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Parents at School
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Written by Kimberly Turcios & Vanna Keomisy
Ms. Mary Jarcy
New parents struggle with the obstacle of changing diapers, excruciating screeches in the middle of the night and lack of sleep. When you’re in high school, caring for a child gets even deeper. There’s a doubt of whether or not you can financially support your child, if you could get through school or when it feels like everyone is just judging you.
Ms. Mary Jarcy has been in charge of the New Horizons Program for 13 years, a dropout prevention program in which teenage mothers and fathers are encouraged to remain in school while being taught the basic necessities of child care at an early age. Only one of the components of the program is parenting education; a student can be in the New Horizons program without being in the parenting classes.
“Since our goal is graduation, we have to look at the student’s credit needs for graduation first,” Ms. Jarcy said.
The program offers services to all students that are pregnant and/or parenting and the classes are part of those services.
“I offer to put them in my parenting class where they can learn to take care of a baby,” Ms. Jarcy said. “To know what’s appropriate development for a child, family needs, medical needs, financial needs and so on.”
The inspiration to teach this class came from Ms. Jarcy’s desire to want to make a positive impact on other people’s lives. She believes that the class is very useful for future and present parents, teaching skills they can directly apply at the moment.
“This is the place to be because of that group; what I do directly effects the quality of their life,” Ms. Jarcy said.
The lesson plans made for the class do not always go as planned considering the student’s situations are always unexpected.
“There may be days where my plans are not what needs to be taught that day,” Mrs Jarcy said. “If it’s discipline that day and they come in asking about child support, that’s where I’ll go.”
Ms. Jarcy also helps her students outside of school. She keeps in contact with them over the summer on their progress and provides them with resources such as the Child Care Group, a non-profit organization that financially assists with young parents. However, she does not meddle in their personal decisions.
“I’ll be the passenger and I’ll help navigate this,” Ms. Jarcy said. “But ultimate you’re the one deciding if you’re going to turn left or you’re going to turn right; I have no hands on the wheel.”
Room 111, the New Horizons Program class, is a comfortable atmosphere for these young parents. The room is dedicated only to the students of this particular program. No one else is allowed.
“Other people don’t really have an appreciation or an understanding for the life they’re living, but everybody that walks into that room sure does,” Ms. Jarcy said. “That’s their support and that’s their safe place, that’s their connection.”
The life lessons, personal and parenting skills, taught by Ms. Jarcy are emotional support for these adolescents. She guides them with situations they sometimes cannot handle.
“If they come in and have a break, I give her a box of Kleenex and let her cry,” Ms. Jarcy said. “It’s a total life change; I don’t think any adequate parent can begin to prepare for the enormity of the changes that sweep through their lives.”
The students of the New Horizons Program come in for extra tutorials like any other student and teachers privately tutor them during their conference period. Their ultimate goal is to get an education so that it will help them in supporting their family.
“I’ve seen them standing at the crossroads, so they can decide to go left or go right,” Ms. Jarcy said. “For probably most of my students, they find a purpose and find a direction and a goal for their education.
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