The sessions were not well attended, with at most five parents. We have since found that we need to provide only about 15 minutes of direct instruction to parents when they come to the building to pick-up the terminal and sign the contract. Over the past three years, parents have become regular email users as they leave messages for their children. Parents also leave positive messages to other students who have done something outstanding, such as hitting a home run during a baseball game or sinking a crucial free throw. Personal pride shows in these messages and carries through to parents showing more self-confidence when dealing personally with the school.
Parents contact Indian Creek staff at their convenience to share family happenings or concerns.
Some messages contain information about a death in the family of a relative or even a pet. We learn about mornings that have been stressful, parents getting a divorce, and siblings in the hospital. The Roles of Indian Creek Staff Indian Creek staff members are able to access the system from their desktop computers or terminals in the building. Learning time is now provided on an individual, as-needed basis. Student use of the BBS is a strong motivator for the most computer-reluctant teacher to learn how to use an electronic medium.