Rockdale Parent Academy returns March 10

Parent Academy returns to Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) on Saturday, March 10, for its 14th semester of improving lives. This free half-day conference offers classes for parents, teens and tweens at Rockdale Career Academy (RCA), 1064 Culpepper Road, Conyers, from 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. The community is invited to participate in roundtable discussions on school safety at the beginning of the event.

Online registration is available at www.rockdaleschools.org/parentacademy. Paper registration forms are available at each RCPS school.

Interim Superintendent Shirley Chesser, Rockdale County Sheriff Eric J. Levett, and Conyers Police Department Chief Gene Wilson will open the day with discussions on school and student safety. Parents, teens, and community members are invited to join roundtable discussions to collaborate and keep our schools’ safe learning environments.

Parents then have two class sessions and can choose from a wide variety of topics. Classes range from financial planning, computer skills, conflict resolution, math “boot camp” for parents, mental health awareness, cooking, exercise, de-stressing, preparing for standardized testing and more – all focused on helping parents and students become successful in life. Special classes for families with special needs and Spanish-speaking families are also offered.

Parent Academy Coordinator Darci Gilreath said she is proud of what Parent Academy has been able to provide for thousands of parents over the past seven years.

“There’s something for everyone, whether it’s getting help figuring out your next step in life, learning how to help your child navigate the world of testing and college applications, or figuring out how to de-stress,” said Gilreath. “Experts from the community volunteer their time and knowledge. The opportunity to network with other parents, teens, and businesses is incredibly valuable, not to mention a lot of fun.”

The day also includes free lunch and door prizes, with a special door prize drawing after the keynote address and an extra chance to win for those who pre-register.

Childcare is provided for children ages 3 to 10 for parents who pre-register. Families with children with special needs requesting childcare must contact Sirena Graves at sgraves1@rockdale.k12.ga.us or 770-918-6187 ext. 33187.

Many local businesses and non-profits will be available in the vendors market for parents to browse. Vendors interested in participating with a booth can contact Darci Gilreath at dgilreath@rockdale.k12.ga.us or 770-918-6174 ext. 33174.