On behalf of the African American Parents’ Support Group executive committee I want to thank each and every one of you for your leadership and support of the AAPSG and our children this past school year.
We have had an exciting year of achievements in our partnering on information resource programs for parents and students and enrichment opportunities.
Highlights of our successes for the school year include:
Expanded back-to-school night informational and resource tables.
An annual college planning event hosted by Colgate University.
Annual informational program on navigating the school district hosted by our principals.
Annual black history program showcasing the theatrical and musical talents of our children.
Informational and resource events on community service, internship, and summer opportunities for our children with our community partners including Plainsboro and West Windsor township recreation and social services, Trenton Big Brother and Big Sister, and Princeton HealthCare Systems.
Striving for excellence in a program where more than 500 children and youth were recognized for their academic and leadership gifts. The new program component also showcased the artistic, musical, and oratory gifts of our children.
A summer math enrichment program in July to help our children get a head start for the new school year.
New summer early education reading initiative in partnership with the West Windsor branch of Mercer County Library and the WW-P district commenced this week with more than 30 parents and children reading African-American literature together.
An AAPSG Facebook page, a new youth corner, and youth engagement program are being launched.
Thanks to your support in our 25th anniversary year we continue to grow. While we face challenging budgetary times, the AAPSG is committed to continuing our partnership with the WW-P School District to address the critical issue of our time of the achievement gap facing African-American students in our school district.
Eliminating the achievement gap requires the muti-prong approach of school, community, parental engagement, strategic resources, committed pedagogic strategies that promote positive messages that our children can achieve their dreams of success, a culturally embracing curriculum, and a diverse school district of faculty, guidance counselors, administrators, and support staff who reflect our student population.
As we transition during this coming school year in our ww-p school district leadership ranks, the AAPSG is cautiously optimistic that we will see more African-American principals, assistant principals, faculty, guidance and other key staff hired and retained into the WW-P school district.
We are most excited about continuing the positive and healthy working relationship to ensure the success of all children in our wonderful school district. We will double our efforts to ensure that public education does not suffer but continues to thrive despite anti-public education policy direction coming from the current state government.
We wish those of you headed for retirement the best and thank you for your years of dedicated service and commitment to our children and to quality public education the WW-P district is known for providing.
We look forward to another school year of building even greater opportunities for learning and growing for WW-P school district children.
Thanks for your incredible support and to your staff for this great school year.
Barbara Edmonds
President, AAPSG
