SLPN: A Brief History

The SLPN was formed in October of 2003 by three families here in San Leandro. Initially, they met through a Mom's Club but soon decided that what was needed wasn't a mom's club, but a parent's club. They wanted to create a group that recognized the important role dads play as parents as well as other caregivers. It was important to them to create a group that served the needs of a variety of families be they full-time stay-at-home parents or working parents. Ultimately, the organizers wanted to create opportunities for a burgeoning community of young families to connect.

Initially the Network consisted of a weekly email update and an online calendar where several events were scheduled each month. Turn out varied from packed to virtually empty. To better learn what families really wanted, Network organizers surveyed families subscribing to the Weekly Update. The result of the survey revealed that while everyone wanted something, very few people wanted the same thing! It was clear that organizers would never be able to anticipate or adequately meet the diverse needs of all of the families. It was decided instead to make the San Leandro Parents Network a truly grassroots, online community.

The SLPN Today

Today the Network offers a Discussion Forum where families can ask each other for advice and recommendations on everything from preschools to pediatric dentists. The Forums have also created a space for lively debates on issues effecting our community and have brought families together to work on important issues such as improving the quality of local schools. The website also offers an Open Calendar for members to schedule play groups or mom's/dad's nights out etc (provided they meet minimal guidelines). The Network does continue to offer one scheduled family event per month but the event and date is determined by polling members.

The San Leandro Parents Network invites all families to participate in scheduled events and in the online Forums. If you haven't already done so, take a minute to register with the Forums and subscribe to the Weekly Update. You can do this simply by going to the email subscription page and selecting "Weekly Updates" from the drop list then clicking on the "Subscribe" button. You must be a registered Forum user to subscribe to the Weekly Updates.

When you register for the Forums, consider creating a profile in the Family Profile area that lets people know a little about you and your family. By no means disclose any information you aren't comfortable having everyone know (specific street address etc) but the more you say about yourself and your family, the more ways people with similar interests will be able to connect with you!

San Leandro Parents Network is a loose affiliation of concerned parents and makes no promises or representations:

• that the events on the Calendar meet with any individuals expectations of safety. Parents are ultimately responsible for both their and their children's safety.
• that any information or recommendations on the website or forums are accurate. Parents are ultimately responsible for verifying any information they choose to act upon.