COA’s HIPPY Program Partners with Fratney, Pierce, Gaeslen, Holmes, Palmer and Maryland Ave Schools – Sign Up Now! HIPPY isn’t about the 60’s. It’s Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY). Giving parents the tools, experience, and help they need to become involved in their preschool youngsters’ education is what this free Riverwest program is all about. And when parents get involved, kids do well in school. This school year, at least 10 Milwaukee elementary schools are partnering with COA Youth & Family Centers to offer HIPPY to parents of three-, four-, and five-year- olds. COA Executive Director Tom Schneider noted, “Study after study says the single most important thing affecting how children do in school is parental involvement.” HIPPY, a free, home-based school readiness program for parents, has been helping Milwaukee kids do well in school for four years. HIPPY focuses on helping parents become their children’s first teachers through reading and other daily educational activities. Each parent or guardian signing up for HIPPY receives 30 weeks of personalized visits in their home by other parents who are trained HIPPY instructors. Instructors provide free books, activities, and games for parents to share with their children. And as part of HIPPY, parents and children gather monthly for Family Nights at COA, where kids enjoy entertainment and parents offer encouragement to other parents. 285 parents and children attended the HIPPY Graduation last June at the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum. If you are interested in participating in HIPPY, sign up at area partner schools including Fratney, Pierce, Gaenslen, OW Holmes, Palmer, Maryland Avenue Schools or contact the HIPPY Office at COA at 263-8383. HIPPY is the recipient of the Start Smart Milwaukee Children’s Champion Award. Funding for HIPPY is provided by Milwaukee Public Schools, the National Council of Jewish Women — Milwaukee Section (NCJW), the Herzfeld Foundation, and Northwestern Mutual Foundation. Riverwest Currents – Volume 2 – Issue 9 – September 2003