When Superintendent of Schools Dr. Romain Dallemand began his tenure with the Bibb County School District, one of his first decisions was to coordinate the opening of a Welcome Center that would provide families with a one-stop location to meet all of their student registration and parent training needs.
On Monday, April 9, 2012, Dr. Dallemand will showcase the District's new Welcome Center, located at 2003 Riverside Drive. The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Grand Opening of the Welcome Center will begin at 10:30 a.m.
"The Welcome Center was designed to be a one-stop shop that makes it easier for parents to be able to access resources," said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Romain Dallemand. "Think of Google as an example. When you want to find something specific, you visit Google and type in what you are looking for, and it finds it and even connects you to the correct information. That is what I wanted of the Welcome Center - a one-stop shop where parents can go and have all of their needs met, complete registration for their children, and receive training in academics, technology, and more."
One of the key features of the Welcome Center will be centralized registration. Parents will no longer need to visit multiple schools in order to register or transfer their children. Instead, they will be able to take care of each child's registration needs at the Welcome Center. Parent Advocates at the Welcome Center will work as liaisons between parents and schools on any issues that may arise, such as transportation or behavioral issues.
Training resources will also be available to parents through the Welcome Center. Parent Academic Instructors are developing curriculum now that will consistently provide classes to parents that are centered around literacy, math and science, technology, and life skills. Partners, such as Central Georgia Technical College, will also assist parents and community members in the process of achieving their GED.
"Success is not an accident! The focus of the Welcome Center is to provide resources and services designed to increase the knowledge base of our parent and community constituents," said Dr. Terrance D. Smith, District Coordinator of Parent Education. "Our holistic approach will ultimately increase the success of students in the Bibb County School District."
The District has partnered for nursing services to provide families with access to the health screenings and immunizations needed when registering a child for school. Staff at the Welcome Center also will assist families with access to physical or behavioral resources they may need through partnerships with the Department of Family and Children Services, as well as social workers and psychologists.
"The Welcome Center provides a warm, open, friendly environment that is meant to be inviting to the parents, students and others who visit," said Kristy Graham, District Coordinator of Parent Training. "It is our desire to provide a pathway for our families to connect to the resources within our community. The Welcome Center staff is committed to individually welcoming each and every family with a endearing smile and outstanding personal service."
Hours for the Welcome Center will be 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Community members are encouraged to stop by the facility for tours April 10-20, 2012.
The Bibb County School District is home to "The Macon Miracle," Superintendent of Schools Dr. Romain Dallemand's Strategic Plan for improving the state of public schools in Bibb County. To learn more about "The Macon Miracle," visit the District's website, www.bibb.k12.ga.us, or Dr. Dallemand's blog, Compass Points, at www.romaindallemand.blogspot.com.
The Welcome Center is located at 2003 Riverside Drive. For more information about the grand opening, contact the Welcome Center at (478) 779-3700.
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