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A graduation ceremony was held on May 4 for 84 parents from the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District who successfully completed a course offered by the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE), a nonprofit that has been working with families for 38 years.
The eight-week program’s focus, PIQE Deputy Director Ian Ponce said, is to help parents better navigate the educational system to support their children’s scholastic efforts.
“We provide resources and information so families know how to participate in decision making in the school and about postsecondary education options, financial aid and different ways that families can be part of the school,” he said.
According to Ponce, studies have shown that when a family is part of their child’s academic journey, the child is more likely to succeed academically.
“When families have the tools to support their students, they can now have these conversations regarding going to university, going to college. They are empowered in a way that really makes an impact.”
Superintendent Barbara Dill-Varga said the district contacted PIQE after parents attending the English Learner Advisory Committee meetings expressed interest in becoming more involved with their children’s education.
“The more we have parents who are plugged in,” she said, “who feel comfortable meeting with us, talking with us, asking us questions, and understanding how school works, the more their students are going to be supported and successful. It’s a win-win for both sides.”
San Juan School parent Cristina Vasquez, speaking in Spanish, said she was pleased to have graduated from an “enriching” program that the parents suggested without realizing how much they truly needed it.
She said the course taught her that making life easier for children isn’t necessarily what helps them succeed. Rather it is their effort, dedication, and the constant guidance of parents that will open the doors to their dreams.
Saying she understood the importance of a university education while growing up in Colombia, Vasquez said moving to a new country brought challenges such as language barriers, cultural differences, inclusion issues and financial hurdles that used to paralyze her.
However, she said, those doubts have now cleared in her mind. Her son, Mateo, dreams of becoming a Disney Imagineer and thanks to this course, she feels they now have a map and know the path to take.
Fellow parent Karla Zarate has two children who attend San Juan schools and said that attending the PIQE sessions was “one of the best decisions I have ever made.”
Speaking in Spanish, she said the classes not only taught her how to orient herself but also how to guide her children so they can reach a higher level in school.
Now, she said, she better understands how to support her children, how to get involved in their education, and how to motivate them to “dream big.”
The event began with a potluck dinner and at its conclusion, each graduating parent was given a certificate of completion and gift basket filled with school supplies.
“Tonight we are celebrating the end of eight weeks with PIQE,” Ponce said in his remarks during the ceremony, “but I want to emphasize that it is only the beginning. The door is open to a deeper collaboration with parents to build the support students need to reach their full potential.”
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