Danielle Campbell
Parent Mentors program expanding in Waukegan ...
Parent Mentors program expanding in Waukegan elementary schools; ‘It’s much better than ... working with a Chromebook’
Danielle Campbell
FY24 Parent Mentor Program Application Now ...
FY24 Parent Mentor Program Application Now Available!

Save the Date: 2024 Parent Mentor Convention! 🎉

You’re Invited to the 2024 Parent Mentor Program Convention!

Calling all current and former Parent Mentors, school administrators, educators, organizers, and champions of the Parent Mentor Program! We’re excited to announce that the 2024 Parent Mentor Program Convention is just a few months away, and we hope you’ll save the date and join us. Taking place at the beautiful House of Hope in Chicago, the convention will feature celebrations of our collective work, inspiring speakers, honoring Parent Mentor heroes, community organization showcases, fun activities, music, and plenty of opportunities to connect with your Parent Mentor Program family as we build lines of solidarity across Illinois.

So, mark your calendars, reserve your bus, and get ready to celebrate another year of working together to foster radical love and build transformative parent leadership in schools and communities in Illinois and beyond!

Date: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Where: House of Hope, 752 E. 114th St., Chicago, IL 60628

See you there!

-The Parent Engagement Institute Team

*If you’re from outside of Illinois and would like to attend or organize a delegation to attend, please reach out to Bridget Murphy, Director of the Parent Engagement Institute, at bmurphy@palenquelsna.org.

Ladders of Opportunity: Our December Newsletter

A NOTE FROM YOUR PEI TEAM

Dear Parent Mentor Family,

We believe there is no reason for our schools to be understaffed because we know from experience there is love, talent, and commitment to our public schools on every block. That’s why, this month, we’re so excited to share with you the inspiring stories of PEI’s Ladders of Opportunity initiative.

The Ladders initiative started out with us asking how we can better support Parent Mentors to pursue their dreams, especially on career and education pathways. And, guess what? As Parent Mentors discover their passion for education, it turns out that we can also help our schools fill critical staffing shortages.

Paraprofessional vacancies made up 37% (more than 1 in 3!) of all school district vacancies in the state last year. These vacancies disproportionately harm students with disabilities because so many paraprofessionals are Special Education Classroom Assistants. Creating pathways to paraprofessional and teaching careers is an act of disability justice.

Last year, the Ladders team worked tirelessly to coach and support 373 Parent Mentors. We are thrilled to report that, just in our first year, our efforts resulted in 132 Parent Mentors with paraprofessional credentials, 21 Parent Mentors with substitute licenses, and 127 Parent Mentors hired by schools for paraprofessional, substitute, and other critical school positions. 89.1% of all Parent Mentor graduates last year completed or made progress on their personal goals, such as gaining employment, learning English, going to college, or earning a GED.

The Parent Mentor Program and Ladders of Opportunity is truly a team effort - every step taken deserves celebration because it doesn’t happen without a support network of Parent Mentors, Coordinators, Organizers, PEI staff, and encouraging teachers and principals.

With love,

The Parent Engagement Institute Team

DISABILITY JUSTICE IN THE NEWS

‘Personal aides for students are the unsung heroes of special education in CPS’

Elsa Delgado, a Parent Mentor who became a Special Education Classroom Assistant (SECA), was featured in WBEZ this week for her work making a difference in the lives of her students at Kelvyn Park High School. Special education aides like Elsa play a vital role in helping students with disabilities get the education they deserve, and that’s why PEI’s Ladders of Opportunity initiative is dedicated to providing and organizing for professional development and support for aides to make sure these critical positions don’t stay vacant. Read more below.

