Posted at 03:00 AM ET, 04/05/2012
Fairfax school wins national family engagement award
By Valerie Strauss
Fairfax County Mantua Elementary school’s PTA has won a national 2012 parent engagement award for its programs that involve families of many different backgrounds and that provide services for different segments of the community.
Research has repeatedly found that students do better in school when their families are engaged in the life of the school. Programs that involve parents in student achievement, such as family nights on math or literacy and family workshops on planning for college, are thought to be especially helpful.
Mantua Elementary School, with over 900 students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, was cited by the National PTA for its human relations committee, which provides translators for publications that keep families informed about the school, as well as for a mentorship program, service projects for the elderly and needy families, and extracurricular activities for students.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/fairfax-school-wins-national-family-engagement-award/2012/04/04/gIQAPcSQwS_blog.html