Rockdale Citizen

CONYERS — Couponing, saving for college and study skills — all important topics that parents need to know, and officials at Rockdale County Public Schools are going to try to help.

RCPS will hold its third Parent Academy next weekend. The free event is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 29, at the Rockdale Career Academy, which is located at 1064 Culpepper Drive, off Parker Avenue.

It is geared toward parents and also open to other adults who live in the Rockdale community.

“It is a truly fun event,” said April Fallon, director of Community and Student Support at RCPS.

The system held the first one last fall and another one in March, attracting more than 200 parents.

At the academy, parents can choose from nearly 40 classes. Topics include couponing, Microsoft Word and Excel basics, financial topics like college savings and budgeting, study skills and others. There is also a track for Spanish-speaking adults and tweens/teens, in which older children may accompany their parents.

“It covers a wide range of things,” Fallon said about the event. “Our adults like things financial related, so we’ve developed these.”

Other classes were developed from parent feedback from the previous events.

“We try to customize it to our parents,” Fallon said.

Classes are being taught by RCPS officials and community and business leaders.

At 9 a.m. that day, attendees will meet in the school’s auditorium for an opening welcome session and state of the system provided by RCPS Superintendent Richard Autry.

Class session one will last from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., followed by session two from 11 to noon and session three from 1 to 2 p.m.

A Chick-fil-A lunch is available for purchase, or guests may bring their own lunches. Door prizes also will be given away during the event.

Free child care is available through the Early Learning Center for children ages 3 to 10 and will include a free lunch for them. Registration is required by Tuesday.

Registration and a complete list of classes are available on the RCPS website at www.rockdale.k12.ga.us.

Vendors who are interested in participating in the event should call 770-918-6174 by Tuesday. The fee is $10 for nonprofit organizations and $25 for businesses.

More information about the event, which is being organized by the STARS Community Partnership and sponsored by FirstLight Home Care, is available by calling 770-761-1446.