More than a dozen Forder Elementary School students brought their parents to school with them on Friday, Sept. 23, as part of the school’s World Café Day.

The event gave the parents of English Language Learner, or ELL, students a glimpse into their child’s daily routine and provided them with information about the resources available through the Mehlville School District.

“We decided to host World Café Day because we wanted to create a special day for Forder’s ELL families where they have the opportunity to understand the educational and social experience their child has every day at Forder Elementary,” Forder Principal Scott Clark stated in a news release.

The World Café Day was modeled after a similar event hosted by the school during the 2010-11 school year for the families of students who were enrolled at Forder through the Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corporation, or VICC. With such success during last year’s event, the school decided to host a similar day for its ELL students and their families, according to the release.

To begin their day, the Forder parents attended a welcome reception before heading to their child’s classroom. After nearly an hour and a half of observing and participating in classroom lessons with their child, Clark led parents on a tour of the school.

“The goal of World Café is to establish and continue to foster strong relationships with our ELL families and make them feel welcome at Forder Elementary,” Clark stated.

The World Café event concluded with a presentation by Clark, Forder teachers and Executive Director of Special Services Scott Hayes, who informed parents about the services provided by the district for ELL students and their families.