Neighborhood Watch for Education is a new program being supported by the Daytona International Speedway. This is a community based effort to encourage neighborhood support for education by establishing a process/program for neighbors to help neighbors assure that the students that live in the Neighborhood Watch for Education area are successful in school.

 

The Neighborhood Watch for Education program developed as a result of small group discussions from a group of concerned Volusia County citizens wanting to help students perform better on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Following a series of meetings, it was clear the answer was not just tutoring, according to Volusia County School Board member Dr. Al Williams and one of the Neighborhood Watch founders. It was also important that parents get to know one another and have an opportunity to network. The “it takes a village” concept was embraced by other founding members, Bishop Derek Triplett of Hope Fellowship Church, Mary Bruno from Volusia County Schools and Donna Sue Sanders of the International Speedway Corporation. The group enlisted the help of Volusia County Principal of the Year, Westside Elementary Principal Judy Winch and her staff and requested that Westside serve as the pilot school. 

 

A block party was held for Westside Elementary students, parents and neighbors who live in the neighborhood directly across from the school. Over 400 adults and children gathered to celebrate the effort to help children do well in school. Adults lined up to join a network to communicate with one another about tutoring, helping with homework and creating a safer neighborhood. Refreshments were served while music played, and kids danced wearing T-shirts emblazoned with “No Fail Zone” – symbolic of the Watch’s ultimate goal that all Westside pupils will succeed. 

 

Since the block party, Westside has invited families to the school for a dinner and meetings. Neighborhood Watch for Education signs are being installed on street corners throughout the neighborhood while designated homes proudly display signs in their front yard identifying they are homework house’s open to neighborhood children wanting to take part in study groups. 

 

The underlying principle of Neighborhood Watch for Education is that children who have strong parental support have a better chance of doing well in school. It is the hope of this community based organization that neighbors will look out for one another’s children, assist where needed and proudly support and promote education.

 

Westside Elementary recently won the District Parent Involvement Award for the Neighborhood Watch for Education program. This makes Westside a District nominee for the Florida Department of Education Regional Awards.