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The Parents As Leaders (PAL) Academy was established in 2009-10 to help Richmond Community Schools parents become advocates for children. PAL Academy was supported by Communities In Schools and Richmond Community Schools; it was funded by the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative. The P.A.L. Academy is now in its third year. In 2010-11, parents worked alongside CIS Site Coordinators to help plan and facilitate the Academy. They spent many hours in training and preparation. In 2011-12, the co-facilitating parents from the previous year will be leading the facilitation of the Academy along with last year’s P.A.L. Academy graduating parents. CIS Coordinators will continue to offer support. The facilitators will take part in several trainings to prepare them to take the leadership role, as parents, of the Academy. This will fulfill one of the goals of the Parents As Leaders Academy: that it would be a parent led initiative. Parents will be offered free training that includes topics such as lessons on how to communicate with your principal, self and perception of leadership, navigation of the Indiana DOE website and RCS website, lessons on school laws and communication skills with school staff and families. Parents will attend two separate trainings and establish their plans for how to engage parents at their respective schools. The third session, in April, will be an opportunity to celebrate their achievements and for each school’s P.A.L. team to share what they were able to accomplish. If you have any questions or if you are interested in becoming a P.A.L. parent at your RCS school, please contact Communities In Schools.