Harrison Parents Attend GEAR UP Training Graduation
Through Parent Leadership Training offered by the Fairmont State GEAR UP Partnership,
Harrison County parents are gaining the skills they need to become effective leaders
and advocates in their local schools to impact student achievement.
During the six-day training, two days at a time, parents have been hearing from experts
from the Center for Parent Leadership, the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence,
the West Virginia Department of Education, Fairmont State and a variety of community
resource groups. Parents and teachers of all ages and backgrounds are coming together
to discuss parental roles in the education process, effective communication and listening
skills, the No Child Left Behind Act, standards-based education, accountability and
assessment in West Virginia schools, making sense of reports and data, understanding
WESTEST and much more.
A graduation ceremony for 30 Harrison County parents was held Friday, Nov. 19, at
the Village Square Conference Center in Clarksburg.
Each graduate will develop a project for his or her school that meets a specific area
of need. GEAR UP will help fund the projects.
GEAR UP is a six-year, federally funded program that aims to significantly increase
the number of students who are prepared to succeed in education beyond high school.
In 1999, Fairmont State received the largest of 164 partnership grants awarded throughout
the United States. GEAR UP grant goals include parent outreach efforts.
For more information about Fairmont State GEAR UP Parent Training, call (304) 367-0436
or e-mail Victoria Kesner at vkesner@fairmontstate.edu.
