Entry #29: "I hope we can get enough
workers before all the 'harvest' spoils."
Pine Bluff, Arkansas -- There is much that can be done
to help student's achieve when families, schools and communities work together.
Take for example, the Dollarway School District here in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
By arriving in April, I just missed an unusual set of parent-teacher conferences.
These meetings took place in a comfortable conference room typical of many
schools. But the room wasn't in a school. Teachers met with parents at a
food processing plant.
Tyson Foods is a major business partner in the area, employing around 2,000
workers, and it seems they are recognizing their role in the community as
well. Personnel manager Gary Peterson sat down with me to explain why his
company spent time and effort bringing 27 elementary teachers to meet with
employees and talk about talk about their kids' progress in school.
Tyson's managers got the idea from a sister plant back east. They saw it
as a way to show their commitment to employees by assisting their families
and their children. Next year, the Tyson plant manager wants to expand the
conferences to all parents in grades K-12.
Tyson converted its training center into a temporary "classroom"
setting, complete with green plants, tables and complimentary snacks and
drinks. The two participating schools set up the schedule and bused their
teachers over in the afternoon. Tyson then rotated the parents through,
giving each family time to talk about progress, look at student work and
ask questions. The typical working parent may lose a half-day's wages attending
a parent-teacher conference, and that's bound to cut down on parent participation.
The Tyson families lost little time and no money.
While I am frustrated that all parents won't find ways to meet with their
children's teacher (it is, after all, their kid's education at stake), I
know the reality is that without this collaboration there would have been
many less conferences this spring.
Businesses going the extra mile
I found other examples of businesses going the extra mile here in Arkansas.
Jack Robey Junior High in the Pine Bluff District operates an after-school
program, courtesy of International Paper and several smaller partners. "Lights
on After Dark" was a brainchild of Chris Caldwell, the paper company's
communications manager, and Ernie Murry, coordinator of Communities in Schools.
As Murry and his students took some time to fix the afternoon snack of hot
dogs and chips, he explained the process. Computers are donated by International
Paper, and City Transit takes students home after 6:00 pm for no charge.
In fact, with over a dozen active partners and Murry's salary already covered,
the program runs at no additional cost to the school. "You would be
surprised how much you can get donated," Murry told me.
While I was greatly encouraged by the financial generosity of businesses
in the area, another theme emerged this week as well.
The Mon/Weds. after-school program had about 30 students attending out of
a possible 1,200. Murry said that in order to expand the program as much
as he would like, the junior high school needs additional assistance in
supervision and instruction.
I met one individual who comes to help after school. David Curlin is a local
firefighter. It was clear to Curlin that students needed more positive activities,
so he started a Fire Explorers program in town. With several more schools
still to visit, he already has 150 students signed up for this offshoot
of Boy Scouts. Kids learn fire safety, work on merit badges and can move
toward a career in fire-fighting. What is limiting the program? According
to Curlin, it won't work unless he can get adults to help as advisors.
Here, as in all of the communities we have visited, there is a great need
for mentors, tutors, big brothers and sisters, and adult volunteers of all
kinds. Even at the Pine Bluff Parent Resource Center, the coordinator spends
much of her time on clerical work that could easily be done by parents.
But none have volunteered. In all my travels this year, not once have I
heard a youth agency or school say that they have enough help.
This brings to mind a verse from the Bible: "The harvest is plentiful
but the workers are few." I hope we can get enough workers before all
the "harvest" spoils.
We are now enroute to New Mexico and the Alamo Navajo Community School.
Stay tuned for more educational adventures across America.
Darrell
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