Above: Chicago Public Schools aide Elsa Delgado with a former student at Kelyvn Park High School. Credit: Manuel Martinez / WBEZ

Article excerpt: “Schools rely on tens of thousands employees like Delgado across many fields to keep buildings and classrooms running smoothly. And much like teachers, they’re often underappreciated and overworked. But they play a vital role, especially in special education. Chicago Public Schools has spent years trying to improve its services and aides are a key part.…

Working as an aide is intense, physically and emotionally, Delgado says. Aides perform a range of tasks, from keeping kids with autism from running off to helping physically disabled students navigate schools. Delgado said she and other aides often work with young Black and Latino boys, who are the most among the most likely to drop out without the right support.…

She became an aide through Palenque LSNA, a group formerly known as Logan Square Neighborhood Association. She started in the parent mentor program, which has been sending parents and others into classrooms to support teachers for nearly 30 years. At the time, Delgado was working as a waitress and struggling to raise her children on her own. Seeing the potential in Delgado, Palenque helped pay for her associate’s degree.

‘It opened the door for so many opportunities that I didn’t know they were there,’ she said. ‘I was like “maybe I could be more than just a server. Maybe there’s hope because there’s help out there.”’

With state funding, Palenque [along with several other partner organizations of the Parent Engagement Institute] formalized the program to help parent mentors become aides and already has helped 132 parent mentors get credentialed.

And Delgado told Elijah that, when she came to the United States from Mexico as a child, she had a hard time adjusting from the warm beaches of Mexico to Chicago where it was cold and everyone spoke a different language. She had her children young and by the time she met Elijah, Delgado was a single mother with teenage children.

‘If I can do it, [you] must believe you can do it,’ she told Elijah.”

Read the full article here.

NOW STREAMING

Discover the Inspiring Stories of Illinois Women Transformed by the Parent Mentor Program in New PEI Podcast Series

Interviewing Black, Brown, and Immigrant mothers in Illinois, the new PEI Podcast series tells the story of four women whose personal and professional lives have been forever changed by the Parent Mentor Program. Interviewed by members of the Parent Engagement Institute, women Carmen, Brenda, Jackie, and Ms. Tina reveal their journey from the role of Parent Mentor to that of teacher, social worker, student, and civic organizer.

Read the episode descriptions below to learn more about who you’ll hear and learn from (and be inspired by!) in the podcast series.

Episode One: Ms. Tina

Ms. Tina Smith: Former Paraprofessional turned Parent Mentor and back again! Interviewed by the ACE Project’s Lorée Washington, an organizer for the Ladders of Opportunity Initiative. Listen to episode one here.

Episode Two: Jackie

Jackie Espinal: DACA recipient and former Parent Mentor turned Paraprofessional! Interviewed by Palenque LSNA and Parent Engagement Institute Organizer Iyabo Anifowoshe. Listen to episode two here.

Episode Three: Brenda (en español)

Brenda Torres: Former law student turned Parent Mentor and now Paraprofessional! Interviewed by the Southwest Organizing Project’s Parent Mentor Organizer, Ana Laura Narro. Listen to episode three here.

Episode Four: Carmen (en español)

Carmen Munguia: Former lawyer turned Parent Mentor and now graduate student in social work at Loyola University! Interviewed by the Southwest Organizing Project and Parent Engagement Institute Organizer Maggie Perales. Listen to episode four here.

LADDERS OF OPPORTUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Powerful Parent Mentors and Leaders: Meet Quinshana Winters and Claudia Luevano

Quinshana Winters, Parent Mentor at The ACE Project

Loree Washington, Ladders of Opportunity Organizer at the ACE Project, shares how Parent Mentor Quinshana Winters is leading meaningful change in the community.

“Quinshana Winters, a proud mother of one son, is truly a gem to work with and to bring change and togetherness within the community. During Quin's first year as a Parent Mentor, she led the ‘Beyond the Classroom’ project and quickly became a leading advocate and powerful parent within Park Elementary School.

Quin's dedication to the students extended to her desire to further her personal development through the Ladders of Opportunity Program, where she completed the basic and advanced digital literacy skills as well as the Workkeys prep class. Quin has since been hired as a Lunch Monitor and a one-on-one Instructional Aid. Quin takes none of the opportunities that she has been given for granted and she strives to do her best in each role by giving 150% effort to all of her students.”

