Parents Corner
Spring 2013: Video tips for parents
Every day, 1.7 million children in Pennsylvania leave their homes and go off to school, where a host of dedicated teachers, specialists, and support professionals work together to provide all students a quality education.
Among the school professionals are a group of skilled and trained professionals who provide essential services in their roles as school dental hygienists, counselors, nurses and psychologists, and home and school visitors/school social workers.
These educators encourage professional growth, training and development for their specialized areas, as they work to advance public education, and promote cooperation with other groups in education and their communities in providing the best possible services to youth. As members of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, these professionals collaborate and learn from each other as members of the Association's Department of Pupil Services (DPS).
In keeping with the Partners for Public Education effort, this year's annual DPS Conference, focused several sessions on how to make children's lives better. During the conference, several of these specialists recorded video messages offering expert advice and tips for parents on a variety of topics.
Maggie Beall, a school nurse practitioner and president of DPS, offers specific guidance on the important topic of health concerns and deciding whether a child should attend school or stay home, as well as suggestions for working with school nurses and health providers.
Joan Duvall-Flynn, a retired educator, provides tips on student encouragement and positive reinforcement, mentoring, and community involvement.
Lynn Smith is a school nurse. In three separate videos, she provides: (1) Advice about listening to and communicating with your child; (2) Suggestions about effective partnering with your child's school nurse; and (3) Tips and strategies for talking to your kids about matters of concern.
Jim Lewis is a home and school visitor, and works on issues related to student attendance, home environment, and keeping students in school. He offers suggestions on the importance of encouragement and perseverance, along with tips for working in close cooperation with parents and other adults to benefit students.
Fran Gerchman, guidance counselor, provides parental tips for helping students prepare for a new year of school, including specialized ideas for all age groups, from elementary, middle school, and high school.
Martha Rhodes is a school dental hygienist. In four separate videos, she offers recommendations for (1) Healthy dental care for babies and very young children; (2) Nutritional considerations for healthy teeth; (3) Teaching flossing techniques to young children; and (4) Healthy teeth for success in school.
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