RALEIGH — State Superintendent Catherine Truitt says she is launching a new Parent Advisory Commission to elevate the voice of parents in students’ education.

The 48-member advisory board will include six parents or guardians from each of the state’s eight educational regions to ensure diverse geographical participation with the application available for parents today. Members will share their aspirations for public education in the state and discuss challenges it faces, helping to put together recommendations for elected officials and policy makers in North Carolina, while providing direct feedback to Truitt.

The commission’s membership will include parents with students enrolled in traditional public schools, charter schools, as well as homeschool and private schools to ensure broad representation of all school choice options across the state and include diverse feedback. This advisory board of parents will advise, inform, and engage leaders and public policy officials on various aspects of education and student well-being.

Once convened, members will work collaboratively with other parents in their communities to facilitate engagement and ensure that many parent voices are heard.

The composition of the commission includes:

• 2 traditional public schools.

• 1 charter public school.

• 1 homeschool.

• 1 private school.

• 1 at-large, public-school member from the largest county in each region, including Buncombe, Catawba, Cumberland, Guilford, Mecklenburg, New Hanover, Pitt and Wake.

“This Commission is focused on giving parents a seat at the table and strengthening parent and family involvement in education,” Truitt said. “Parents play an integral role in encouraging their child to achieve excellence in the classroom.”

With applications available beginning today, parents from across the state can apply through March 31. Members will serve two-year terms, with the full commission aiming to convene quarterly beginning this summer. The full commission will be composed of regional sub-groups, which will hold monthly meetings conducted both in-person and virtually to accommodate parents’ schedules.

“Data shows us that students with parents who are involved in their education are more likely to achieve academic success and have a more positive attitude towards learning,” Truitt said. “This commission is an important way we can create better outcomes for students, as we are hearing from parents about what’s working and what we can do better. We need to engage families in district and policy-level decisions, and this commission helps that work get underway.”

The application can be found on the Department of Public Instruction’s website.

Rowan-Salisbury School announces summer meal dates

SALISBURY — The RSS summer meals program will serve their first round of meals on June 6.

In observance of Independence Day, the program will not be in service on July 4. The last day of meals will be on July 29.