SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) is launching a pilot program aimed at enhancing student success through family bonding. In partnership with AVANCE San Antonio, the initiative focuses on a parent-child education program designed for children aged 0 to 4 at Highland Hills Elementary and Mission Academy.
Parents will attend weekly four-hour classes to learn developmental activities and build community connections. SAISD emphasizes the importance of family engagement in student success, with Jackie Navar, SAISD Assistant Superintendent of Family and Community Engagement, stating, “It’s a bridge, and we can’t do it alone. Schools can’t do it alone. Parents can’t do it alone. It makes the schools the heart of the community. So if parents are welcomed from the very beginning, we’re supporting them, and that relationship is just built.”
AVANCE San Antonio will continue its signature PCEP program to build parenting skills, teaching parents how to create educational toys to aid in their children’s learning. The program also includes home visits to connect families with community resources. Georgette Chapa, Assistant Director of Programs at AVANCE San Antonio, said, “It is not much of a science, but it’s more an art to be a parent, to be able to build another human being and ensure that this human being are going to be able to be successful in life, not only in the aspect of education, but also, you know, just emotionally.”
The program still has spots available for SAISD families interested in participating. You can find the information here.