Claudia Luevano, Parent Mentor at Project: VISION

Parent Mentor Claudia Luevano recently obtained her Paraprofessional license after having her foreign transcripts evaluated with the help of PEI’s Ladders team. Read Claudia’s testimony to her powerful experience of growth in the Parent Mentor Program and Ladders initiative:

“My name is Claudia Luevano, I arrived from Mexico in 2003, 20 years ago. […] The best thing about being a Parent Mentor was being in the classroom, learning, and understanding the vision not only as a parent but also through the perspective of a teacher and student. I got to witness the different points of view, and being able to help is great. Being a Parent Mentor opened my mind and my perspective, it helped remove my fears...it made me stronger, I had always been an active parent in my children's school, but not in this intentional way. The program taught me that I can do many things.

For now, with the help of the angels we have in PEI, I managed to get my foreign transcripts from Mexico evaluated, and because of this, I obtained my Paraprofessional license. I was hired by Chicago Public Schools in September as a Lunch/Recess monitor.  In the future, I would like to become a SECA (special education classroom assistant) and will continue taking my English classes.

There is only one life and it is beautiful, you have to take advantage of the opportunities and resources that are put in front of us and never let others tell you that you can't.

Sincerely,

Claudia Luevano”

LADDERS PILOT PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS

Northwest Center Organization

Veronica Tabares, a Ladders of Opportunity Organizer, coached Schubert Elementary parents in deciding for themselves what type of role they would like to see themselves in.

Group photo from left to right: Maricela Mercado: PM Coordinator for five years; Martha Alanis: Paraprofessional license, working as a SECA since May 23-24; Maria Alanis: Paraprofessional license, working as a SECA since August 23-24; Erika Gonzalez, Paraprofessional license, working as a SECA since March 23-24; Veronica Tabares: Ladders of Opportunity Organizer; Mariela Hernandez: tutor since Oct 23-24

Teamwork Englewood

Teamwork Englewood has hosted three digital literacy classes at the Spark Inspiration lab and new partner Compudot. Due to this effort, 38 Ladders participants have improved their digital knowledge and feel more comfortable navigating a computer.

"I am so thankful for what you do. I am telling everyone to join Ladders," said Mya Haddon, a current Parent Mentor at Teamwork Englewood.

Leslie Williams was hired to work at Langford Elementary in Chicago, where she was formerly a Parent Mentor.

Leslie works under the position of Miscellaneous Worker, which involves

multiple responsibilities, including supporting school staff and more importantly, working directly with students.

She is most excited about beginning a new career in Early Childhood Education and is now also taking ECE classes at Kennedy King College. She enrolled in the fall and has enjoyed learning more about the field while at the same time being able to implement what she’s learning in the classroom.

Palenque LSNA

Since the summer of 2022, Palenque LSNA Ladders Organizer Araceli Carrillo has been building relationships between Northeastern Illinois University and Truman College to bring Ladders parents ESL, GED, and Computer Literacy classes.

Rebecca Lamadrid-Quevedo, Director of NEIU El Centro, located in the Avondale neighborhood, is generously offering a space where Truman instructors can facilitate in-person classes. Through this partnership, Truman College is able to provide ESL Level 2 classes to eight parents and will be able to open up a beginning Level 1 class and a continuing Level 3 class in January. Truman also provides virtual GED classes in Spanish to nine parents and virtual ESL Level 1 classes to 10 parents.

Araceli is also proud to announce that her Ladders cohort of 34 parents has started taking Computer Literacy classes provided through NEIU El Centro as well.

Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project

Recognizing that Parent Mentors need to build their confidence in speaking English, SSIP designed the "Advanced English Skills Course". The course is divided into four modules of eight weeks each and aims to prepare participants for careers in the community. It focuses on 16 topics across three broad areas including community assets, children and school issues, and career pathways. Employing college-style learning strategies, the course has helped participants build confidence and establish a safe space where they feel comfortable to participate.

