Parent Teacher Organization

M.S.A.D. #51 Cumberland / North Yarmouth

Parent University Program

The Parent University Program is a series of informational workshops offered to parents, teachers and community members on a broad variety of topics related to raising children, education, and social issues affecting our families. The programs are offered several times a year and are held in the evenings at schools throughout the district. Working in connection with volunteers from the high school, PTO provides childcare on a reservation-only basis, free of charge, during Parent University presentations.

Upcoming:

Community Forum on the International Baccalaureate Program - November 14, 6pm

The PTO will host a Q & A session on the International Baccalaureate Program that is being implemented at the High School in November. Speakers will be David Galin, Chris Mosca, Karl Covert and the new director of the IB program, Barbara Dichter.

Past Parent University Presentations:

Rachel Simmons - Best-Selling Author, Odd Girl Out - January 2007

MSAD51 administration and staff have been working hard over the last couple of years on school climate and especially making students aware of how actions and words do matter. To compliment these efforts, the PTO hosted an evening event for parents, a staff workshop and an assembly for students on the topic of bullying, its consequences and how to deal with it. New York Times best-selling author, Rachel Simmons, was the featured speaker. Rachel appears regularly in national media. Please visit www.rachelsimmons.com to watch a clip from Oprah.

Movie Showing: Odd Girl Out

The PTO was pleased to offer parents the opportunity to see the movie, "Odd Girl Out" which was adapted from Rachel's book

Evening Event for Parents

The evening event featured a talk, question-and-answer period and book signing (with books available for purchase) by Ms. Simmons. This event was free and open to other communities and the public.

Staff Workshop & Student Assembly

Rachel presented MSAD51 staff with an afternoon workshop and she conducted morning workshops for the 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. After the assembly there was a discussion group for boys and a discussion group for girls.

Parent University: Nutrition - December 2006

Debbie Pepper-Dougherty, R.D., L.D. talked to us about finding that healthy balance for your family and answered our questions about new foods, trans fats, or cholesterol

Internet Resources - A Common Sense Approach to Best Use at School & Home- May 2006

The Internet and the resources it makes available to students, parents, and teachers are amazing - critical tools in supporting teaching and learning in 2006. And is not just at school, the same is true at home. What do you want to learn? Algebra? Go for it... Mandarin Chinese? No problem! How to extract DNA from living things? That too... New baby joining the family? Let's make a web site to share the good news! Obviously the challenge presented by the Internet is not about having too few possibilities; rather it is about learning to deal with too many possibilities. Educational technology consultant (and Maine parent) Jim Moulton and MSAD #51 staff and community members provided a thoughtful discussion around balancing possibility and responsibility when it comes to the Internet.

Transitioning to High School - April 2006

Transitioning to high school was the topic of conversation at the April 2006 Parent University. Guest speakers were Greely's Chris Mosca, the MPA's 2006 Principal of the Year and Dr. Karl Covert, our new Guidance Director.

The No Child Left Behind Act from A to Z: What Parents Need to Know – March 2006
This workshop offered a "primer" on the No Child Left Behind Act and how it is changing education. We worked together to look at the history of the law, define standards and accountability, and learn how these federal regulations impact schools and students here in Maine. Our discussion included up to date information on Maine's Learning Results and graduation requirements. From student testing to school choice, this workshop covered everything you ever wanted to know about NCLB but were afraid to ask.

Five Building Blocks for a Reading Foundation – January 2006
Reading skills are taught in the classroom, but the foundation skills for reading are built at home. In this workshop, participants learned about the National Reading Panel's five areas of reading development and how parents can use simple at-home play to encourage children's growth in these areas. Research-based information and lots of conversation provided participants with new ideas for creating a home environment which encourages both skill development and reading for pleasure.

Sports Done Right - November 2005

Sports Done Right was the topic of discussion with Polly Frawley and Ron Graham on Thursday, November 17 in the Greely Middle School Cafeteria. Along with information on the Sports Done Right initiative, results from a student survey conducted last June at the Middle and High Schools was shared. Greely students were asked questions about participation and success in athletics, coaching, parental participation, athletic compacts and what is important to them in sports.

Information Literacy - October 2005

Judy Gray and Charlotte Brown, Greely High and Middle School librarians speak about how to use the library to find and use information, build research skills, search available databases, and discover the resources at hand. In this time of ever changing technology, this discussion will also enable parents to help their students avoid plagiarism while becoming a successful researcher and writer.

How Media Culture Impacts Our Children

Session 1: Understanding Media Literacy - February 8, 2005
Children spend twice as much time watching TV as they spend in the classroom. By the age of 12, children will witness 8,000 murders and by age 16, they will have seen 200,000 acts of violence on TV. This program is not about banning or censoring media- it is about raising the awareness and providing parents with the tools and support they need to raise happy and healthy children.

Session 2: What a Girl Wants - February 15, 2005
This will be a discussion for parents, teachers and other adults who care about girls. Girls from 8 years to 16 years of age were interviewed about their views on media culture and its impact on their lives. A video will illustrate their insightful and provocative responses. A discussion of the video will follow. Also research results on girls' development and self-esteem issues will be shared.

Session 3: Tough Guise- Violence, Media, and Crisis in Masculinity - March 22, 2005
"Tough Guise" is a new educational video for older youth and adults that examines the relationship between images of popular culture and the social construction of masculine identities today. This video argues that the widespread violence in American society needs to be understood as part of an ongoing crisis in masculinity. The nature of the crisis touches all Americans. Please join us to watch and discuss this video and explore some of the research and resources available.

