It’s a scene you expect to see in Austin: hundreds of people standing shoulder-to-shoulder and eagerly awaiting the start of a lively music performance from some of the city’s greatest talent. But the crowd didn’t gather outside a downtown venue or massive auditorium. Instead, they huddled together in a more unlikely place—the Wooten Elementary School cafeteria.

Droves of parents and community members arrived at Wooten on June 19 to attend the first Parent Day hosted by the kindergarten and pre-k summer school students of the English Language Learning (ELL) program. At the event, parents engaged in student learning by visiting with teachers and exploring student classrooms.

“It was standing-room only,” said Bill Creel, Wooten ELL Summer School Principal. “Hats off to parents for coming out in full-force to support their child’s learning.”

Wooten’s ELL summer school program teaches ESL (English as a Second Language) students to become proficient speakers, readers and writers of the English Language and teaches dual language proficiency to Spanish speaking students. Nearly all of the program's 400 enrolled students participated in Parent Day where, as part of the festivities, students from two pre-k and kindergarten classes performed musical numbers for parents that reinforced reading fluency and speaking.  

“Research shows that parent involvement in children's education leads to student success,” Creel said. “Clearly by the outstanding attendance for this event, parents want to know how and what their children are learning and be involved in their success.”