National African American Parent Involvement Day

Monday, February 8th, will have special significance as National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID).

Brenda McGowan, vice-president of the local branch of the NAACP, said, “This is our 11th year celebrating the acknowledgement that:

• African-American parents are their child’s first and best teachers

• African-American parents have the right and responsibility to become fully engaged in Community schools

• African-American parents want their children to succeed in school and in life

• African-American parents value education and know it to be the great equalizer.”

In a letter to parents, McGowan said the NAAPID Committee, in preparation for Visit-Your-Child-in-School-Day, “wants to thank you for your participation in years past and invites you to attend NAAPID 2010 on Monday, February 8th, from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. We encourage parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and mentors of school-age children to go and visit the children in their classrooms that morning and get a feel for their school day. You’re also invited to stay for lunch at school if you choose. This year’s focus and theme is Minority Student Success: The Rationale for Education Reform.”

According to McGowan, NAAPID 2010 will also include a ‘community conversation’ around the award-winning CNN documentary “Black in America.” This aspect of the February 8th observance will be held at 6 p.m. at Family Education and Development Services, LLC at 2 North Main Street in downtown Three Rivers. McGowan said, “Please consider coming out and engaging in open dialogue regarding your experience with the American education system as an African-American student and as a parent. Refreshments will be served.”

McGowan said, “Parent Involvement Day is an annual event observed on the second Monday in February during Black History Month. Inspired by the Million Man March, Ann Arbor high school principal Joseph Dulin created the day with the goal of encouraging African-American parents to become more involved in their children’s education. This NAAPID call to action is designed to address and ultimately remove the gap in the academic achievement of African-American students.”

For further information, call Brenda McGowan at (269) 744-0646.