Parents have an important role in the success of students and their schools, a speaker told the audience at a parents' summit Thursday.
Ako Kambon, president of Visionary Leaders Institute of Columbus, Ohio, delivered the keynote address at the second annual Leflore County School District's Parent Summit at the Leflore County Civic Center.
Kambon, who also led one of the small group of parent workshops, said his message to parents is simple.
"It's the parents' responsibility to allow what's going on in the school district," he said. "If we don't get parents to take on their role, then we can't have the success that we want to have."
Some of the highlights of the parents' workshops included:
Establishing weekly or daily chores for children.
Having family meetings once a week.
Developing a daily schedule of activities.
Setting a bedtime for children.
Establishing clear rules.
Vocalizing expectations of children.
Increasing a child's vocabulary by having regular conversations.
Positive reinforcement.
Kambon said he also works with teaching staff on a regular basis.
"We help teachers understand how to connect with today's young people," he said.
"What we have in most districts are teachers with the content, the knowledge, of the subject, but they don't know how to present that to today's young people. My job is to try and bridge those two," Kambon said.
Members of both Amanda Elzy High School and Leflore County High School bands performed at the summit.
Superintendent Cedell Pulley said the gathering gave the district a chance to show parents what the school district has to offer.
"T.Y. Fleming and Brown Elementary are both Level 5. T.Y. Fleming is also a Blue Ribbon School; there are only four of those in Mississippi," Pulley said.
Mary Hemphill, who has great-grandchildren in the school district, said she attended the summit to see what the district can offer.
"This is important." Hemphill said.
