Families are an important component in the teaching and learning process, and this past weekend, The Llano Grande Center emphasized that during a parent conference hosted with Ignite Public Schools.

Llano Grande facilitated Ignite’s annual two-day parent retreat this weekend in Weslaco where the focus was on transforming schools and communities through family engagement. Working with close to a dozen families and more than 40 participants, Llano Grande led participants through discussions, strategies and games that both children as young as four years old and their parents were able to participant in.

The aim of the parent retreat is meant to reflect on the past school year, as well as help develop a parent involvement component in their schools, said Ignite Student Services Coordinator Joanne Ureste. She said she considered the event a success, with more families participating than they’ve had in previous years.

The Llano Grande Center has been working with Ignite on several initiatives, including a recent student success workshop.