The Second Annual Parent Empowerment Summit was held at Joyce Kilmer School earlier this fall. The Summit attracted parents, grandparents, teachers and administrators, who joined together for a day-long session about the new curriculum guides used throughout the Trenton Public School System. Speakers, including two Children's Futures' board members, Trenton Schools Superintendent Rodney Lofton and Trenton Mayor Douglas H. Palmer, encouraged parents to partner with and guide their children along the learning continuum. While their parents were engaged in this day-long learning session, children enjoyed food, fun and games under the auspices of the Trenton Department of Recreation, Natural Resources and Culture, at Jefferson School.

The Summit also featured Teacher Counselor Barbara Biggart of the Miami-Dade County Parent Academy, which operates a nationally-known, innovative, training program serving parents at schools in the Miami area. Mayor Palmer has been encouraging community members, faith-based leaders, educators and parents to examine how the Parent Academy concept might be adapted for Trenton.

During break-out sessions at the Summit, parents and grandparents had an opportunity to talk to educators, in both group and one-on-one sessions, to learn more about expectations for students under the state's Core Curriculum Content Standards. Even parents of newborns and toddlers attended the Summit in order to get an early look at the programs their children would be participating in following pre-school.

The annual Parent Empowerment Summit, which held its inaugural session last year at the Trenton War Memorial, is a project of the Trenton CHANGE Coalition. The coalition's mission is "to positively impact the education of all Trenton Public School students." The group's mission statement sets out a number of ways in which to achieve this goal, including serving as a resource, creating links between the school district and concerned individuals, and addressing challenges in the school system.

The Trenton CHANGE Coalition is comprised of parents, teachers, school administrators and community groups, such as Children's Futures. Generous donations to support this year's Parent Empowerment Summit were made by the Educational Testing Service, CVS Caremark/CVS Pharmacy, the Trenton Public School District and Wegmans.

For more information about the Trenton CHANGE Coalition, contact Juan Martinez at 609-394-7266, or at senormart@aol.com.

Prepared: November 20, 2008