Blizzard Threat Can’t Stop Family Night
Washington Primary School bilingual teachers Maria Lanzot and Wendy Bonilla spent hours arranging and preparing for simultaneous “family night” meetings and activities. Despite the sessions being held just hours before the start of a forecasted blizzard, turnout was encouraging and participants enjoyed a good deal of fun.
This year, Ms. Lanzot is teaching a kindergarten class and Ms. Bonilla leads a group of first graders. The pair set up the 90-minute long family meetings in their respective classrooms to share information related to the curriculum, New York State student assessments and upcoming events and activities.
There was also a segment devoted to a parent-child activity, which saw the youngsters and adults working together to create attractive Valentine’s Day cards.
Ms. Lanzot was so inspired with the night that she penned a poem about it. “My congratulations to Ms. Lanzot and Ms. Bonilla for a job well done and for going beyond the call of duty to keep the parents in their classes involved in the education of their children,” said Carmen Kasper, district director of foreign language, ESL and bilingual programs.
The parents in attendance seemed to enjoy the opportunity to meet with the teachers and visit their child’s room. “They expressed their deep appreciation to the teachers for keeping in touch with them so often in a language they can understand,” Ms. Kasper said. “They also expressed their gratitude to the district for making this type of program possible for their children.”
| “A Blizzard Can’t Stop Us” By Maria Lanzot |
As we waited for the blizzard The biggest one yet Our parents and their children At Washington School met
Ms. Bonilla and myself With important information Met our families in our classrooms And expressed our expectations
Both parents and children Were inspired to hear Whenever we all work together It is a triumphant school year
We were half way through the meeting Now, it was time to get together To create beautiful Valentines In spite of the coming weather
There was ribbon and paper Crayons, markers and glue Big and small hearts to decorate And soft music, too
They were coloring and cutting They would read and write They were sharing and smiling What a heart-warming sight!
At the end we knew How much this activity meant Our families held their trophies of love And out the door they went
Ms. Bonilla and myself Were very humbled and pleased By the sincerity and dedication Of our children and their families
“No good deed goes unnoticed” That’s what they say And what a wonderful acknowledgement The next day was a “Snow Day”! |
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