Community School Coordinator Glenn Carson addresses a group of parents.
July 14, 2017
Written By Monte Glover
Last month, more than a dozen parents gathered for lunch at Hopkins-Lloyd Community School to be appreciated for their commitment to building a welcoming, inclusive community for the students, parents, and neighborhood.
Hosted by Glenn Carson, the community schools coordinator and Ms. Richardson, the parent coordinator at Hopkins-Lloyd Community School, the appreciation lunch served as an introduction for Richardson to the group of parents.
“We want our students to grow. We want you to get you the help you need,” Richardson said as she shared her vision for the upcoming year. With her eyes set on improvement, her passion was evident. Richardson wanted the parents to be involved in the process of building Hopkins-Lloyd into an anchor of the community, ensuring that they had a role in shaping their child’s development at school.
She hoped to unify everyone towards a common goal and highlight why this is important, addressing that they had a lot of work ahead of them, “It’s a lot of prep but if we have everything prepared in advance, it’s not as hard.”
To get ideas flowing, Richardson suggested a series of workshops that would equip the parents with the skills necessary to make a difference in their lives and their community. Some of the workshops suggested were GED preparation, financial literacy, career readiness, and parenting improvement. She hoped to create opportunities for transformative growth and give parents the chance to better themselves in meaningful ways. “This school is going to grow. You’re going to grow,” said Ms. Richardson to the group. “You’re going to teach me something, too, because I do what I love, and I love what I do.”
The parents were treated to a performance by the Forensics and Debate team that included poetry and speeches by Langston Hughes and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that highlighted the importance of building strong communities and celebrating togetherness. This was the team’s first performance in front of a large audience outside of their peers.
Three parents, Ms. Henry, Mr. Smith, and Ms. Ward, were celebrated for their intrinsic presence and welcomed assistance at Hopkins-Lloyd Community School. Encourage by Principal Natosha Harris, parents were invited to return for future meetings to allow their voices to be heard, “Your voice is very large, and when we hear from you, it’s very important,” Said Principal Harris.
Through the combined efforts of Carson, Harris, and Richardson the parents would have a space to call their own within their community, a place where they could learn alongside their children, while making informed decisions about the direction of their education.
“We want to build you up,” said Principal Harris to the group of parents. “We want to better help you. If we help you, that better helps the students. That’s what a community school is all about.”
Learn more about the Milwaukee Community Schools partnership
Meet Glenn Carson, community school coordinator for Hopkins-Lloyd