Elk County Commissioners proclaim Parents as Teachers Day with Dickinson team
From left: Joseph Daghir, Elk County Chief Clerk, Patrick E. Straub, Cortney Pahel, DCI Program Director; M. Fritz Lecker, Commissioner; and Matthew Quesenberry, Commissioner display the proclamation for Parents as Teachers Day.
The Elk County Board of Commissioners in Ridgway, Pennsylvania proclaimed November 8 as “Parents as Teachers Day” in Elk County and recently recognized the Dickinson Center, Inc., Parents as Teachers (DCI PAT) team’s service to the community during a meeting.
The Proclamation included the following statement, “Parents as Teachers through Dickinson Center, Inc. in Elk County promotes the protective factors that keep families strong by increasing parent knowledge, providing early detection of developmental delays and health issues, preventing child abuse and neglect, meeting concrete needs, increasing children’s school readiness and school success, connecting families with each other, supporting families in achieving economic stability, promoting healthy children in healthy homes, and increasing family involvement and leadership in the community.”
DCI PAT Program Director Cortney Pahel stated, “Children are born into this world without directions. Our PAT team is here to help support families in Elk County with children ages five and under. We offer the families parent-child activities, parent handouts, screenings, group connections, and referrals to resources.”
DCI PAT recognizes a PAT Family of the month. One parent noted that they love everything about Parents as Teachers, but more specifically they love the information and activities shared to help her through each of her children’s specific needs.
“It is so rewarding to hear that the support our families receive is making a difference and empowering families,” Pahel added. “I’m so thankful for all the work my staff does with PAT families. We wouldn’t be a Blue-Ribbon Affiliate without their hard work!”
During National Parents as Teachers Day, all Parents as Teachers affiliates, and supporters celebrated through a multitude of community engaging activities. In recognition of the day, the Reauthorization Education Committee of Pennsylvania kicked off its campaign to support the reauthorization of the federal Maternal Infant Education Child Home Visiting (MIECHV) program by educating the local community about the importance of MIECHV.
Dr. Brent Yeager, teacher, principal, district administrator and lover of public education and learning, visited the Olathe School District’s Parents as Teachers program and engaged parents and children in fun, learning experiences during a segment called “Moments That Matter.” The district serves more than 30,000 students in Olathe, Overland Park and Lenexa, KS.
“Nothing better than spending time with our district’s earliest learners! Had so much fun hanging out with our friends in Olathe’s Parents as Teachers Program this morning,” remarked Dr. Yeager. “These are the faces of the future!”