Parents' turn to pay attention in class

They will stream into Countryside High on Saturday for sessions at Parent University, where they will learn to help teach their kids and to take time to hear them as well.

By LORRI HELFAND, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 17, 2002

When she lived in Illinois, Lynn Romano and her husband knew where to turn if they had questions about raising their two young sons: Parent University, an educational program for adults that covered a host of topics about children.

"I gained so much useful, applicable, real-life tips and tools and suggestions that I could go home and immediately start to use," Lynn Romano said.

But when they came to Palm Harbor four years ago, she and her husband felt isolated.

"I missed getting the information and that community feel and was having a hard time finding what community resources were available," she said.

So Romano shared her feelings with other parents at Safety Harbor Middle, her son's school. She asked if they could have Parent University here, too. The middle school's PTA thought it was a great idea, but needed a larger venue for the event. Countryside High, with its spacious concourse, agreed to host the program.

And last year, with the support of other local schools and several sponsors, Parent University launched its first program.

Parent University will hold its second annual session at Countryside High School on Saturday.

With Safety Harbor Middle and Countryside High, the event is presented by Kings Highway and Lynch elementaries and Westlake Christian School.

GFWC Clearwater Junior Women's Club, Kash 'n Karry, Publix, Target, Wal-Mart, Chick-fil-A, Barnes & Noble and several other companies and organizations are sponsoring the event.

The program kicks off with a free hot breakfast and snacks. Al Ruechel, senior anchor at Bay News 9, will present the keynote speech, "Keeping Children Healthy in a Time of Fear."

Thirty-two workshops will be offered on topics ranging from teaching children to be better readers to helping them deal with peer pressure. Parent University participants can select two workshops, led by child care experts, psychologists, educators and other professionals. All are volunteering their time for the event.

Some seminars are geared to adults with specific needs. For example, there will be workshops for parents who don't speak much English, are going through divorce or have children who are questioning their sexual identity.

For those parents the event supplies additional support.

"A lot of parents think they're alone in their problems. They can have a lot of good networking with parents that are in the same boat as they are," said Jane Hussar, community involvement coordinator at Countryside High School.

Last year, Beryl Olivit, whose daughter goes to Carwise Middle, attended a workshop on communicating with adolescents. Olivit said she communicated well with her daughter before, but that the workshop reminded her to be a better listener.

"I think with young teens, you're at a precarious point in their lives, and you need to be listening and not talking to them," she said. "It brought it to the surface and made me more aware, more conscious of it during a conversation."

Three changes were made in the program this year, said Romano, who is event chairwoman. Workshops are longer -- an hour instead of 45 minutes -- and breaks in between are longer, too. Plus, speakers have provided lists of books to supplement their workshops. That way parents have additional resources after the program and can find out about topics from workshops they weren't able to attend.

Suggested books will be on sale at a discount book fair throughout the day. And representatives from 30 organizations will be on hand for a community resources fair.

Resources include the YMCA, Operation PAR substance abuse treatment and mental health center, Tampa Bay Kids Net online resource, the Gifted Association of Pinellas County and several counseling services.

If you go

Parent University will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Countryside High School, 3000 SR 580, Clearwater. The cost is $5 if you preregister or $10 at the door. Registration forms are available at www.tampabaykidsnet.com and at local libraries and schools. For more information, call Jane Hussar at (727) 725-7956 or Lynn Romano at (727) 781-8339.

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