The Barksdale Reading Institute is accepting applications beginning June 1st for schools that wish to participate in our Parent Academy program. The Parent Academy is designed to help parents of rising kindergarteners understand what “kindergarten readiness” is and and to equip and empower parents to work on kindergarten readiness skills with their child at home. The program is broken down into 6 hands-on modules (think “make and take” style!) that cover: oral language, the alphabet & writing, print awareness & comprehension, early reading, math, general development (gross and fine motor skill, social/emotional development).
We have developed a parent handbook for each module as well as take-home materials for family-friendly instructional activities. We recommend that one module be taught per month. They are designed to be taught in 1.5 hours one evening a month. *The Parent Academy is a Train the Trainers model.* We will enter into a partnership with your school to equip you to successfully conduct the Parent Academy at your site. If you are selected to participate in our Parent Academy program, you can expect the following:
The Barksdale Reading Institute will:
-provide training to three staff members from your school (your trained staff will conduct the Parent Academy sessions at your school)
-pay for mileage and hotel accommodations for staff members attending trainings
-provide ongoing support and coaching
-provide all PowerPoints, printed materials, supplies, and take-home parent materials
-provide snacks for parent participants for each session
-provide graduation incentives/gifts for parents who complete all six modules
Your School will:
-provide three staff members (one must be an administrator) to attend training in Jackson.
-commit to conducting one Parent Academy session a month at your school (October, November, January, February, March, April). These are typically held one evening a month, 5pm – 6:30pm
-attend monthly one day follow-up trainings (3 in person and 3 virtual)
-provide a one-time $500 registration fee paid to The Barksdale Reading Institute to offset cost of parent take-home materials (this can be paid with district / Title I / parent engagement funds)
Please visit our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/BarksdaleReading/) to view photos and samples from our Parent Academy. Please direct questions to Greer Proctor Dickson, Director of Early Learning, at gproctor@msreads.org. The application closes on July 31st.