The ACE Project

The Workforce Readiness Series is available to all Parent Mentors and Ladders participants. It is hosted on the last Friday of every month, and various community partners use the guidebook to present topics such as resume writing, job interviewing skills, and understanding the local job market.

In 2015, Mr. Delval DeSavieu founded the Parent Mentor Program at Washington School. He left the following year to pursue his long-held desire to teach, became a teacher's aide for the ROTC program at Morgan Park High School, and was awarded "Teacher of the Year."

LADDERS DEEP DIVE

Want to know more about our Ladders initiative?

Read these FAQs to learn more.

What is the PEI-Ladders of Opportunity initiative?

Funded by a three-year grant from the federal CURE program, which is managed through the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), the Ladders of Opportunity is an initiative launched by the Parent Engagement Institute to support Parent Mentors’ career and education pathways and generate talent pipelines to mitigate critical school staffing shortages.

What is a Paraprofessional?

Paraprofessionals are school employees and vital members of a school’s support staff. They are educators (licensed with stipulations) who support students’ learning under the supervision of a licensed/certified teacher. Paraprofessionals commonly provide instructional support which can include one-on-one or group support, assist with classroom management, and provide instructional and physical assistance to students in a special education classroom.

Paraprofessional is an umbrella term that includes positions such as teacher assistants, special education classroom assistants (SECAs), behavioral aides, instructional aides, language aides, and paraeducators.  

How does PEI support those who are seeking a Paraprofessional credential?

In addition to helping nine Parent Mentor partner organizations pilot the Ladders of Opportunity initiative in their respective communities, PEI-Ladders has a dedicated staff that provides coaching for foreign transcript evaluations and paraprofessional and teacher licensure.

PEI-Ladders also hosts workshops and informational sessions throughout the year, covering topics like building healthy working relationships with lead teachers, stages of child development, universal strategies for supporting all students, restorative practices, introduction to neurodivergent learners, and more.  

How can I learn more?

You can learn even more about the Ladders of Opportunity Initiative on our website.

PODCAST FEATURE

Herlinda Gamez, Parent Mentor, Shares the Importance of Parent Engagement in Podcast Interview

Interviewed by Sarahi Garcia for the Let’s FACE it Together podcast, Parent Mentor Herlinda Gamez speaks to the power of the Parent Mentor Program and parent engagement in schools. Produced by Chicago Public Schools' Office of Family and Community Engagement, the podcast amplifies the stories and voices of Chicago Public Schools' diverse communities, building relationships with parents and partners for deeper engagement. Listen to the episode here.

FALL/WINTER WORKSHOPS

Upcoming Workshop Schedule

  • 01/10/24: Dismantling School to Prison Pipeline I (workshop series facilitated by Dr. Mark Warren)

  • 01/17/24: Dismantling School to Prison Pipeline II

  • 01/24/24: Dismantling School to Prison Pipeline III

  • 01/31/24: Mental Health

  • 02/07/23: Organizing Series: #3 Organizing Tools for building collective power

All workshops take place on Zoom and are offered at two times:

  • 11:30 am - 1:00 pm: English, Spanish, Mandarin or Arabic

  • 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm: English or Spanish.  

PEI BIRTHDAY SHOUT-OUTS

Iyabo Anifowoshe

PEI Program Support Manager, Parent Engagement Institute

Organizer, Palenque LSNA

Iyabo (Latifah) was born in Lagos, Nigeria on October 6, 1967. She was raised by her great grandmother in a loving and open community where everyone was welcome to visit each other’s homes unannounced. Since her teenage years, Iyabo always loved listening to music and dancing.

She studied Electronic  Engineering in a College of Technology. After graduating, she secured a teaching job in an all girls Private Secondary School, teaching Middle School Mathematics and Computer Appreciation for about 15 years before migrating to the United States. In 2001, she gave birth to her beautiful daughter, Kanyinsola who is currently a Senior at Yale College.

