Two schools that share a building in the Bronx joined forces to host a carnival in the school playground on April 25. “We wanted families and community to get involved and we wanted a great attention-getting event,” said Michael Loeb, the chapter leader at the Urban Institute of Mathematics. The efforts of the staff and parents of the Urban Institute of Mathematics and the Urban Assembly Academy of Civic Engagement in Throgs Neck, with the help of the East Side Settlement House, succeeded in bringing out hundreds of parents and other community members. The event was set up in part because the Urban Assembly Academy of Civic Engagement is in the Department of Education’s School Renewal Program. Renewal Schools get more funding to provide wraparound health and social services and more educational supports for students. “Our biggest challenge is consistent parent engagement, and we’re trying a number of things to address that,” Loeb said. “We need parents to help students with homework, but we also want them to feel positive about the school, take pride in the school community.” He gave credit to parent coordinator Christina Andino for organizing parents to participate in the carnival. “We want to help build parent leadership, so parents are sharing the message with each other,” Loeb said. “It’s more powerful that way.” Families enjoyed free food, live performances by a step team, games, rides and face painting. “We had a really good showing from the community and the school,” said Amanda Rosenberg, a 6th-grade math teacher who helped staff the reception table. Rosenberg agreed with Loeb that parent engagement has been a challenge. “Some parents have tough work schedules, some work nights as nurses, so they have trouble coming to workshops and evening events,” she said. The school has started offering afternoon workshops for those parents every Tuesday on topics such as the curriculum, English as a second language and understanding state tests.