbury Special Education Advisory Council (SSEAC), PTOs, Parent Ed Committee, Sudbury Foundation, and outside agencies.  The topics and content have been broad, ranging from grade level curriculum-based to authors of books on contemporary issues.  Holistically, the learning opportunities for parents in Sudbury have been broad, frequent, and most often free to the consumer.

The development and growth of parent education in Sudbury has resulted in conflicts in dates, overlaps in content and topic, and confusion in appropriate audience.  A Parent Education Committee existed  which was the sole provider of programming.  This has changed and the need for a Parent Education Committee in Sudbury is high but with a revised mission and role from the prior committee. 

Recently a broad based team of staff members and parents met to review this topic and make a recommendation for PES going forward.  The following Mission Statement and the description of the committee is the result of this planning group’s work.

Parent Education in Sudbury (PES) Committee: 

Mission of Committee:  To provide a clearinghouse for the coordination of parent education opportunities in Sudbury.  All parent education programs offered in the district will be communicated to PES which will allow PES to provide a centralization of opportunities and to provide coordination and assistance in publicizing an event. 

 A PES link and calendar will be posted on the district web site.  This will be administered by the PES committee chair.   Most PES offerings in the district and schools will be open to all interested parents in all schools.  Those programs limited to a specific school or grade level are important and will be communicated to the PES Committee.

• PES will serve as a liaison for parent education between SPS and LSRHS and other districts.
• PES will identify unmet parent needs, interests or topics of importance to the wellbeing of students and families, or to meeting district goals.  The committee will sponsor such programs or help identify other appropriate sponsors.
• PES will provide an end-of-year report of the parent education opportunities that have been provided in the district.  This report will be posted on its website.    It will also report to the PTO co-chairs on the status of the funds available and the appropriation, if any, requested for the upcoming year.

Funding for programs sponsored by the PES Committee will continue to come from the generous support of the five PTOs.  PES is not a funding source for district wide programs, however, it may sponsor a program(s) if the need is identified. 

Members:

• One parent representative appointed by each school’s (5) PTO
• Wellness Director
• One School Administrator
• District Administrator
• School Counselor – Middle School
• School Counselor -- Elementary
• SERF Representative
• SSEAC Representative
• METCO parent or cooperating parent

Chair:    A Parent and District Administrator (co-chairs)  (Parent Chair will also be a regular member to the PTO co-chair meetings.)

Meetings:            September; December; March; May

Current PES Membership:

Chair and Curtis                                                        Betsy Whipple

Noyes                                                                        Hannah Pentz

Haynes                                                                       Meg Striepe

Nixon                                                                         Nancy Kimble

Loring                                                                         Kathy Kinzfogl

Wellness                                                                     Betsy Grams

School Administrator                                                 Kim Swain

Elementary School Counselor                                    Melinda O'Neill

Middle School Counselor                                           Ivar Henningson

SERF                                                                           Karen Volo

SSEAC                                                                        Lucie St. George

METCO                                                                       Stacey Hayes

YES                                                                            Elizabeth Messina

District Administrator                                                John Brackett