In search of the American Dream, Iyabo journeyed to the US in May 2006. Soon she realized the reality was a far cry from the dream. However, in 2011, through a Nigerian friend, she discovered the Parent Mentor Program, which was a dream come true for her. A year later, she became PM  coordinator. Eventually, Iyabo was invited to work in the Development Department at Palenque LSNA, but her heart is always with the Parent Mentor Program. Today, she is a proud PEI Program Support Manager with the Parent Mentor Program.

Iyabo is passionate about the way the program changes people's lives and how it is evolving into a movement. She loves the people involved in the Parent Mentor Program, saying, "Like a relationship, sometimes, we do not agree with each other, I know that we are committed to and passionate about the growth of the program and truly care about one another."

Bridget Murphy

Director, Parent Engagement Institute

Organizer, Palenque LSNA

Bridget grew up in suburban Chicago with her two loving parents and her sister, who has always been her best friend. She was surrounded by many role models, such as her mother, who was active in schools as a parent volunteer, lunch supervisor, teacher assistant, and then a kindergarten teacher.

In college, Bridget became interested in social justice and studied civil rights movements. She then moved to Tucson as an Emerson Hunger Fellow and later to Washington D.C. She worked as a staff assistant for Congressman Bernie Sanders. In 2005, Bridget moved to Chicago hoping to learn from some of Chicago’s legendary community organizers. Coincidentally, longtime LSNA Parent Mentor Organizer Leticia Barrera was going on parental leave so in her absence, LSNA hired Bridget to help run the Parent Mentor Program (PMP) and the Grow Your Own Teacher cohort. She later became a mother to two sons, Oscar and Leo, who are both 100% PMP babies!

Bridget feels lucky to still be a part of the PMP family, saying, "Every time I've been in conversations about the Parent Mentor Program over the past 18 years, every Parent Mentor, Coordinator, and Organizer has shared a vision that PMP needs to be in every school. That every parent deserves this opportunity. I'm doing my best to honor that vision and take it seriously, in a sustainable way so that we can all keep going and growing."

"She's from God to that teacher": Our October Newsletter 💜

A NOTE FROM YOUR PEI TEAM

Dear Parent Mentor Family,

“We take care of each other while we work to change the world” is the vision that drives our daily work.

Parent Mentors this year will roll up their sleeves and support the classrooms of 35,000 students in 245 schools across Illinois. We will be working in 39 school districts, including Chicago Public Schools, where we are in 1 out of 3 neighborhood elementary schools in the city. All of this is done through our PEI network of 42 community organizations.

We are supporting students right here, right now, while also learning how to organize beyond the classroom with community organizations for the resources, policies, and public systems our communities deserve.

Currently, many of our schools are figuring out how to welcome new arrivals while supporting all of our existing students in an inadequately-funded school system. In recent focus groups, one theme that came up time and time again is how critical Parent Mentors are for our schools to adapt and function.

Here is one quote from a focus group:

“We had many new immigrant students who came, and we had to ask for money and emergency teachers to create new bilingual classes. But there’s a fourth-grade class here that still has like 33 or 35 students there in the room and the teacher doesn’t speak Spanish, so we gave her a Parent Mentor who speaks English and Spanish, and she’s from God to that teacher.”

That’s it—we take care of each other while we work to change the world. Parent Mentors are meeting immediate needs in the classroom, while advocating for the resources our schools need.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the Parent Mentors, Coordinators, Organizers, teachers, and administrators who believe in public education and are in this work together to take care of each other while we work to change the world.

-The Parent Engagement Institute Team

VIDEO PREMIERE

New Commercial Highlights What It Means to Be a Parent Mentor

PEI has just released a short promotional video about what it means to be a Parent Mentor. From how a parent can support students and teachers in the classroom, to the professional opportunities that the Parent Mentor Program provides, the video showcases the core elements that make up the program. View it now on our YouTube channel. Thanks to all of the Parent Mentors, Coordinators, Organizers, and students who starred in the video and made it a reality!

Above: Behind-the-scenes photos on set of the Parent Mentor Program commercial production.

