ROME, GA—Fathers and caregivers started their day off on Aug.12, gathered in the Main Elementary cafeteria for the MES signature event, Donuts for Dads; one village focusing on raising Main’s children in solidarity.
As Principal Dr. LaRoyce Sublett addressed the room, welcoming caregivers, Rome City Schools Board members Alvin Jackson and Toni Blanchard, stakeholders such as Rome City Commissioner Bonny Askew, and Rome's own Mayor Sundai Stevenson, he made one thing very clear – the Main focus is the kids.
The aim of the event is to embrace caregivers and encourage their involvement.
"We're trying to build a relationship,” Sublett explained after the event. “That relationship begins, not only with the students, but with the parents and the community.”
Parents were supplied with packets of information that included important upcoming dates for PTO meetings, Parent Workshops and Title I Pop Ups, as well as dates for the RCS Board of Education meetings.
Assistant Principal Dr. Eric Robertson addressed the room with lively energy as he told caregivers and stakeholders that this year's hashtag for MES is Move Main. He smiled wide as he added that merged with the district's motivational hashtag, Like a Wolf, he implored them to be part of the goal to Move Main Like a Wolf.
"We cannot move it without you guys," Robertson said to the room. "So, I challenge myself, I challenge our team, and I challenge you guys to be here and be a part of this. Hold us accountable because we're going to hold you accountable, and at the end of the school year we will all collectively, as a community, be able to say, ‘we did that.’"
Main Elementary Parent Mentor Tika Lewis offered parents a call to action to fill school board meetings the way sports stadiums are filled.
"We see you, we hear you and you are valued,” she told attendees. “I promise if you stay the course, the journey is far greater than the destination.”
Jackson, Blanchard, Stevenson and Askew also offered their own words of support, encouragement and motivation.
Sublett said that this year there will be monthly opportunities for parents and caregivers to be involved. One of those opportunities will be All Pro Dads, an opportunity for fathers to sit and have breakfast with their children and connect with MES administration about their needs as parents within the village.
MES will host Muffins for Moms on Aug. 19, offering a well-rounded reaching out to all MES caregivers.
As Sublett and his faculty and staff move into a new school year with new programming, they look to the future with excitement and motivation to Move Main Like a Wolf.
As the program came to a close, happy little voices entered the cafeteria, calling for their dads. The room filled with love and affection as children noticed their parents in the crowd and joined them with outstretched arms. Donuts, coffee and juice were enjoyed by all.
“The only way that we can move Main forward and help our kids achieve is for us to form a partnership together,” Sublett reiterated. “We're all in this together with one common goal, which is to help the kids reach their goals and graduate from high school ready to pursue college or a career.”
“We know it starts with us,” he added, “and we want to invest ourselves by doing all that we can to let parents know that we want them here and we want them to be a part of this, because together we can achieve anything.”
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