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Department of Media and Communications | Office of Community Relations | March 2010


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Parent Connection partnerships provide resources to parents and families

Parent Connection continues its partnership with Virginia STAR (Student Training and Refurbishment) and the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) to provide refurbished computers to families in need of a computer for home use. After the first computer-giveaway celebration in December, students in the ATC’s A+ Computer Repair class refurbished more computers donated by Virginia STAR. With assistance from schools to identify additional families to receive computers, Parent Connection held a second computer giveaway event on February 23 at the ATC. Students assisted families at the event by offering instruction on how to use the computers and related software. Learn more about the Parent Connection partnership and the computer giveaway events by watching this AccessVB news story.

 
Beach Bags

In the fall, Parent Connection and the Office of Social Work Services teamed up with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia to bring the Beach Bags program to Virginia Beach. Since then, the Foodbank, school division employees, student organizations, and community members have also contributed more than 2,000 bags to the program. A sample of some of the groups supporting the program include:

  • VBCPS Department of Curriculum and Instruction—446 bags collected
  • Dental Assisting Program at the Technical and Career Education Center—85 bags collected
  • St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church—231 bags collected
  • Kemps Landing Magnet School—Has adopted Parkway Elementary and provided
    holiday meals for 26 families, in addition to Beach Bags
  • First Colonial High School's National English Honor Society – 40 bags collected
  • Adult Learning Center—45 bags collected
  • Great Bridge Presbyterian—10 bags collected

As a thank you to Beach Bag contributors, magnets and wallet cards are provided to those who drop off contributions at the School Administration Building to remind shoppers of which food items are needed to create a Beach Bag. In addition, recyclable grocery bags are now available for contributors to use at the store when filling their Beach Bag. For every five Beach Bags donated, contributors will receive one grocery bag. To find out more about the Beach Bags program, visit the Parent Connection page on vbschools.com.

Schools host activities for parents and encourage involvement

Bayside High School and the Health Sciences Academy invited parents and guardians to school for “Bring your Parents/Guardians to School Week” held February 15-19. The school planned activities for every day of the week so that parents could attend at least one activity that fit their schedules. In addition to having two days when parents could attend classes with students, the school held a morning breakfast event, fitness day, and a spaghetti dinner. Photo: Bayside High School parents attend a spaghetti dinner with faculty and students, which was followed by the Mr. Bayside scholarship pageant.
Holland Elementary School parents and students attended the school’s annual Girls' Night Out event on March 3. The event is intended to inspire students to succeed and to work toward a promising future. Guest speakers referenced the event’s theme “Reach for the Stars” to encourage students to follow their dreams to be anything they want to be. Boys’ Night Out will be held on March 31 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Photo: Angela C. and her mom enjoy dinner at Girls’ Night Out.
John B. Dey Elementary School’s PTA hosted a Fitness Night for families. With assistance from various business partners, students and their families visited different stations to try activities such as taekwando, zumba, and yoga. Photo: First-grader Marlo C. tries the climbing wall activity.
Lynnhaven Elementary School initiated its WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) program this year with an event attended by more than 80 fathers/father figures and 180 children. The students and their fathers began their day by reporting to the students’ classes and watching the morning announcements. Then students gave the visitors a personal tour of the school library, gym, and computer lab followed by breakfast together in at the cafeteria. Retired Navy Captain Robert Ford, a dedicated Lynnhaven Elementary volunteer, spoke to the group and encouraged all participants to agree to volunteer at least one day per school year.
At Cooke Elementary School’s Math Night, parents visited various stations to meet with teachers and learn more about students' math lessons and class assignments.
Parents and grandparents lend a hand at school
Retired VBCPS teacher and Fairfield Elementary School grandparent Jan Bryson was Fairfield’s Volunteer of the Month for February. Jan helps with the school’s Reading Buddies program and also volunteers in the library. Her grandson Hunter is a fourth grader at the school.   
Linkhorn Park Elementary School parent Emma Tillett, visited the school during a Social Studies lesson about jobs and the tools people use at work. Mrs. Tillett spoke with students about her work as a GEICO agent, set up a phone tree, and let the kids wear the headset to practice using the phone. The GEICO Gecko also stopped by to say hello to students.
White Oaks Elementary School kindergartener Jaden C. built a gingerbread house in class with assistance from his mother.  
Parent Monica Gallimore volunteered her time to read to second graders in Dana White’s class at White Oaks Elementary School.
Fifth-grader Sierra M. and mother worked together during the final meeting of Luxford Elementary School's afterschool Garden Club. For the final project, they decorated a clay pot and planted sunflower seeds under the direction of art teacher Sarah Moss and guidance counselor and club sponsor Meishe Thirus.  

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