Principal’s corner, By Nick Sofio

Nick Sofio is the principal of Lakeview Elementary School.

Lakeview Elementary’s seventh annual walkathon was a huge success last Friday. It helps our parent group, LESO, raise money to support our teachers and students with a variety of activities throughout the school year. We truly appreciate all of the time, energy and effort from our parents to ensure a successful event. 

Parent involvement plays a crucial role in a child’s education. Numerous research studies, including a 2006 study by the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education, reaffirm that students with involved parents are more likely to have higher grades, improved school attendance and behavior and adapt well to school. As educators, we want all Albert Lea students to be successful academically and socially. Working with our families through a supportive and welcoming school environment helps to support this goal.   

Technology is an important resource to engage parents, teachers and students. A new app, Seesaw, is being used by our students. Seesaw allows students to use iPads and Chromebooks to share their learning via audio and video clips. Teachers and parents are able to view what the student shares and provide comments. Seesaw allows parents to be more involved with their child’s learning and classroom experience.

Volunteering is another excellent way to support our schools. The PTO groups work collaboratively with teachers, parents and students to enhance the educational experience for our students. If the time commitment to attend monthly PTO meetings is a concern, please consider attending just one upcoming meeting. Sign up to volunteer for one upcoming school event. Reach out to your child’s teacher and see how you can volunteer in the classroom. Whether it is once a week, once a month or once a quarter, there are always opportunities to help support student learning within the classroom.