Parents Gather For The Wine Report

Educators complain that parents aren't involved enough.

But, really - who looks forward to racing back to school after a day at work to sit in the cafeteria for a parent meeting?

A group of Robinson High parents prefer kicking back with a cold beer, martini, glass of wine or sparkling water when they meet.

"It's great - getting it away from the school," said John Close, who lives in Brandon. He and his wife met up with other parents on the covered patio at The Wine Exchange in Hyde Park Village on Thursday night.

"I was kind of surprised the county did it," his wife, Angel, said.

The school district didn't. Parents from Robinson High's International Baccalaureate program decided to break out of the school cafeteria/family picnic mode.

"We had to think a little bit different about our approach - parents are busy, they come from all over the county," said Debra Faulk, president of the Robinson IB Link.

Parents don't have to buy anything at the meetings, although some matched baked brie and fruit plates or other appetizers with their wine.

Diane Fenimore, the group's vice president, noted, "The husbands come. How nice is that?"

The meetings will move to other areas of the county where families of the more than 300 students who attend the IB magnet program at Robinson live.

The small size of the rigorous international academic program lends itself to an informal setting, said both parents and teachers.

"When you're sitting in an auditorium, you're kind of listening, then you go to the classroom - you're in line waiting to talk to a teacher," said Tara Miller. "You basically feel like a student."

"It doesn't feel like work here," said Jaclyn Esslinger, one of at least six IB teachers present on Thursday. "It's not as serious. Building rapport with parents is going to benefit students in the long run."

AP European History teacher Robert Lunsford agrees.

"You get better performance out of the students if they know mom and dad know the teacher," Lunsford said.