MAY GREENE PARENT EARNS STATE RECOGNITION; HENDERSON HONORED FOR REMEDIAL HELP

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- LaDona Henderson spends nearly every spare moment she has at May Greene School, helping teachers and, in turn, helping her children.

Henderson has earned statewide recognition for her efforts at the school.

She will be named one of 17 Outstanding Chapter 1 Parents in Missouri, a new honor to be given at the annual Chapter 1 convention April 22 and 23 in Columbia. Chapter 1 coordinates remedial programs in public schools.

"Education is one of the most important things for kids," Henderson said. "If they don't have a good education, they won't be able to succeed in life.

"Education is important to me for my children and for other children.

"The teachers of our school system, not just at May Greene, need our help. Teaching is such a hard job, but it's such a special one.

"It's up to us as parents to help the teachers," she said. "Our job at home is to carry out what they start during the day."

Henderson was nominated for the award by May Greene extended-day kindergarten teacher Jill Janet. Henderson's son, Darren, is one of the students served by the remedial program.

"She deserves the recognition," Janet said. "It's really hard to get parent involvement. She is an outgoing, caring parent who is actively involved in the education of her children."

Henderson and her husband, Darren, have two children: Summer, who is in third grade, and Darren, a kindergarten student.

Extended-day kindergarten is a program for kindergarten students who need a little extra help in preparation for first grade, Janet said.

Henderson attends parent-teacher conferences and special meetings for Chapter 1 parents, Janet said. But she goes beyond this basic involvement.

"She makes an effort to stay in contact with me through notes and personal visits," Janet said. "She checks in on him in the room and she is open to suggestions and follows through on them at home."

Henderson said, "We order packets of projects to do and we have all kinds of books that we read." Her daughter is an honor-roll student, but the at-home work applies to her also, she said.

Henderson serves on the Parent Advisory Board for Chapter 1. She brings concerns and suggestions from other parents of children in remedial programs to those who design the programs.

She is also a member of the disaster preparedness team at May Greene.

Henderson currently serves as secretary of the May Greene PTA, and will be treasurer next year.

Janet said, "She is a room mother for both her children, and she provides treats for classes of other children when their parents don't remember."

Janet said Henderson also offers to help teachers. "She asks me if I need any help and will help any way she can. She is always organizing different functions at school."

Thursday, for example, she helped plan a fund-raising carnival at the school.

Henderson and her husband attend workshops at Southeast Missouri State University in an effort to become better parents.

She also works full time at the Cape Girardeau Nursing Center and is a Sunday school teacher.

How does she make time for all these activities? "The Lord helps," she answered. "We have quite a full life. It's never dull."

Henderson said she didn't know she had been nominated for the award. "It was a total surprise when I found out I had won. I thought it was the neatest thing," she said.

"No one in our family has ever won anything like this before," she added. "We are all pretty excited.

"I loved school. I really loved it," she said. She hopes to pass along that same love of education to her children.

"I think parents should get involved," Henderson said. "They shouldn't make a nuisance of themselves, but they can help teachers do errands or small jobs.

"Teachers, principals, nurses, custodians, cooks everyone who works in a school have their hands full. Children are not easy to deal with, especially when you have 200 of them," said Henderson. "I just want to do my part to make things better."