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Editorial: Parents’ involvement is lacking at school district

Editorial board

• Noelle Leavitt Riley, Craig Daily Press managing editor

• Renee Campbell, Craig Daily Press general manager

• Amy Fontenot, Craig Daily Press office/circulation manager

• Randy Looper, owner of the Elk Run Inn

• Amanda Field, Wells Fargo home mortgage consultant in Craig

• Ken Wergin, retired

Editorial board

• Noelle Leavitt Riley, Craig Daily Press managing editor

• Renee Campbell, Craig Daily Press general manager

• Amy Fontenot, Craig Daily Press office/circulation manager



• Randy Looper, owner of the Elk Run Inn

• Amanda Field, Wells Fargo home mortgage consultant in Craig



• Ken Wergin, retired

On Wednesday, the Craig Daily Press published an article about the recent Parent Advisory Committee meeting that took place Monday night at Moffat County High School.

The story specifically was about how only three parents attended the meeting despite the fact that the high school has 506 students. We find that low amount of parent participation concerning.

“When it comes to a bigger schoolwide meetings, they’re less and less interested,” said Joe Petrone, Moffat County School District superintendent.

It’s not our goal to persecute parents. We know that many Moffat County School District parents work hard to support their kids in other ways through sports and extracurricular activities at their schools.

Instead, we want to ask the question: What is the purpose of the PAC?

“We’re doing it because it makes a difference in the live of children if their parents are involved,” Petrone said. “Parent involvement is an issue we deal with at various levels.”

It’s not just the high school that has experienced low attendance at these meetings. The middle school and some of the elementary schools also have seen a minuscule amount of participation from parents.

In years past, Parent Teacher Association meetings were the popular meetings nationwide. We’re wondering if Moffat County schools should revamp and/or reorganize their parent-teacher committees. Does it need to be renamed?

Additionally, we understand that the school district conducts phone blasts and sends parents emails notifying them of the PAC — it’s SAC (Student Advisory Committee) at the elementary level — meetings and times. Also, the meetings are at the same time each month.

So we’re curious if these meetings even are engaging enough for parents to attend. Are they just fundraising efforts by the schools? If they are, then perhaps the school district needs to rethink its approach.

Yet, the school district has very clear objectives outlined in its goal to get more parent involvement.

“The board of education believes that the education of each student is a responsibility shared by the school as well as parents,” states a policy by the district called “Parent Involvement.”

We’d like to see parents make time in their schedule to interact with school administrators and teachers.

That said, it’s important to outline three extremely important groups that are committed to Moffat County kids: Friends of Moffat County, Maximum Commitment to Excellence and the Booster Club.

We congratulate those who work hard to keep those groups thriving.


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