Radford City Schools

The Parent Resource Center is open to promote student success by helping parents and educators come together as a team. We know there are times families may need someone to listen to their concerns, or assist them in exploring ways that best help their child with disabilities. Our staff is available to offer guidance about the special education process, family involvement activities, and links to various community resources and information. The PRC is filled with free materials for parents to take to help with specific challenges. The center also offers an extensive lending library of books, activities, DVDs, and curriculum parents can check out and use for their needs. The staff at the PRC will be giving training or workshops through out the school year to help parents navigate through a variety of topics.

Meet the Staff

Melissa Jarrell (Speech Pathologist)  [email protected]
Kate Leeper (Special Education Liaison)  [email protected]
Shelly Fisher, (teacher) [email protected]

Location:

McHarg Elementary School
700 12th Street
Radford, VA 24141
(540) 731-3652
[email protected]

We are excited to share the updated hours for the Radford City Public Schools’ Parent Education Resource Center (PERC) for the 2025–2026 school year! This year, we are offering both on-site and virtual office hours to better serve and support our families of students with special needs.

Below are our new hours of operation:

Virtual Office Hours (the listed links will give you access to join our Google Meet; the link is the same for each Monday and each Wednesday):

What We Do

Serve: all Radford City families, agencies, and the community placing an emphasis on being a liaison between the home and school.

Provide: support through listening and problem solving with individual families. We provide the community with information regarding resources and services available within the local area.

Maintain: a lending library of books, DVDs, journals, pamphlets, and educational technology to enhance parenting and family interactions and assist schools in meeting the needs of all children.

Offer: trainings, workshops, and resources for parents and school staff for building positive parent/ school partnerships. We also schedule individual meetings with families to assist with specific needs/requests.

Why Contact the PERC?

• To get support and problem solve with other parents

• To better understand the special education process

• To register for a workshop or training

• To make an appointment for one-on-one training for a specific need

• To get information about parent support groups in the local area

• To learn about your rights and responsibilities according to IDEA (Special Education Law)

• To gain information about other services: Title I, Title III, Homebound Instruction, Project Hope, McKinney-Vento Act, 504 Services, Home Schooling, Foster Care: Best Interest Determination.

Council for Exceptional Children High-Leverage Practices in Special Education