We held our first Pekin Altrusa Parent University in October at an elementary school in Pekin at parent-teacher conferences. You can think of it as an icebreaker for what’s to come. Hopefully, this event is held annually and will become bigger, more engaging, thought-provoking, and a solution based collaboration between parents, teachers, and other stakeholders in education and the community. One of our goals was to find out what challenges parents face during the week. These challenges can be related to finding time to read or any problems parents face, such as transportation, employment and logistics, to name a few. We passed out 211 informational cards with contact information for agencies and hotlines that could help in times of need. We provided 181 books for students between kindergarten and 3rd grade. We provided tips to families on creative ways to read, write, and engage with each other. In recognition of the season, we also gave families goodie bags filled with treats. Most importantly, we provided surveys that parents could complete. Since you’re reading this, we’d like you to take the survey as well, or have a friend of relative with kids take it. 

The purpose of this survey is to discover challenges families face regarding literacy and ways we can help families overcome those challenges. Please enter your response in the box or circle the answer.

1. What challenges do you face during the week?

2. How much time does your student spend watching tv, YouTube, Facebook or other social media platforms on any given day on average?
A. Few minutes
B. Between 1-2 hours
C. Between 2-4 hours
D. Between 4-6 hours
E. More than 7 hours

3. How often does your student visit your local library to read or check out books?
A. Weekly
B. Every two weeks
C. Monthly
D. Every once in a while
E. Once per year

4. How often does your child read to you, with you or on their own?
A. Daily
B. Every other day
C. Weekly
D. Every two weeks
E. Every once in a while

5. How often do you use reading as a way for your child to earn rewards such as treats, screen time, play time, or other fun activities?
A. Never
B. Daily
C. Every other day
D. Weekly
E. Every once in a while

Please send your response to Pekin Altrusa Club, PO Box 3, Pekin, IL 61554.