After their children spent a full day learning, parents in the Massapequa School District had their turn on the evening of Feb. 26. The district hosted its second annual Parent University with a wide range of courses.
This year’s program was held at the high school’s Ames Campus and began with a meet and greet for parents, teachers, administrators and board of education trustees. There were two 45-minute sessions, each featuring seven workshops. Parents could sign up for the courses that best suited their interests.
“We looked at the parent requests and we catered the courses to their interests,” said Dr. Michelle Walsh, assistant to the superintendent for instructional services and general administration. She noted that prior to Parent University, a ThoughtExchange was offered to gain feedback for workshop topics.
Workshops focused on artificial intelligence in education, cultivating happiness and resilience, the elementary curriculum, growth mindset and strategies for success, high school preparation, social media and student support systems.
“We wanted to make sure that there would be something of interest for parents regardless of the grade their children are in,” said Dr. Brian Trapani, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. “These are workshops that really matter to our parents.”
Approximately 160 parents registered for the event and Dr. Trapani said, upon visiting the classrooms, found them very engaged and asking a lot of questions. He noted that the workshops were not designed as lectures but rather to foster dialogue between parents and Massapequa educators.
New this year were student activity rooms, so parents had a safe place for their children to go while attending the workshops. The activity rooms were led by Massapequa teachers and volunteers, and featured several craft activities.
Parent University was spearheaded by a planning committee of more than two dozen administrators and teachers. There were 25 workshop facilitators who shared their expertise.
“This was a fantastic collaboration between our administrators and faculty members to plan such a successful event,” Superintendent Dr. William Brennan said. “Our goal always is to create stronger partnerships that lead to student success.”
Bryan Piotrowski, assistant to the superintendent for technology and general administration, described the event as “truly exceptional,” as parents came away with resources and knowledge to support their children's education and well-being.
“The workshops were thoughtfully designed to address a wide-range of topics, from academic support to mental health awareness,” he said. “The sense of community and support among our dedicated staff and enthusiastic parents made it a memorable and impactful experience for everyone involved. We are grateful for the opportunity to come together, learn and grow as a community.”