UFT Director of Community and Parent Outreach Nick Cruz makes a point during the Brooklyn conference.
Learning STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — through dance? For parent Yuderca Castillo, the combination is “genius.”
It was just one of the many summer programs that she and other parents learned about during the UFT Brooklyn Parent Conference.
On four days this spring, Castillo and hundreds of parents across the city gathered for the 12th annual UFT parent conferences — once again via Zoom. But unlike last year, when the pandemic brought together parents citywide for one conference in November, a bit of normalcy returned as each borough hosted its own virtual event. As the pandemic eased its grip on a worried city, parents were learning how to help their children make the transition back to the classroom, make up for lost ground and get out into the world again.
On April 10, Brooklyn parents learned about free and low-cost summer camps and internships, including some virtual internships. Among the organizations that participated were the Brooklyn Public Library, the Intrepid Museum, the Transit Museum, the Fresh Air Fund, the Downstate Medical Center and STEM from Dance, which gives minority girls the awareness and preparation for a STEM education through the creative and confidence-building aspects of dance.
Townsend Harris HS librarian Arlene Laverde (center, right) leads a workshop on Reading and Academic Success at the Queens conference.
“In these trying times we’re in, it’s so critical to get information I can share with other parents,” said Castillo, who added that her young son would be delighted with the Transit Museum’s remote program to learn more about trains.
In Queens, the parent conference on April 17 drew parents for, as the invitation described it, “a day of information and mutual support.” There were breakout workshops on helping students make the transition from elementary to middle school, academically and socially; parent leadership; yoga and mindfulness; reading and academic success; and time management.
Parent volunteers Shirley Aubin and Sheree Gibson led a morning workshop on Stepping into the Gap: A Perspective on Parent Leadership. “We went over the ways to get involved and support each other,” Aubin said. “You don’t have to have a title to be involved. There are different kinds of leadership and different ways to support your child’s education.”
Brett Scudder of Scudder Intervention Services Foundation conducts a slide presentation during a mental health workshop at the Bronx conference.
Participants at the Staten Island conference watch a memorial tribute video.
Aubin attended the afternoon workshop on Reading and Academic Success. “When children see you read, they do it, too,” said Aubin, whose daughter is in high school.
UFT parent conferences for Staten Island and Bronx parents took place on Saturday, May 22. On Staten Island, parents gathered to learn about medicine safety for children; coping with stresses of parenting; and how young children are assessed for special education services. A special workshop in Spanish was held on understanding the Individualized Education Plan (IEP). In the Bronx, parents attended virtual workshops in English and Spanish about supporting mental health and keeping homes safe from lead and mold. Other Bronx workshops dealt with how to land a civil service job and special education advocacy.
Parents in Manhattan were scheduled to meet over Zoom on June 12 to discuss topics including summer activities and internships, special education and food security.