RED BANK — Strengthening the relationship between home and school is the goal of programs like the successful “Parent University” initiated by the Red Bank Public School District.

Schools Superintendent Dr. Laura C. Morana explained during her regular monthly meeting with the press at the Red Bank Middle School on Jan. 14 that the district is again offering its popular Parent University program, which provides parents an opportunity to sharpen skills that enable them to better interact with their children.

“The intent is to provide parents with the skills for them to be the best parent possible,” Morana said. “It shows them how to become good listeners and communicators.”

Interactive workshops provide parents and caregivers with tools and creative ideas to fulfill the vital role as a parent or guardian.

Dr. Anthony Scannella and Sharon Mc- Carthy, of the Federation for Educational Administration, lead sessions that focus on child development, communication and effective parenting skills.

“They’re experts in leadership, development and education. They do a tremendous job of teaching parents about themselves,” Morana said. The four-week program is held at the Red Bank Middle School Library from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

Level One, for parents who did not participate in the 2008-09 university, was completed last month.

Level Two, geared to parents who have previously participated, began last week. The next meeting will be held Feb. 27.

According to Morana, the response has been very positive, with 10 to 18 parents, including fathers, attending each session.

“They’re benefiting tremendously,” Morana said. “People bring their different skills and create a balance. They find new ways to work with their children and other middle school parents.”

Child care is available for children age 3 or older and is provided by staff members and several eighth-grade volunteers.

It’s never too early to start learning in the borough school district. Let’s Get Cooking is a program that engages preschoolers and their families in cooking activities that promote learning skills and healthy eating habits.

According to John Bombardier, supervisor of curricular and instruction, families discover how this everyday activity helps build children’s literacy and math skills in a fun and stimulating way.

The night begins with preparing the recipe. Bombardier said the children follow a rebus recipe and independently prepare their own snack.

“If they’re making a pizza, they wash the vegetables, practice their colors with the different vegetables and count them. They read aloud and have fun while they learn,” he said.

Afterward, the children participate in gross motor games, arts and crafts and music activities, and listen to stories.

The next meeting will be held Feb. 18, 6:30-7:30 p.m., in the Primary School cafeteria.

According to Morana, Let’s Get Cooking enrollment has significantly increased by wordof mouth, a sign of the program’s success.

Other programs designed to reach borough students of all ages are Family Math Nights and Family Literacy Nights.

The programs are designed to educate parents of prekindergarten through eighth-grade students on mathematical concepts and skills and research-based literacy strategies that can be supported at home to develop and support their child’s literacy development.

According to Morana, the program’s goals are to bring educators and families together in a fun and intellectually stimulating learning environment, while classroom teachers provide hands-on demonstrations for parents and their children.

“Each night, families are engaged in meaningful and relevant learning activities designed to give parents the necessary tools to assist their child in reaching their maximum potential outside the regular school day,” Morana said.

Primary school math and literacy nights are designed for parents and students in pre-K through third grade.

The next primary school Math Night is March 11 at 6:30 p.m.; the next Literacy Night is May 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the primary school cafeteria.

Middle school Math Nights cater to students in grades 4-8 and their parents and take place in the middle school cafeteria.

The next middle school Math Night will be held Feb. 22, and the next Literacy Night on April 12.

The middle school offers many before- and after-school enrichment programs, including tae kwon do, yoga and mariachi ensemble.

Guidance workshops for middle school parents also take place regularly. Topics include substance awareness and depression and suicide.

In addition to the rich educational experiences available for students and their parents to participate in, the faculty at the Red Bank schools have many outlets to enhance their professional development, Morana said.

On Jan. 13, Dr. Pedro Noguera, a professor in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York University, spoke on the role schools have in closing the minority achievement gap.

“He validated the work we as educators do,” said Middle School Principal Maria Iozzi.

“If you don’t have high-quality, dedicated teachers, you’ll never see an improvement in student learning,” Iozzi said was one of Noguera’s points.

“Teachers were buzzing afterwards,” added Bombardier.

“He spoke of ways that instruction could engage all students and of inquiry-based learning,” Bombardier said.

Noguera’s speech focused on the importance of building relationships.

“Knowledge alone is insufficient. It’s the relationships formed that are the most important,” Bombardier said.

Morana said she recently attended the MonmouthCounty superintendents roundtable professional development day last week, where she met with other superintendents and Executive County Superintendent Carole Knopp Morris for a program that focused on improving student learning through enhancement of leadership skills.

“The day is there to provide training that enables us [superintendents] to enhance our ability to effectively serve our districts,” Morana, who will lead next year’s roundtable, explained.

Morana began a new initiative recently, announcing that she would make herself available on Mondays at 8 a.m. at the local McDonald’s on Shrewsbury Avenue in Tinton Falls to chat with parents and share a bite to eat before they head off to work.

Morana said she would be there with no agenda and would speak with whoever shows up about whatever’s on their mind.

McDonald’s provided free coffee and breakfast to all who attended the first session, and Morana hopes to continue the meeting on a regular basis.

“I’m always looking for feedback from the community,” she said