Parents are always welcome at our school
By Debbie Winslow
September 13, 2009
Some were old friends. Some had never met before. Parents and teachers, joined by many J. B. Muñoz students, gathered here Tuesday night, September 8, to celebrate Meet the Teacher night.
“Look at this turnout,” Assistant Principal Juan Guajardo said.
“These parents really support their children.”
That’s not anything new to Principal Debbie Lee Winslow, who is
beginning her fourth year at the helm of Muñoz Elementary.
“We’ve got to have parental involvement,” she said. “Without the
parents, we wouldn’t have been able to turn this school around from
Unacceptable to Recognized in three years.”
Guajardo is certainly impressed. After twenty-seven years in
secondary education, he is getting a taste of what it’s like to
work with little children.
“The biggest difference is how much parents are directly involved in the education of their little ones,” he said. “Parents of high schoolers care, too; but older students tend to want their parents to stay home and not meddle. At least that’s the way the kids see it.”
Over 120 parents and students joined the faculty and staff in the
Muñoz Cafeteria, which was open from five o’clock to 6:30 p.m. for
the event.
“Parents are always welcome at our school,” Guajardo said.
“After all, it’s their school; we work for them. Meet the Teacher
Night just gives them a specific time when all teachers and
administrators are available at once. With so many parents having
more than one child in school, this gathering makes it easier for
them to come.”
Many students themselves seemed to enjoy the evening. Fifth
grader Corina De León was one of them.
“I liked it,” she said, “especially because I got to help take pictures. I want to be a photographer when I grow up.” Sounds like someone who is starting with the end in mind.
