By Paulette Lash Ritchie, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
BROOKSVILLE — Nearly three dozen kindergarten parents dropped by the Brooksville Elementary School Boohoo/Yeehaw Breakfast last week on the first day of school. Bagels, doughnuts, fruit, yogurt and coffee were offered to help ease them into the elementary school world.
Title I parent educator Amy Anderson said the annual event is "to welcome kindergarten parents and to give them information to help them be involved in school, but mostly to make them feel welcome. I want people to feel comfortable and at home."
Some parents already had children at the school; others were altogether new. For all of them, the breakfast was an opportunity to ask Anderson questions, along with principal Mary LeDoux, who stopped in to greet the visitors. LeDoux encouraged parents to take active roles in their children's education.
Reading coach Nancy Snyder gave a quick lesson on reading aloud, stressing the importance of daily reading.
Joseph Shorey, 45, and Christy Girard, 32, brought their kindergartener Thomas Shorey, 5, to school that morning and attended the breakfast, even though they have another child at the school and a middle schooler who attended Brooksville Elementary.
They recognized the value of attending. They came, Girard said, "just to hear everything and learn a little bit more."
Shorey indicated that he benefited from Snyder's reading presentation. He learned, he said, "how to read for kids."
Tammy Roeder, 24, and Lee Spencer, 40, new to the school, visited the family center for breakfast after bringing in their daughter Faith Roeder, 5. Roeder said she attended "to learn what she's (Faith) going to be doing and the activities we'll be able to go to."
Spencer said he was interested in learning about the programs the school offers. He said he found out quite a bit about the family center. Resources available for checkout include games and books to assist with learning and parenting.
Anderson made a point of telling parents that she is the contact person if they have any concerns. She set up the breakfast and handed out her cards and a free book.
Her efforts weren't lost on Roeder. One of the things she said she learned at the event was "we're welcome any time."