School district aims to bolster PAC

MAT-SU — Bryan Nelson could use a few good parents.

The Wasilla resident and president of the Mat-Su Borough School District’s Parent Advisory Council is hoping more area moms and dads will join the PAC to help bring the group back to full strength.

“The more people you have, it’s just easier to spread the workload out,” Nelson said.

Nelson, whose interest in the PAC was piqued after spotting a flyer at Tanaina Elementary, his daughter’s school, took the president position about a year ago after witnessing what he called a very successful meeting of parents.

At that meeting, former Parents Advisory Council President Becky Wright outlined the successes the parent group had achieved.

In an attempt to bolster interest this year, the district is holding a parent involvement carnival tomorrow at Colony High School.

The carnival will be a chance for parents to participate in workshops designed to highlight areas where their involvement would be beneficial to the district, said Catherine Esary, the district’s spokeswoman.

Esary said parent advisory councils on the individual school level have lots of involvement and are rather successful. The shortfall comes at the Borough level.

“They’re really not that involved right now,” Esary said.

Nelson said the Borough-wide PAC consists of about 18 people, although many are not actively involved. That may be due to parents’ individual concerns and interest in their children’s own schools, but he wants those parents to know their local level interests affect a larger population of students.

“What a lot of people don’t realize is that’s the tip of the iceberg,” Nelson said.

For parents who attend the involvement carnival, workshops on topics ranging from bullying to Internet safety to at-home reading strategies are scheduled.

Children are also encouraged to come and take part in carnival games and enjoy hot dogs and cotton candy.

The most important goal, Nelson and Esary said, is that more parents add their ideas and support to the PAC.

“The biggest thing with more people is that you can get a better base that your concerns and issues that you choose to run forward with are actually what the people want you to run forward with,” Nelson said.

Contact Michael Rovito at 352-2252 or michael.rovito@frontiersman.com