Yvonne, mother of 4 (Girls Prep Bronx Elementary & Middle School, Success Academy)

"Open communication with teachers is important to me. I want to be able to ask, 'What are the expectations? What does math look like at this grade level?'"

"A lot of kids attend grades K-12 and still have to take remedial courses in college. That resonates because I was one of those people. My mom was there but not as involved as I am. I think about what I did learn, like writing, my least favorite subject, and compare it with what my kids have learned. I see my daughter’s thoughts, how she explains everything, like our vacation, the scenery driving down, the scenery on the boat— if I wasn’t there, I could picture it. There are areas I lacked. Writing is one of those areas. It’s a skill, a muscle you have to exercise on a daily basis."

"My girls are in 1st, 6th and 8th grade at Girls Prep. The boy was an experiment. We took a chance on Success Academy. It’s a really rigorous and intense culture, but I said, 'Let’s see…' He’s been thriving ever since. Every kid needs a different setting. The girls are doing well, my son is doing phenomenally well, so I’m happy."

"My greatest struggle is trying to keep up with everyone’s homework. My job requires me to be at events in the evening. When I get home I don’t have the energy. I do brief overviews to see that they’re grasping the concepts but wish I could dedicate more time."

"I’m very optimistic with the level of education they’ve received. I wish I could go back in time and be in the kind of setting they’re in. I’m actually excited to see what the future holds for them."

Parents of New York is an occasional post sharing the stories, ideas and perspectives of parents or caregivers with children in the New York City public schools. It is inspired by the popular Humans of New York website and book but is not connected to it. If you are interested in being interviewed email us at contact@insideschools.org and put "Parents of NY" in the subject line.

(Edited from a longer interview by Lydie Raschka)