TRAIN-THE-TRAINER FY24 KICK-OFF

Parent Mentor Program Coordinators, Organizers Kick Off New School Year with Annual Training Series Celebration

We would like to thank everyone who joined us for our kick-off celebration for the Parent Mentor Program and 2023-2024 school year! The event was a huge success and we were thrilled to see so many dedicated Parent Mentor Coordinators and Organizers in attendance. We celebrated the completion of our Train-the-Trainer 101 workshop series and recognized the hard work and commitment of our Coordinators and Organizers. The event was a great opportunity for our communities across Illinois to connect with each other and get ready to imbue their knowledge and radical love into their schools and beyond. Click here to view the full photo gallery and relive the celebration!

Read more about the celebration on Chalkbeat Chicago:

“On Friday […] hundreds of other parent program coordinators  — mostly Black and Latino women from Chicago and the suburbs — sat in a packed auditorium at Harry S. Truman Community College on the city’s North Side to celebrate the start of a new school year. 

‘When we talk about growing our own from within, this is the program to do that. We have such a shortage of teachers, it’s clear to see that these parents love education,’ said Aaron. ‘These are future teachers sitting in this room.’”

Read the full article here.

INITIAL TRAINING RECAP

Parent Mentors Get Ready to Bolster Classrooms Across Illinois

Congratulations to all the Parent Mentor cohorts across the state who completed their Initial Training for the 2023-2024 school year! Parent Mentors gathered together to build community and get ready to support teachers and students in the classroom. Another congratulations to all of our Parent Mentor Coordinators who have been hard at work for months to launch their Initial Training sessions!

Above: Photos of Parent Mentors across Illinois completing their initial training.

PHOTO ROUNDUP: PARENT MENTORS IN ACTION!

Parent Mentors out in their communities engaging new parents and spreading the word about the Parent Mentor Program.

Illinois State Representative Theresa Mah visits back-to-school event and shares her excitement about the Parent Mentor Program on her social channels, writing, “Had a chance to stop by at Healy's Back-to-school bash and it was so much fun! […] I was happy to see folks from Project: VISION's Parent Mentor Program - Illinois talking to parents about joining their free program--which includes leadership training and a stipend!”

South Side Help Center’s Parent Mentor Program team prepare swag bags for parents for the first day of school.

Parent Mentors help paint a beautiful new mural in Moline, Illinois.

Palenque LSNA education team hosts “Teacher Presentations” to build relationships, share our values and dreams, and nurture strong connections in our community schools.

IN THE NEWS

Waukegan Parent Mentors, Hispanic American Community Education and Services Featured in Chicago Tribune

Above: A parent mentor works with students at North Elementary School in Waukegan last school year. - Original Credit: News-Sun (Waukegan District 60/HANDOUT)

Article excerpt: “A three-way collaboration between HACES, United Way of Lake County and the Waukegan public schools gives students more attention in the classroom, and parents an opportunity to both understand what happens in school and a potential career path. […]

‘The mentors work with students in a classroom, and learn how the education system works,’ Alicia Garcia, HACES’ (Hispanic American Community Education and Services) director of programs, said. ‘It teaches how to advocate for your own child.’ […]

North Principal Nicole Lemberger said there were six mentors a year ago, she hopes to have eight to 10 this year and she would like to have one for each classroom. […]

‘They give students a strong growth consistency,’ she said. ‘They can work in monolingual, bilingual and diverse learner classrooms. They learn skills to help them parent their own children at home.’

Lemberger said the mentors help expand learning because they can work with one group of students, while the teacher helps another and the paraprofessional assists still a third. Without them, the small groups cannot function simultaneously.”

Read the full article here.

PEI BIRTHDAY SHOUT-OUTS

Adriana Velasquez

Organizer, Parent Engagement Institute, SWOP

Adriana Velazquez was born in Tziritzícuaro, Michoacán, and grew up in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood. Adriana's parents were strong risk-takers who broke barriers and sought better paths for their family, and she credits them for shaping who she is today.

