AUSTIN, Texas--Blackshear Elementary School is putting its own spin on "Take your Son or Daughter to Work Day" by hosting "Take Your Parents to School" Dec. 16 through Dec. 20.

Throughout the week, parents can schedule time in their son or daughter's classroom to observe and experience the teaching and learning processes that have made Blackshear an exemplary school.

"We truly want to engage our parents in learning about what their children are experiencing at this school on a daily basis. We know that well-informed parents are more willing and able to support their children's learning at home," Betty Jenkins, principal of Blackshear said.

Parents are invited to spend an hour in their child's classroom to watch a typical day and experience the student's classroom environment.

"We are always working toward building a stronger school community," Jenkins said. "And keeping parents engaged and informed is a big part of that."

There are 221 students currently enrolled at Blackshear, 97 percent of whom are from economically disadvantaged families.

The school has a number of accomplishments to showcase to parents, including:

• Students are reading every day and accomplishing their goals to become accelerated readers with support from a recently awarded Connect 4 Literacy grant.

• Pre-Kindergarten students recently incubated six eggs they cared for daily and hatched four chicks during the Thanksgiving weekend.

• Kindergarten, first and second grade students are meeting their reading goals through music, rhythm and movement exercises.

• Every student in second grade has a reading buddy.

• The cycling club comprising of second through fifth grade students rode their bicycles safely to Lady Bird Lake and back to school within a 45-minute period.

• Teachers reported that students entering third grade have higher reading comprehension skills than previous years.

• Fourth and fifth grade teachers reported they were able to begin teaching math lessons on grade level without having to teach remedial math skills.

• Twenty two students have earned their "math license," showing the student has mastered the skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and 15 students have earned their "math stars," awarded to students in first and second grade upon mastery of basic addition and subtraction skills.

• A group of students receiving one-on-one voice lessons and instrument lessons performed for the first time Nov. 12.

• Blackshear participated in Little EAST Nov. 16 and community members, volunteers, parents and students worked to beautify the school garden.

For more information about "Take Your Parents to School Week," please call (512) 414-2021.