The Polk Family Learning Center is doing their part to ensure that local adults enrolled in their programs have the skills necessary to attain quality jobs.

Recently, the Learning Center celebrated National Family Literacy Month (NFLM). In observance of NFLM, which occurs during the month of November, the center hosted a Thanksgiving Family Reunion at the center located at 602 S. College Street.

Past program participants and their families joined current participants, their families, and staff for a traditional home cooked Thanksgiving meal.

The parents and children who attend the program daily created the themed decorations. Over 60 people attended the event.

National Family Literacy Month is celebrated all over the country with special activities and events that showcase family literacy programs and the important relationship between parents and their children.

Family literacy programs, like those offered at the Polk Family Learning Center, bring parents and children together in the classroom to learn and to support each other’s academic and non-academic goals.

As parents identify their strengths and develop their skills, essential messages about the importance of education are passed on to their children.

These parents and children soon develop as a team in learning and become partners for success.

Family literacy encompasses a unique educational approach that includes four separate integrated components.

Parents receive adult education, often focusing on improving job skills or English language skills and children receive individualized education that is appropriate for their age and developmental level.

In addition, parents take part in classes that help them understand their children’s literacy development in order to learn ways to support that development at home.

One of the most unique elements of a family literacy program is Parent and Child Together (PACT) Time, a regularly scheduled session when parents and children play and learn together through interactive literacy activities.

The event at the Polk Family Learning Center was funded by Coosa Valley Technical College, one of the sponsors of the

project.

The program is also sponsored by the Polk County Council and is supported in part by the Children’s Trust Fund of Georgia through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly. For more information about the program, call 770-748-2528.

Further information on family literacy can be found on-line at www.famlit.org.

Anyone who did not graduate from high school, is over the age of 16 and has a child or children ages birth through three is eligible.

An Open House will be held at the Polk County Family Learning Center on Friday, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. until noon.

The Open House will encompass a tour of the Polk Family Learning Center, Barbara Earle with Healthy Families will conduct a presentation on “Better Brains for Babies” and refreshments will be served.

Door prizes will also be given.

To find out more about the Polk Family Learning Center call 770-748-2528.