Conference held in efforts to encourage parent involvement in children’s education

The Monterey County Office of Education held it’s 10th annual Migrant Family Conference.

Migrant parents and children were invited to the event which hopes to encourage parents involvement in their child’s school and education. It also gives parents a chance to see how teaching and school has shifted over the years.

The event included several workshops for parents which focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math(STEM).

Senior Director of the Migrant Education Program, Ernesto Vela, says one of the main goals is to assure their children’s academic success in public schools. “The evidence is undisputable, when a parent is involved in the education of their child, that child is going to have greater motivation, greater opportunities to learn, and it does not mean that parents have to be college graduates. Whatever level of literacy or education they have as long as their encouraging, their motivating and they create the right environment at home to study,” says Vela.

Vela says this is just one step in getting parents engaged with their children’s education, “today is just one component of our greater parent engagement program. So today is giving parents our services, but it doesn’t have to end today. Through our county we have monthly workshops and many opportunities for our parents to engage.”

Parents from different Monterey County schools attended the event. Organizers say while the event has been held at Washington Middle School in Salinas the past few years they are considering changing the venue to a school in Southern County to get maximum exposure.