Parent presentation on how to work effectively with schools planned for Nov. 15

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
November 11, 2004

The Catholic Schools of Sioux City will host a parent presentation from 7 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 15 at the Nativity Parish Center for the parents and others within the CSSC system.

Dr. Richard Owens will present a program on "How to work effectively with your school."

"Dr. Owens has been working with some teachers, counselors and parents within the system for over a year in a variety of ways," said Mary Uhl, a counselor for Sacred Heart Grade School, Mater Dei and Holy Cross in Sioux City. "One of the things he offered to do for our system is to choose timely topics and make them available in these parent presentations."

Information has been sent out through school newsletters to the parents of students in the Catholic Schools of Sioux City.

A group of parents and teachers sat down with Dr. Owens and looked at topics that they believed parents would be interested in to draw on his expertise. The first presentation he did was titled "Organization without tears," the belief that success at school comes when there are good organization skills.

"He believed that it was important for parents to understand that organization isn't an inherent quality that it really is a taught skill and how important it was for parents to try to be organized in their lives which helps their children see the importance of organization," said Uhl. "It was a very successful presentation. The parents were very pleased with the content which was very easy to use. It was down to earth, easy to apply principles to help organize both at home and at school."

Since that presentation was well received, Dr. Owens suggested the next topic which will be presented on Nov. 15, noted Uhl. The presentation will help parents and teachers learn how to work with one another to best help their children in the school system.

"Oftentimes parents have requests or ideas that they would like implemented," said Uhl. "One way is better than another in that approach. It comes back to problem solving and that will be the whole topic of the evening."

The group did a survey and several people responded with an interest in having a presentation on how to be more effective working with schools. According to Dr. Owens, his presentation will "teach parents how put together a problem solving approach when they have a concern or have to work with a teacher or administrators."

"We hope that we can avoid any adversarial ideas about what parents want for their children and what the schools want to provide for the children and to have an open dialogue among all the people who have the best interest of the children in mind," said Uhl. "We are really looking at bringing a number of important topics to the parents. A third presentation will be made in January on homework strategies and how parents can implement them at home for their children."