Helping Children Cope with Anxiety & Transition - October 2004

Tammy Heathco and Kathy Locker, MSAD 51 Guidance Councilors, lead a discussion about Helping Children Cope with Anxiety and Transition for our first Parent University of the school year.

Just Let the Kids Play - April 2004

The PTO was pleased to host a very interesting evening with Bob Bigelow, former Celtic player, part-time NBA scout and author of the book, Just Let the Kids Play. Bob lectures nationally on the problems of youth sports and the positive strategies that parents and coaches can take to foster fair play, skill development and social interactions.

Help With Homework Issues – February, 2004

Back by popular demand, Deb Dunlap of the Maine Parent Federation joined us again to lead a discussion on homework issues. Deb explored the purposes of homework, how to motivate students to complete homework, how much help from parents is appropriate, and other issues in this discussion group-based workshop.

Nutrition and Your Child – January, 2004

Debbie Pepper-Dougherty, a registered dietician with offices in Westbrook and Falmouth, spoke to a small but engaged audience of 12 parents interested in learning ways to encourage nutritious eating in their families. Debbie gave tips on nutrition, supplements, recipes, and easy ways to make delicious food anyone in the family would enjoy.

How to Send Your Child to College Without Going Broke – November 2003

Betsey Andersen, a certified financial planner and author based in Falmouth, presented an evening of college financial advice designed to help parents understand the financial aid process and the various options facing them with regard to financing secondary education. Betsey spoke to a packed house of over 90 parents at Greely High School.

Steering Your Child Towards Post-Secondary Education – October, 2003

Duke Albanese, former Maine State Commissioner of Education, was our guest speaker for the first Parent University of the 2003-2004 school year. Duke spoke to a crowd of between 20 and 25 parents, most with children in junior high or high school, about the changing face of secondary education and how they could help their students to prepare for education beyond their high school years. This was the first of our Parent University programs directed specifically at parents of junior and senior high school students.

The Hurried Child – October, 2003

Kathy Locker, guidance counselor at Mabel I. Wilson School, and Tammy Heathco, guidance counselor at North Yarmouth Memorial School, co-presented this warm, funny evening examining the principals in David Elkind’s book The Hurried Child. The 35+ attendees of the evening explored societal pressures causing our families to feel “hurried” and ways to make time to slow down.

Bullying Prevention – March, 2003

In direct response to ongoing bullying prevention programs taking place at North Yarmouth Memorial School and Drowne Road School here in our school district during the 2002-2003 school year, Parent University hosted Chuck Saufler for the March session. Chuck is a guidance counselor in Bath, Maine. He is a well-respected speaker on bullying issues in our state and has many years experience in dealing with the issue on a day-to-day basis. Teachers at North Yarmouth Memorial School and Drowne Road School participated in a workshop with Chuck earlier in the day, followed by the Parent University program held at Drowne Road School in the evening. Between 40 and 45 parents attended. Many felt so strongly that bullying was an issue that needed to be addressed at all ages in our school district that a Bullying Task Force comprised of parents, administrators, and guidance counselors was formed following this Bullying Prevention program.

Building Your Child’s Self-Esteem – February, 2003

Deb Dunlap was so well received in our February, 2003 workshop that she joined us again in March for a workshop entitled “Building Your Child’s Self-Esteem”. Once again, attendance was high as about 65 parents participated actively in discussion groups designed to examine the basic building blocks of self-esteem. Parents looked at ways to improve their own self-esteem as well as ways to foster a strong sense of self in their children.

Creating Win-Win Interactions Between Parents and Children – January, 2003

Deb Dunlap, a traveling educator with the Maine Parent Federation, was the energetic presenter of our seminar “Creating Win-Win Interactions Between Parents and Children”. During the workshop, parents learned how their words and actions create either a positive or negative response from their children. Discussion was centered on the benefits of and barriers to communication. The 60+ attendees of the evening were provided with positive communication techniques designed to create win-win situations within their families.

How Children Learn – November, 2002

How Children Learn was co-facilitated by Dr. Lynne Miller, Professor of Education and Executive Director of the Southern Maine Partnership at the University of Southern Maine, and Suzanne Godin, principal of Mabel I. Wilson School. The format of the evening also included a teacher panel representing educators from Kindergarten through eighth grade. Amy Hill and Kellie Volta, looping teachers and literacy leaders at Mabel I. Wilson School; Ann Bilodeau, both a classroom teacher and teacher leader at North Yarmouth Memorial School; Shirley Storey-King, 7^th grade teacher; and Rick Hogan, 7^th grade teacher and Dimensions of Learning trainer joined Lynne and Suzanne for an evening full of insight regarding multiple intelligence and dimensions of learning. Between 45 and 50 parents attended that event.

The Resilient Child – October, 2002

Kathy Locker, guidance counselor at Mabel I. Wilson School, a K-3 elementary school here in the district, presented a warm, wonderful evening structured around how each of us as parents can work to help our children build resiliency. This was our inaugural evening for the Parent University program. It was designed to be a small-group discussion with Kathy leading the way. We were very pleased to have 12 parents in attendance.

email the Events committee

Last Updated: Tuesday September 18, 2007

The purpose of the PTO

is to promote communication and cooperation

among the parents, teachers, and administration of MSAD 51

in order to provide the best educational experience for the children of the district.

PTO Bylaws, Article 2

MSAD51 Parent Teacher Organization, PO Box 6A, Cumberland, ME 04021