Migrant Education Program Parent Advisory Council Meetings Allow for Communication and Engagement

On a recent evening, about ten families with children of all ages arrived at Peshastin Dryden Elementary and entered the cafeteria for a night of educational resources and camaraderie. These families are part of the Migrant Education Program Parent Advisory Council (PAC), which is one part of the district’s support structure for families with migrant status.

“The purpose of the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) is for Migrant Education Program staff in coordination with elected or selected parent committee members, and other interested parties to plan, implement and evaluate the local program to continue to provide quality services to migratory children,” explains a guidebook from Washington State’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). “The voice of migratory parents is essential and required for all phases of the local program.”

Every school district has a PAC as part of receiving Title 1 federal funds. Some districts have dozens of families enrolled in this program. Currently Cascade School District has sixteen families.

They meet monthly to learn about various school supports and to assess the program and help develop ways to strengthen it. At a previous meeting, the families met the four school bilingual secretaries, who serve as an essential link when families have questions.

When Flor West is not working as a multilingual learner specialist at Alpine Lakes Elementary, she is the PAC coordinator. Her duties include assisting the parents to build their knowledge regarding district policies and program goals, helping organize meetings and helping parents be self-led through creation of a PAC Executive Council with bylaws.

For this meeting, West arranged for the night to begin with a meal of steaming tamales and Mexican cookies known as conchas, as well as Christmas caroling by the high school select choir.

Next the group split into two, with younger students and their families staying in the cafeteria to learn Yahtzee, while older students and their families went to the computer lab for a presentation by PD principal Emily Ross, who also is the district’s Migrant Education Program Director, and Peshastin Librarian Clare Morrison.

In the computer lab, Morrison, who is bilingual, translated Ross’s encouragement of students and parents to seek out academic help if needed and to become comfortable with the district’s online platforms. Everyone logged into the computers to practice getting on Canvas, the platform where students and teachers communicate, post, and submit assignments and post grades. Morrison then gave an overview about the North Central Regional Library system and how, beyond books, the libraries have free printing for up to fifteen pages, Wi-Fi, movies, free activities and even, at Peshastin, ukuleles for loan. She went through how to create a temporary library card online, which is good for a month and then can be swapped out in-person for a permanent one.

Back in the cafeteria, in small groups, family members were taking turns rolling dice and learning the rules of Yahtzee. The children caught on, as when one girl quickly added up three sixes to write eighteen on her score card. The Yahtzee kits and sets of dominos were available to take home, so families could continue working with their children on math skills through games.

A final activity, when everyone was back together, was creating colorful origami cubes from six pieces of paper folded and then interlocked. Parent Marina Garcia Guzman led the construction, helping everyone find success. Her family has been in the area for several years, and she works as a math specialist in the Wenatchee School District.

It was a fun and relaxed evening for all, building community between migrant families and district staff. West announced that a future meeting would be a field trip to Wenatchee Valley College to learn about all the academic options it offers.