Community Forums

The GISD Community Forum offers education and support to families and educators on a regular basis throughout the school year.  2007-2008 Community Forum meetings are scheduled for:

  • October 4, 2007
  • November 1, 2007
  • December 6, 2007
  • February 7, 2008
  • March 6, 2008
  • April 3, 2008

Enjoy free childcare, free parent education & networking, and free pizza, drinks & entertainment!  Supervised childcare, homework helpers & hanging out for all ages, no reservations required.

All meetings are held at the Ninth Grade Center. Pizza, drinks & entertainment will be from 6:15 until 6:45 PM.

Educational presentations, childcare, and networking sessions run from 6:45 to 8:15 PM.

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2008

SESSIONS PRESENTED IN SPANISH –

Breakout A: Financing a College Education: Key Things Parents Can Do Now - Jesse Howell  (ESL Teacher, Georgetown High School). How much does a college education cost? How can we afford it? Does my child qualify for grants, scholarships, and types of financial assistance? These are just a few of the questions that Mr. Howell will address in this session. Because he teaches Hispanic students daily, Mr. Howell, who is Hispanic, has a wealth of real-life examples of questions he has gotten from students and their parents. He will allot some time for specific questions from parents in the audience.
 

ACADEMIC INFORMATION –

Breakout B: PK/PPCD – Summer Learning Fun for Pre-K Students - Hilda Franks (GISD PreK & PPCD Coordinator) & Sarah Packard (Pre-K Teacher)
 

 SUPPORT SERVICES –

Breakout C: The Georgetown Project Presents “Building Assets Together” - Power Struggles  Unmasked - Carla Raper, BFA, MA, SenseQuest/Upward Bound: The ability to integrate principles of healthy conflict resolution, respect for authority, and adherence to expectations and boundaries into youth programs are important skills. This exciting local presenter combines an early career on stage and television in New York, with work as a prevention specialist and addictions counselor, to offer creative drama techniques, rich in Assets, for setting and enforcing boundaries in youth programming.


Breakout D: Shattered – Barbara Townsend and Georgetown Prevention Partnership: A recent study found that family discussions about drinking and driving can significantly affect teen behaviors and reduce such incidents. This session is for parents and children to watch together. Discussion questions will help make it easier to talk, listen and learn together.


Breakout E: ESE Meeting / Workshop
 

NETWORKING AND STUDENT EVENTS –

Breakout F: GISD Special Ed Parent Network - (6:45 – 7:15 PM) TAKS-Alt – Becky McCoy (GISD Assessment Director) PLUS, (7:15 – 8:15 PM) Grief & the Stages of Adaptation – Patty Geisinger & Debbie Wiederhold (Texas Parent to Parent). TAKS – Alt: There will be a PowerPoint presentation, an explanation of test results, and a sample confidential student report. Grief & the Stages of Adaptation: Learn to make sense of some of the emotions you may be experiencing, how grief applies to being a parent of a child with a disability, chronic illness or other health care need, and how to identify the stages that most parents experience on this journey.


Breakout G: Dyslexia Parent Network – Abbie Baker (GISD Dyslexia Coordinator): Last of four sessions started at the February Forum: 1) Overcoming Dyslexia Book Study, 2) Spelling and Handwriting, 3) Initial Reading Deck and Syllable Types, 4) Study Skills and Homework Help Suggestions
 


The Forum is co-sponsored by the Georgetown Prevention Partnership (GPP), The Georgetown Project, the Special Education Community Advisory Council (SECAC) and GISD.

For more information about Community Forums, contact:

Dawn Jennings
Parent Liaison
Georgetown Independent School District
603 Lakeway Drive, Georgetown TX 78628
(512) 943-5000 x. 6884