Mobile checkout labs at all middle schools are open for business. Parents are invited to check out a tablet computer which will allow them to help their child with school, explore academic learning resources, type up a resume and conduct a job search. The tablets are available thanks to the Personalized Achievement, Curriculum and Environment (PACE) project.

The tablets, available in each middle school’s media center, are one more way families can access valuable engagement resources to help their children succeed in school. Parents should contact the media center for checkout hours and school-specific procedures. Prior to checking out a tablet for the first time, parents will be asked to complete a brief video tutorial and sign a parent agreement.

“Guilford Parent Academy will disseminate valuable parent engagement resources through the tablets,” said Lindsay Whitley, director of Guilford Parent Academy. “Since we know parent engagement is tied to student achievement, these mobile checkout labs are another tool for us to support parents in helping their children in school.”

The PACE project is part of a $35.2 million grant the district received from the U.S. Department of Education. The initiative allows Guilford County Schools (GCS) to expand personalized learning using one-to-one technology at all GCS middle schools.

Thanks to the grant, GPA has also appointed a parent volunteer at each PACE school to assist with parent engagement priorities and opportunities. These Grassroots Parent Coordinators are paid up to $150 per month to communicate with parents about volunteer opportunities, lead parent-outreach activities, assist the school and GPA staff with planning and publicizing parent workshops and increase parent awareness of GPA.