October is Statewide Parent Visitation Month in Alabama public schools. It is a time when a statewide campaign is held to raise awareness of the importance of parental involvement and the role that parents play in their child’s education.

The schools in Escambia County will join other schools across the state to invite parents to join with teachers to strengthen the connection between school and parents.

The Escambia County School System will celebrate Parent Visitation Day on Monday, Oct. 18, 2010. This year’s theme will be “Families + Schools-It All Adds Up.”

“While the day is referred to as Parenting Day, we hope to pull together anyone responsible for raising school-age children in Escambia County’s public schools,” said Magaline Marshall, parental involvement coordinator for the county school system.

Research shows students achieve more when parents or guardians are involved in their education. Special activities are being planned at each school on Monday to provide information about the programs and events at each county school.

A.C. Moore Elementary School will begin at 8 a.m. with a welcome by Mr. Nolin; “How to Keep Your Child Healthy” presented by the school nurse from 8:10 am.. until 8:40 a.m.; visitation in the classrooms from 8:40 a.m. until 11 a.m.; a picnic lunch, bring a blanket (parent lunches are $4) from 11 a.m. until 11:45 a.m.; a study skills Bingo game with door prizes from noon until 1 p.m.; parents will create a study skills book, with materials provided, from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m.; how to help children with reading will be from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m.; and parent/teacher conferences from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. along with a book fair in the library.

Rachel Patterson Elementary School will welcome parents to come and visit the classrooms for different events planned from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. PTO will have an awards ceremony in the cafeteria from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m., and parent-teacher conferences planned for 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Escambia County Middle School has several informative programs planned for the day, such as keeping kids healthy, helping single parents, and others. There will be a book fair and parent/teacher conferences from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Escambia County High School will have a program on attendance from 2 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. and Counselors L. Cooper and T. Ragan will present a program about credits and graduation from 2:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. The teacher conferences will be held from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Huxford Elementary School will begin its parent visitation with student made videos from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m.; a tour of the school and grounds from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.; lunch from 11 a.m. until noon; parent visitation to classrooms from noon until 3 p.m. and parent-teacher conferences from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.

The Fred McGhee Learning Center will have a fire safety program from Chris McGhee, Poarch Creek Indian Fire Department from 9:30 a.m. until 10 a.m.; parents, children and learning center staff will build a scarecrow from 10 a.m. until noon and parent/teacher conferences will be held from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.