Tuolumne Elementary in south Modesto aims to strengthen community

Tuolumne Elementary School rolled out the welcome wagons for parents, providing information on services, a donated dinner and free T-shirts for the kids at a small family fair.

“The whole idea was to get parents here, get parents talking together,” said Principal Heather Contreras between holding up Tuolumne Tiger tees for a size check on eager students Thursday evening.

The school also wanted to get the word out about services available to its families, most of whom do not speak English at home and all of whom qualify as low-income. Contreras and her staff pulled together an information fair with social service agencies manning booths, with handouts, free pencils and stickers. A local 7-Eleven donated hot dogs and $711 to buy school T-shirts.

“We put it in the front of the school so the neighbors would see it,” Contreras said.“We were trying to be strategic.”

The fair was one of several boots-on-the-ground initiatives on the campus. A fledgling PTA has started at the school, and a student-led anti-bullying club.

“Every Thursday we have a meeting,” said club founder Vanessa Navarro, a sixth-grader. “Sometimes I do see kids pushing each other around and calling each other things,” she said, adding her club is teaching kids to step up and say something.

Next up, she said, “We’re doing a play.”

This story was originally published September 27, 2015 at 5:39 PM with the headline "Tuolumne Elementary in south Modesto aims to strengthen community."