Moses Lake police offer information

MOSES LAKE - Frontier Middle School teachers continued a series of monthly presentations to the community with an evening about gangs last week.

Moses Lake Police Department Officer Ray Lopez spoke to students, community members and families about gangs and gang prevention.

Teachers Kathy Chavez and Karin Olson coordinated the seven Family Resource Education Evenings throughout the year.

"There are so many aspects to a child's learning in the 21st century that we felt we needed to reach out to families and support them in their efforts to prepare our youth to be contributing members of our community," Chavez stated. "Educating families about local issues is just one way to accomplish this."

Olson noted the presentations are aimed at fostering partnerships between the school, families and resources in the community.

"We wanted to create a comfortable atmosphere for families where they could connect with the resources available that can help them significantly impact their child's overall education," Olson stated.

Other evenings included discussion of drugs including methamphetamine, grandparents who are raising grandchildren, and building the character of a child.

"The information shared during these evenings gave me and my son a common experience that opened the door for conversations about significant issues and how I can support my son's education," stated parent Jackie Bartunek.

Because of the positive response to the Family Resource Education Evenings, organizers plan to continue offering the evenings next year, according to Olson.