Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement Parent Options. Parent Information and Resource Centers (PIRC's) bring parents, educators and those that work with families a wealth of information about helping children get ready for school and succeed in school, from the early grades through high school.
When families, schools and communites work together, children succeed. For more information visit the national PIRC site.
Maine PIRC (Parent Information Resource Center) works with parents, schools and community agencies statewide to help foster "partnerships that will increase parental involvement and participation in promoting the social, emotional, and academic growth of children". We offer information, support, and training to reach the following goals:
Increase Home-School Partnerships
We provide individualized consultations and support to schools
as they examine and build upon current parent involvement practices
within the school. We offer free workbooks regarding the creation
of parent involvement teams/programs and provide trained staff
to help facilitate team meetings. We provide materials and technical
assistance to create Family Resource Centers within the school.
Provide Information
Our resource center is accessible statewide through our 1-800
number and provides printed materials, a mailbag library, parent
newsletter, and referrals on topics such as child-rearing, encouraging
learning at home, child development, and best practices for improving
home-school communication.
Present Workshops
Our workshops are free of charge and are offered to parents, educators
and community members statewide. Following is a list of workshops
we currently offer, click here. PIRC
workshops
Help parents and educators understand The No Child Left Behind Act. It's a new era in education, and we want you, as parents and community members, to be part of the transformation. Here on the official No Child Left Behind website you can find answers to your questions about the new education law signed by President Bush on January 8, 2002.
NCLB Making a Difference in Maine
Provide Home Visits: PAT (Parents as Teachers) This program supports parents and children during the important years from birth to age three. PAT offers parents in-home visits by certified parent educators who answer questions and give information on a wide range of parenting concerns, including how to use play to teach your child, what to look for as your child develops, and how to develop an effective parenting style. The PAT program also includes group meetings with other parents to share experiences, making learning materials for your child, and regular checks of hearing, vision and development. The program is offered free of charge to children under three and expecting parents; all home visits will be arranged to suit your schedule. For more information about PAT call Southern Kennebec at 1-800-870-7746 or Northern Kennebec 1-800-427-1127.
The First Day of school Celebration began as a pilot project in several Vermont schools in 1997. It has quickly gained popularity as a means to connect with families early on and to keep that positive connection working throughout the school year. MPF believes the First Day of School Celebration can be an effective vehicle for increasing parental involvement in a positive and enthusiastic way.
If you have questions about the First Day Celebration feel free to contact the Maine Parent Federation and ask to speak to Angela Burgess, your Statewide Parental Involvement Coordinator at 623-2144..
Foster LiteracySkills
Fostering literacy skills in young children provides them with one of the most important keys to their educational success. Please take a look at these websites for fact sheets, handouts and on-line ordering of materials.
Parent/Community NCLB (No Child Left Behind) resources
An overview of the New Education Law (National PTA), www.pta.org
Parent Involvement Policies and Law (National PTA), www.pta.org
Testing, Accountability, and the Law (National PTA), www.pta.org
The Next Step Is Yours (National PTA), www.pta.org
A New Federal Role in Education (Center on Education Policy), www.cep-dc.org
From the Capital to the Classroom: State and Federal Efforts to Implement the NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND Act Commentary and Summary (Center on Education Policy), www.cep-dc.org
Parent Information and Resource Center (PIRCs) www.pirc-info.net
A Parent's Guide to NCLB (US DOE) Ed Pubs 1-877-433-7827. www.ed.gov
No Child Left Behind A Desk Top Reference (US DOE) www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html
Using NCLB to Improve Student Achievement: An Action Guide for Community and Parent Leaders (Public Education Network), www.publiceducation.org
No Child Left Behind: What's in for Parents by Anne Henderson (Parent Leadership Associates), www.plassociates.org
A Parent's Guide to: Supplemental Services (Ed Pubs) 1-877-433-7827, www.NoChildLeftBehind.gov
Put Reading First Helping Your Child Learn to Read
A Parent Guide (Ed Pubs)
1-877-433-7827
What's Going on in My Child's School? A Parents Guide to Good Schools (Southwest Educational Developmental Laboratory (SEDL), www.sedl.org
A new wave of Evidence The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement by Anne Henderson and Karen L. Mapp (southwest Educational Development Laboratory), www.sedl.org
