THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 10, 1996 TAG: 9610100158
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PHYLLIS SPEIDELL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 71 lines
WHAT TIME IS that PTA meeting tonight?
Does Jennifer really not have any homework this week?
What is Billy's class studying in history?
Does Jamie's teacher still need a chaperone for next week's field trip?
Any parent who has tried to get an answer to similar questions by digging deeply into their child's backpack, only to find crumpled homework and two-week-old school notices, can appreciate a convenient way of finding out what is going on in school.
Thanks to INFOLINE's Classroom Connection, now available in Suffolk, the answers are as close as the nearest Touch Tone telephone. INFOLINE is the audiotext service of The Virginian-Pilot.
For many families, reaching a teacher is difficult during the day or evening, and teachers often have as much trouble reaching parents.
The Classroom Connection enables teachers to record a new message each day, keeping parents attuned to what is happening in the classroom with a quick phone call. ``Classroom Connecion will open up communication between the parents and the school,'' Alison Schoew, INFOLINE program director, said.
Alan Lowe, a physical education teacher at Driver Elementary, plans to use the Classroom Connection to talk about what skills kids are learning in his classes, offer helpful fitness hints to families including preparation for the semi-annual physical fitness testing, and provide information on special sports events sponsored by out of school groups.
Jody Sommerfeldt, a second grade teacher at Driver, plans to use Classroom Connection ``primarily as a homework hotline, to give more detail, and also to help get parents involved.''
Another Driver second grade teacher, Terry Aaron, added: ``I know homework disappears in the backpacks, and I plan to use this as a resource for kids and parents to know what is going on in the classroom.''
In Suffolk, Classroom Connection is sponsored by Lakeview Medical Center.
Dr. Stephen Zimberg is an ob/gyn specialist with Lakeview and is also the father of four grown children. When he heard about the Classroom Connection, his first reaction was a wish that it had been around when his four were in school. He suggested that Lakeview sponsor the project ``because it is a really nice way to give back something of value to the community.''
Four elementary schools - Kilby Shores, Driver, Robertson and Nansemond Parkway - are currently on line. All other elementary and middle schools in Suffolk have been offered the same service and will gradually be activated as their staffs are trained.
During the 1995-96 school year, 103 Hampton Roads schools were linked to the Classroom Connection and received a total of 1,713,032 phone calls from parents and students. Suffolk's 13 elementary and middle schools, with about 7,200 students are expected to generate more than 200,000 calls this school year.
In the first three weeks that Robertson Elementary School was linked to the system, 863 calls were received on its Classroom Connection.
As each school is linked, instruction sheets will be sent home to parents including a listing of Classroom Connection numbers for each teacher in the school. ``We hope that piece of paper will live on everyone's refrigerator,'' Schoew said.
If your school is already linked, but you have yet to retrieve Classroom Connection instructions, Schoew suggests calling the school office for additional copies. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
Alison Schoew instructs teachers on INFOLINE's Classroom Connection.
Graphic
You can hear a sample message from Julie Shea, a first-grade
teacher at Robertson Elementary School, updating her parents on the
week's activities in her classroom. TOUCH 20615. by CNB