The Daily Targum
October 5, 1998

Project involves parents in education

By Katherine Gullenello

The Rutgers Graduate School of Education has begun a program to encourage parents to become involved with their children's education in mathematics, science and technology.

On Friday at Winants Hall at Old Queens, AT&T presented Rutgers with a $200,000 grant for the program

"This parent outreach project is designed to encourage them to support the local implementation and to provided tools for them to help their children achieve the standards," said Joseph Rosenstein, director of the New Jersey Mathematics Coalition, which is based at the University.

The program will get parents involved with their children's new statewide curriculum.

"My daughter is six years old and just started first grade. I am already amazed with the level of math they are doing after only a couple of weeks," Janet Wyles, one of the parents in attendance, said.

Warren Crown, associate director of the Coalition, said New Jersey's new standards are world class. They are not only higher than any others implemented, but more importantly the first aimed at the whole state, Crown said.

The check presentation ceremony was followed by a Families Achieving the New Standards' parent workshop for 15 AT&T employee parents, which gave them an opportunity to learn first-hand about what new standards will be implemented in their children's schools through hands-on activities, Jennifer Lomench, FANS project coordinator, said.

Wyles said she believed the workshop provided techniques she will utilize in her home to become more involved in her daughter's education.

"It now occurs to me that you do not have to be a genius to help your child with their homework. Instead the simple act of sitting next to them while they do it is supportive," Wyles said.

Such future workshops will be available at school, libraries, museums, community centers, churches, work sites and other places. The organizers are hoping to reach a broad spectrum of parents.

"We are committed to working with educators to provide the highest level of training, especially in mathematics and technology, for our children who will be the skilled work force of tomorrow," AT&T Atlantic States President Jack Master said.

AT&T plans to schedule FANS workshops for employees at its corporate sites throughout the state during the next few months, Lisa Conrads, AT&T's corporate affairs director, said.

The company also is working with other corporations to do the same.

"AT&T is actively involved in numerous philanthropic endeavors. They have donated $1 million dollars in 1998 in New Jersey alone", Conrads said. "However, AT&T is currently employing more Rutgers grads than any other, so they have a personal investment in the education of New Jersey youth."