THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, September 30, 1994             TAG: 9409280138
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON    PAGE: 6B   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY JEAN GEDDES, CORRESPONDENT 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   58 lines

ALANTON ELEMENTARY'S STAFF GOES COURTING THE COMMUNITY ALANTON ELEMENTARY DECIDED TO RAP WITH THE CHILDREN'S PARENTS. MORE THAN 100 WERE VISITED.

It wasn't a Broadway musical, but it had all the makings: the voices, the footwork, the costumes and the energy.

The energy, school spirit and friendliness of the entire staff at Alanton Elementary School came into play recently when 50 members of the school staff including Principal Linda Tanner and Vice Principal Michael Maloney boarded a school bus after school hours and headed out into the community for an Alanton rap session.

It was a hit and the more than 100 parents who turned out to see it and meet their children's teachers and school staff loved it. They were both flattered and awed that an entire school staff would come to where the students lived to meet their families tell them all about the classes and the school and invite them to join the PTA and take part in school functions. The school even offered to provide transportation to and from the events.

As the parents watched the teacher-cast of this lively rap session dance, sing and spread the spirit of Alanton Elementary among the audience, they nodded their approval and clapped their hands in response.

Mary Llewellyn and Karin Barfield, two of the parents who came out to welcome the group from the Emerald Point community, were enthusiastic about the project, both saying they hoped the school would do such programs more often.

Lakeisha Henry, who attended the rap session with her mother, said, ``It's so nice to have the teachers visit us in our home atmosphere instead of us always seeing them at school.''

The teachers, all wearing white T-shirts, visited three neighborhoods, going first to Emerald Point apartments, then to Colonial Arms and Bancroft communities. The management of each of the developments had worked closely with the school to coordinate the effort. The staff first presented the rap session, telling about each class and the entire school in a song. Then they dispersed to talk with the parents and their children before moving on to the next community.

Tanner said, ``This is only the beginning of what we plan to do to involve the parents in school activities. If they are unable to come to us for teacher-parent conferences, then we'll plan to come to them.''

The program, created last year and organized by fourth-grade teacher Susan Anderson, is an outgrowth of the Parent Interaction Committee of the school planning council and is unique to Alanton Elementary.

It is specifically designed to provide an opportunity for parents who do not have transportation or whose work schedules prevent them from attending school functions. During the neighborhood visitation, parents were informed of upcoming events such as open house. They were also told to watch for a yellow school bus in their neighborhood that would provide transportation to the event. by CNB