Hi fellow Norwalkers!
We're so glad to finally get the Norwalk Parents Initiative off the ground. For those of you who've just tuned in and are scratching their heads, a few cliff notes below. But first, I have to thank all the friends and Community Advisors who participated in helping design and evaluate this project, of which there are many. An extra thank you to both Sarah Wayland for doing the bulk of the initial site layout, and Mallory Moyer for spearheading the topic and link assembly. I'm grateful for your efforts.
Ok, cliff notes. This site is meant to be:
- An aggregate of accurate information on the topics parents most request of the school and parent community. Facebook still has its role on the day-to-day items, but consider this a friendly home base. This information base will expand and evolve with the input of all of you.
- A community forum where fellow parents can post and interact about long-standing questions regarding Norwalk education, systemic items affecting their kids and families, or just tips and suggestions on how the site can best serve you. Anyone can view this forum, but must be a subscriber to post.
- A platform for citizens and elected officials to offer extended thoughts, insights, and ideas on relevant local education issues of the day.
- A portal by which our representatives can view what matters most to its citizens, flag issues, and initiate actionable solutions.
- Occasional newsletters aimed at updating parents on major issues of the day, and how we can engage on these in a unified way.
This site is not meant to be political, although unfortunately, by its very nature, public education is political. It shouldn't be. Democrat, Republican, Independent, or Don't Give a Crap, we take the stance that our kids and their futures come first; that public education is the foundation by which the next generation can prosper intellectually, socially, and emotionally in an increasingly chaotic world. The right answers to these challenges can come from anywhere.
It's up to us as parents, and those in power, to help each other and find realistic solutions that help set our children up for success in whatever ways their dreams take them. I hope this site can become one of many avenues to help do just that. So, take a gander and become a subscriber. We'd love to have you part of the solution.
Our mission: The Norwalk Parents Initiative aims to be an independent community resource and engagement hub for the education issues parents find most important; connecting families with the right people, offering a platform for ideas, and supporting public servants who put education first.