Early Morning Coffee Hours for Parents

 “When parents are involved, students do better in school” according to Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School’s Parent Liaison, Sofia Rasher, who helps parents, grandparents and guardians become part of the school community and understand Southeastern’s expectations for their children. As the new school year began, Ms Rasher began contacting parents through emails, phone calls and invitations to monthly informational events. Parents with questions or problems know they can turn to their parent liaison because she follows up on every communication.

Parent driven “Early Morning Coffee Hours” are held on the first Friday of the month at 7:30am in the school’s conference room. Meetings begin with delicious coffee and fresh pastries made at the school by Culinary Arts students. Next, parents enjoy informative presentations that include handouts, followed by discussions, questions and answers on a number of interesting and timely topics such as the following: What makes us so different from traditional high schools, and how does this benefit the student? What do we offer academically, and what do we expect from the students? What are Accuplacer, MCAS, Edline, Smartboards and Study Island? Why do we have a 9/10 program, and what does it offer? What is credit recovery? What is the work-based learning co-operative education, how can students qualify, and how does it benefit both the student and the local business involved? Sophia has extended her warm invitation to area parents: “Even if you do not have a student here and would like to join us, please do, and learn what we’re about”

A highlight of last year’s program, and a first, was a tour of various shops where parents enjoyed seeing children in their chosen career major. This visit coincided with the Latin American Culture Festival where parents were treated to student dance performance and delicious foods prepared by participating students. “Parents were pleasantly surprised to learn how many services were available to them and, I hope, use them. Just imagine, they can go to Cosmetology which offers a wide variety of services at very reasonable prices, they could come to lunch at the Colonial Room (Please call ahead for information. 508-230-1237), or they might be interested in car repair or maintenance,” noted Ms Rasher.

The next program entitled “Parenting” (adolescents) by Mr. Russ McLeod, an authority on the subject, will be held on 11/2/12. Ms Rasher highly recommends the program because “the world of education is advancing so fast that many of the programs that we have are unfamiliar to the parents, grandparents, and guardians, and this is a way to learn and understand what your teenager is talking about. Parents can ask questions about what’s troubling them. Parents not only have to learn the language and technology of the modern educational world, they also have to cope with the many issues of adolescence, and this is an excellent opportunity for them.”

For more information, please call Ms Rasher at 508-230-1415, email srasher@sersd.org, or go to www.sersd.org/ParentsCommunity.aspx.  

Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School is a public 9-12 vocational high school located in Easton, Massachusetts, serving approximately 1,255 students from the city of Brockton and the towns of East Bridgewater, Easton, Foxborough, Mansfield, Norton, Sharon, Stoughton, and West Bridgewater.