New Chelsea Elementary School Offers Parents a First-Hand Look at How Learning Takes Place
A steady stream of parents and guardians recently filled the halls of New Chelsea Elementary School, getting a firsthand look at how students learn and what a typical school day looks like.
On Thursday, November 5, school leaders hosted the school's first-ever A Day in the Life of Learning, giving families an opportunity to experience the classroom environment up close.
During the visit, parents and guardians observed a variety of activities, including students reciting poetry that they had been working on and showcasing other classroom projects.
The idea came from New Chelsea Elementary School Family and Community Engagement Specialist (FACES) Charlesetta Jackson, who was inspired by a professional development class she attended virtually with Jane Groff in Topeka, Kansas, last year.
“This came about by one of the classes that I had in Topeka, Kansas, last year. They showed us where another school had the parents come in and do a walk-through. It was a real eye-opener, and it stuck with me,” Jackson said.
She brought the idea to New Chelsea Elementary School Principal Dr. Dana Jackson, who immediately embraced it.
“We wanted to bring our families and guardians in to see how education is going these days, as things have changed. I think our teachers work so hard, and we're so proud of them. We wanted to share that with our community,” Dr. Jackson said.
As part of the experience, parents and guardians were also asked to complete a survey, providing feedback on what they observed in the classrooms.
“That was us collecting data to see what's going well and what things our parents may be concerned about. We received a lot of great feedback. It's been really positive,” Dr. Jackson said.
School leaders at New Chelsea view their event differently from the Family Advocacy Day (FA Day) traditionally held by Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools.
“It’s very different because during FA Day, school is not in session, so parents don’t get to see how we do things. We wanted them to see that. We wanted them to be part of our day. They got to see their students walking through the halls, going to lunch and interacting with their teachers. This gives them that full immersion,” added Dr. Jackson.
The staff at New Chelsea Elementary School saw the event as a success. The positive feedback and the presence of parents and guardians meant a lot.
“They need us and we need them. We wanted them to know that their voices are important. We want them to know they are heard and that our doors are always open.” said Ms. Jackson.
The event also featured gift bags, which were distributed to the parents and guardians who participated in the day-long festivities.
The idea for the event was presented to Dr. Octavio Estrella, Director of Family and Community Engagement. His department helped provide funding to support the event.