From STAFF REPORTS

NORTH SHELBY—Inverness Elementary School held its annual English as a Second Language night for parents of English Language Learners on Jan. 22.

This collaborative effort by the ESL teachers, classroom teachers and literacy coach offered parents information about the language arts curriculum in the Shelby County School System and how parents can best support their child’s learning at home.

More than 30 families attended the Jan. 22 event. Parents were able to observe a whole group language arts lesson led by IES first grade teacher Kelly Failla. The lesson focused on narrative writing and parents were invited to join in and publish a piece of writing with their child.

Christine Hoffman, principal of Inverness Elementary School, said the goal of the ESL night was to strengthen the relationship between home and school and to assist parents in improving student achievement through a focus on writing.

“The night was a perfect blend of learning and socialization for our parents, students and staff,” Hoffman said.

Families each brought in a snack to share, most representing a variety of different cultures, which provided a more relaxed atmosphere for learning.

Ivonne Hernandez, a parent at the school, said the meeting was very important because the parents had the opportunity to observe the strategies used for their children to learn the language so they could reinforce them at home.

She said, “The topic was very interesting. It allowed us to see how our children work in class,” Hernandez said. “The classes in school seem to be an enjoyable learning experience.”

The Jan. 22 collaborative learning experience supported the motto of Inverness Elementary School, “A great place to grow.”