Program designed to help parents help students

Cathy Spaulding, Muskogee Phoenix, Okla.
·2 min read

Jan. 19—A Lunch and Lessons course seeks to help Muskogee Public Schools parents learn ways to help their children succeed, the course instructor says.

The program, "Raising Highly Capable Kids," will be noon Thursdays, starting Jan. 26, at Muskogee High School. Instructor Andrae Freeman said the course runs for about 10 weeks. Although the program is free, participants must enroll by contacting Freeman.

Raising Highly Capable Kids is part of RezilientKidz, an organization that seeks to strengthen families through community coalition and character-building.

Freeman, an instructional specialist at MHS, said the class will present some practices on helping families be successful in raising their children.

The district has partnered with the Raising Highly Capable Kids parenting program over the past two or three years, Freeman said.

"What they do is empower us to reach out to the community and try to bridge the gap with lessons they provide on some of the best practices on raising highly capable kids," he said. "We try to invite our friends, our families in our community to come join us."

Freeman and MHS counselors will lead the program.

"It's not like a 'gotcha' or to try to make anyone feel inferior or terrible about any practices or what they've done," Freeman said. "We are coming together to read, go through some scenarios, see what the data says and maybe, just maybe, someone might take something home and say, 'I want to try that."

The hour-long lessons come with a free lunch.

The opening session, "We're all in this together," seeks to make participants comfortable about talking about parenting challenges and learn new ways to help their children succeed, according to the RezilientKidz website.

Other sessions include "Stand by Me," "Limits that Liberate" and "Creating Character," Freeman said.

"There's usually an introduction to each lesson. It is not a 'sit and get.' It is participatory. You have response, you talk and you share."

If you go

WHAT: Lunch and Lessons.

WHEN: Noon Thursdays, Jan. 26 and through the next 10 weeks.

WHERE: Muskogee High School, 3200 E. Shawnee Bypass.

COST: Free.

TO ENROLL: Call Andrae Freeman, (918) 684-3750, ext. 1754, or email Andrae.Freeman@roughers.net