Napa Valley Parent University
Our Goal
The goal of Napa Valley Parent University is to provide parents with the tools and knowledge necessary to become more involved in their children’s education, at school and in the community.
All of our classes are offered bilingually, in English and Spanish, in the morning and evening. They are provided free and childcare is provided during all classes. We work hard to eliminate any barriers that might prevent interested parents from participating.
Our Mission
Unity in Purpose: To design a learning environment where parents can take an array of classes that will help them be more effective parents and leaders at school and in the community.
Our Program
NVPU classes fall under 4 focus areas:
- How to become an effective volunteer in the classroom and at events
- How to become an effective school consumer and advocate
- How to become a school, community and project leader
- How to raise a healthy child and access health services
Parents earn credits for each class hour they complete: 1 credit = 1 hour of class. When parents earn 20 credits they become eligible to graduate and receive a certificate for successfully completing the program. (Completion of the program does not result in the presentation of a widely recognized certification or degree).
Our Schools
In order to participate in the NVPU programs schools must:
- Be a Title I school
- Have a committed principal
- Have space for classes to be held at
- Provide a staff (NVPU Site Coordinator) member to help implement the program with a minimum of 15 hours a week
We currently have a total of four schools enrolled in the NVPU program for the 2011-2012 school year. Those schools are:
- McPherson Elementary School
- Phillips Charter School
- Shearer Charter Elementary School
- Salvador Elementary School
At the two schools who previously participated in the program, McPherson Elementary and Phillips Charter Schools, our goal for 2011-2012 is to have a minimum of 250 unduplicated parents take at least one class and to offer 24 different classes during the school year.
Our two newly enrolled schools, Shearer Charter Elementary School and Salvador Elementary School, have a goal of a minimum of 100 unduplicated parents taking at least one class and offering 12 different classes.
A goal for this year’s program is to provide each participating school with an organizational structure that will allow them to sustain the program independently in the years ahead.
Our Results
NVPU is now in its third year and the program has been very successful to date. Last year, 722 unduplicated parents took at least one class and more than 50 different classes were offered at McPherson Elementary and Phillips Charter Schools.