For the fourth consecutive year the Sunflower County United for Children Collaborative will present its free education summit.
The event will take place May 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the J.T. Hall Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi Delta Community College.
The SCUC has three main areas of concentration: education, health and well-being and community and economic development and the summits give attention to the area of education.
The previous three sessions were held on the campus of Delta State University, but Melanie Powell, program director, said they have decided to bring the venue “closer to home, so we could get more participation.”
The focus changes each year, depending on the learning community’s perceived needs and the world in general.
Powell said the first summit was about getting parents, teachers and food nutrition staff in the same room to hear the same conversation about education.
“Because if schools are to improve it takes everybody involved in the school and in the community to make sure those students have what they need,” said Powell.
Subsequent forums have attacked the subjects of literacy and third-grade reading gate, how trauma affects children and learning and what parents, teachers and others can do when a child displays symptoms of trauma.
This year the focus will be on how to get the community engaged. Powell said, “It takes everybody working together to create a nurturing environment for our children.”
The summit is open to all parents who have children in the Sunflower County Consolidated School District and district staff. Powell said she is anticipating that at least 100 parents will attend. She said the summits have improved over the years with more and more attending.
During this year’s session, the spotlight will be on providing more information on the Every Student Succeeds Act and helping teachers enhance classroom management skills.
Plus, they hope to have representatives there from the library that will discuss the convenience of accessing e-books and assist parents in the use of e-books.
Along with that, there will also be training for food and nutrition staff on how to make school lunches more appealing, since the children typically complain about the taste of the food being served.
There will also be presenters on hand to show the nutritional staff how they can make cafeterias a fun place.
Teachers and educators who attend the sessions receive free continuing education units. In addition, there will be incentives and training opportunities for parents and health and nutrition staff. The afternoon segments will be directed towards conversations on how to apply what has been learned.
Powell said they are reaching out to local churches and other partners to provide free transportation for those who need it, especially those in the northern part of the county and it can be arranged by contacting her.
Although the workshop is free, Powell is asking prospective attendees to register online so they can get an accurate headcount. Go online to www.eventbrite.com, and search for Sunflower County United for Children Education Summit. Powell can be reached at 662-887-6571, if you need transportation or additional information.
The SCUC collaborative is comprised of community stakeholders, non-profit and for-profit organizations, as well as local and county government officials who come together to work on behalf of children and families in the county.
