Will Parents Come?

Superintendent Reggie Mayo said a strong foundation in reading is key to the goals of the school reform drive to close the achievement gap between city kids and their statewide peers, cut the high school dropout rate in half, and ensure students have the resources and preparation to succeed in college. Mayor John DeStefano credited Brennan/Rogers for progress on another piece that’s central to reform getting parents involved.Brennan/Rogers showed the highest parent participation in the district on school surveys last year, with 81 percent of parents offering feedback. Lott has a new plan this year to get parents in the door: As part of the Heart of America donation, the school will be getting large shipments of food from the Connecticut Food Bank each month. The school plans to coordinate the food distribution to parents with academic-themed events, such as teaching parents how to help their kids read more fluently. With more parents coming more regularly to the school, Lott said, she hopes to revive the PTO and the School Governance Council. “This is the beginning” of a new chapter of literacy at the school she said of the libraries.

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