Yesterday was no different for her, except that she was at her children’s schools: Hopwood Junior High School and San Antonio Elementary School, taking over as classroom teacher.
The role of parents for the last three years has been emphasized by the Public School System which has included parental involvement and community partnership as part of its strategy to improve student learning.
“It is one of our roles as parents to step up even just for a day to be in the classroom with our children. Not only that, we also have to get to feel how it is to be a classroom teacher,” Dela Cruz said.
At Hopwood Junior High School, Dela Cruz talked to the 8th grade class about the importance of “valuing and respecting” the teaching job, a profession that must be supported and appreciated, she said.
Hours later, she was at San Antonio Elementary School to join her son’s 4th grade class. Inside the classroom, she showed a video of the September 11 attacks in New York and the Pentagon, and how her job along with those of the military are helping improve the nation’s security.
She also talked about the importance of having a safe and orderly school campus, and the role played by parents in achieving this goal.
She praised teachers “who keep all of us informed, learned and educated individuals. We should never forget to thank them their sacrifices.”
At Oleai Elementary School, a parents waited for their turn to go into the classrooms to be the “teachers of the day.”
Board of Education member Lucia Blanco-Maratita was one of them.
“This is something that we have been working with the parents by asking a little of their time, just for a day, to be with their children in school to read, teach and interact,” Blanco-Maratita said.
Education Commissioner Sablan started her day by visiting schools and meeting with the students.
At Tanapag Head Start, she mingled and sat next to the children who were having their breakfast.
Garapan Elementary School dedicated the whole morning as “Parent Read Day.”
From Nov. 18 to 19 and on Nov. 22, public schools on Saipan, Tinian and Rota are opening their doors to parents as part of Parent Takeover Day.
Yesterday, PSS observed National Parent Involvement Day.
