Fathers Inspire Troy Cronin Students In MENtors Program

Photo: Troy Cronin Elementary School MENtor parent volunteer Brian Semplinski with son Everitt and 1st grade teacher Mileah Paul.

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Fathers and father figures have been making a big difference in the school lives of their own children and of the other students at Troy Cronin Elementary School in Shorewood, in addition to gaining a greater understanding of the dynamics of their children’s school.

Assistant Principal Katie Hogan said the school’s MENtors program invites the fathers, grandfathers, uncles and other male figures important in the lives of their students to volunteer at the school on Wednesdays.

“This is an innovative program which helps the school community to be positively impacted by the involvement of fathers and father figures in their student’s life,” Hogan said. “Most volunteer in two grade level classrooms; a “specials” classroom, which might be P.E., art or music; and in the cafeteria.”

Hogan said the men read books to the students, work with math flashcards and help in other ways.

This is Brian Semplinski’s second year to serve as a MENtor. Father to first-grader Everitt, he chose to serve an afternoon shift this year.

“It’s nice to see what the kids are doing every day,” Semplinski said.

One of the ways he served was by reading a book in teacher Mileah Paul’s classroom.

“Just having a male figure in our classroom and in our building has been great,” Paul said. “It engages the students.”