The Parents as Partners in Child Development and Education Change Institute is a parenting education-training program. Parents and children are considered active learners and participants in the curricular package. Early training sessions take an in-depth look at parenting and covers:


understanding self-esteem
basics of child development
stages of parenthood
healthy communications
family systems
civic literacy and leadership skills
consumer and life skills
nutrition and health education


These sessions are followed by seminars addressing school leadership and advocacy. The Academy trainers introduce parents to concepts of positive thinking, assertiveness, empowerment and political savvy. Parents learn new strategies for working with the system, handling fear, exercising parental rights and accessing resources. In addition, they receive information on community resources available to them, and learn how to use networks and build coalitions.

Sessions are offered throughout the year.
For more information, contact: 856-225-6348

Parents as Educators Leadership Institute
This 24-week parenting education training program provides parents with intensive seminars on parenting, followed by an apprenticeship as parent educators. This allows the Center to build on existing success, and disseminate its programs more widely, while also employing parents in the community. These individuals will become the human resource pool from which to draw the next level of leadership. These participants will play key governance roles throughout LEAP Academy Charter.



The curriculum addresses:
self-esteem
child development
stages of parenthood
healthy communications
family systems
civic literacy and leadership skills
school leadership
advocacy


Throughout this effort, Camden parent leaders will be equipped with the skills, concepts, approaches and principles that are necessary to become effective parent educators, including:


how to become a parent educator leader
how to interact productively with parents
understanding group processes
practical experience preparing and executing presentations for parents
practical experience leading group discussions with parents.


The parents who graduate as peer parent leader educators move on to lead and deliver the parents leaders self-support network program and become parent trainers throughout the school district.


Classes begin September, and are offered to parents of Camden city students, or individuals who work with students in Camden who wish to become parent educators, and classes are held at Rutgers University
For more information, contact: 856-225-6348.



Parents Literacy Institute
We recognize that parents are a child's first teachers. Parents who read to their children, are modeling the behavior that they want from their children. Thus, the Parents Literacy Institute is a once a month series that instructs parents on the fine details of teaching reading readiness to our community preschoolers, with materials found in the home as well as tools that they have ready access to use.


Sessions are offered thoughout the year. For more information,
contact: 856-225-6348.