CINCINNATI — Parent engagement in schools helps improve student behavior, academics and enhanced social skills according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Parents in one special program are seeing the benefits first-hand. 

What You Need To Know

  • On Saturday, the Parent Engagement Program hosted its graduation for the parents

  • It's a program put on by Parents for Public Schools to help support and improve student learning, education and health

  • Ann Schoenenberger is a graduate of the program

  • She said she learned a lot more about how to better support her son, his school and other parents

Saturday was every exciting for Ann Schoenenberger. She officially graduated from the Parent Engagement Program known as PEP, facilitated by Parents for Public Schools.

“I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of it,” Schoenenberger said. 

PEP is a program offered to public school parents to help support and improve students’ learning, development and health. Professional development, school board standards and learning barriers at home are just some topics explored. 

“It's to understand how the schools work and then the encouragement to get more involved to support the school,” she said. 

Schoenenberger was one of several parents who participated in the six-week program. She says it has not only allowed her to connect with others with the same mission, but it has also helped her third-grade son.

“Seeing how I’m involved in schools helps him know to be engaged in how important school is,” she said. 

Now, as a graduate, she hopes to do even more. Schoenenberger said she looks forward to helping the school get the resources they need.

“I’m really looking forward to continuing meeting and we’re just going to continue the conversations and kind of build on what we’ve learned,” Schoenenberger said.