“If, as is generally conceded, the settlements do the best Americanization work, should not this settlement excel whose home is the ancient House of Seven Gables, the foundations of which were laid by the first immigrants who came here long ago, strangers in a strange land?”
–Caroline O. Emmerton
In keeping with the inclusive legacy of our founder, Caroline Emmerton, and her desire to help new immigrants adapt to their homes in the United States, Gables staff helped with the planning and publicity of a district-wide Latino Parent Night held at Salem High School on January 22nd. The event had four goals:
1) to give Latino parents an overview of the Salem Public School system;
2) to encourage more Latino parents to become part of a district-wide Latino Parent Council;
3) to motivate parents to become more engaged in their child’s school and its culture;
4) to obtain parent feedback about qualities they’d like to see in a school superintendent for Salem
Thirty-five parents attended the event, and the discussion was lively. These parents currently have children attending all twelve public and charter schools in the Salem school district: Bates, Bentley, Bowditch, Carlton, Horace Mann, Collins Middle School, Saltonstall, Witchcraft Heights, Salem High, Salem Prep, Salem Academy Charter School, and New Liberty Charter School.
Also, in keeping with the inclusive legacy of our founder, Caroline Emmerton, The Gables supported the City of Salem’s Immigration Workshop planned for February 11, 2015. A flyer announcing the workshop was created in English and Spanish and distributed city-wide in Salem to encourage Latino residents to discuss the implications of President Obama’s new Executive Order, among other immigration topics.
Personnel from USCIS, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, as well as immigration lawyers and speakers representing local government, were featured during the event. The workshop was offered by the City at St. Peter’s ~ San Pedro Episcopal Church in Salem as a service to the local immigrant community in Salem, most of them from the Dominican Republic.