Adriana enjoys working with the Parent Mentor Program because it allows her to improve things for those inside her community and beyond. Her favorite aspect of the work is watching parents evolve and grow into their superpowers as they participate in the program. She also enjoys being a part of a group of powerful women who respect, listen, and welcome her.

Outside her work for the Parent Mentor Program, Adriana is dedicated to her singing and music career.

Bridgett White

Organizer, PEI Education Equity Policy Specialist Parent Engagement Institute, Palenque LSNA

Bridgett was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago in the Beverly neighborhood. Bridgett's passion for disability justice began at an early age as she helped support her two younger brothers, Michael and Maurice, who are handicapped. Having experienced many hardships throughout her childhood, Bridgett shares her personal story as a method for healing within herself and those around her. She believes that no matter your circumstances, you can still make a difference and change lives.

Bridgett graduated from Chicago State University with a Bachelor's in Accounting and then worked in the corporate world for about 15 years. After leaving the corporate world, her three wonderful children inspired her to get actively involved in their education. This pivot would eventually lead her to seek out organizing for education justice.

Bridgett joined PEI as a Program Support Manager in 2021 and coaches eight Parent Mentor Partner Organizations across the South and West sides of Chicago. In addition, she co-leads the PEI Disability Justice cohorts and posts all the awesome photos you see on Parent Mentor social media. Bridgett wants to see ALL schools and communities thrive with the same access and opportunities for education.

Flor Dimas

Ladders of Opportunity Project Manager, Parent Engagement Institute, Palenque LSNA

Born and raised in Dallas, TX, Flor is the proud daughter of immigrant parents and proud Californian field workers. From age 14 to 22, Flor lived in her mother's homeland Yucatan, Mexico, where she became fully immersed in her culture and ancestry. Flor holds a Bachelor's degree in English with a minor in secondary education from Escuela Normal Superior de Yucatan.

After graduating and moving back to Dallas, TX, she met her husband, started her family, and became an Elementary Bilingual Literacy Educator in Texas and Illinois for more than 14 years.

While working as a teacher, Flor witnessed the injustices, struggles, and hardships of bilingual parents and students and those who needed speech therapy services. Realizing that change could only come from within the institution, she accepted a position as a bilingual instructional coach and trainer for teachers to educate bilingual teachers on their rights and encourage them to form an alliance with parents. To continue growing her career, Flor moved to Chicago, IL to earn a Master's degree in Latin American Literature and Cultures Masters at Northeastern Illinois University.

Never losing her desire to advocate for bilingualism, literacy, and education in general, she got involved in the Parent Mentor Program. The program offered an opportunity to create solutions for the barriers our education system faces. Flor works with the Parent Engagement Institute and Parent Mentor Program as a curriculum advisor and a trainer and career coach for parents across Illinois who are passionate about joining the educational field. In Flor’s own words, “I was missing the justice warrior in me until I found the Parent Mentor Program.”

Tara Henderson

Data Liaison, Parent Engagement Institute
Organizer, SWOP

Tara Henderson was born on the south side of Chicago, IL, and is the eldest of five siblings. Tara's interest in the field of psychology started at William Rainey Harper High School, where her advice and counseling was often sought out by students.

She received a scholarship to Harold Washington College and the University of Chicago as part of a partnership program to major in Clinical Psychology and minor in Spanish.

Tara joined the Parent Mentor Program in 2013 after her daughter's persistent encouragement. After completing the training, Tara fell in love with the Program and soon became a Parent Coordinator. She currently works as PEI's Data Projects Manager as well as a Community Organizer with SWOP.

Tara and her late husband have a beautiful daughter, Amina. Although Tara and her family have experienced tragedies, she remains resilient and positive. She enjoys cooking, crocheting, and reading--especially anything with werewolves and vampires!

Announcing The PEI Podcast! Now streaming on Spotify.

The Parent Engagement Institute Podcast Now Streaming on Spotify!

Welcome to the Parent Engagement Institute Podcast! Interviewing Black, Brown, and Immigrant mothers in Illinois, this series tells the story of four women whose personal and professional lives have been forever changed by the Parent Mentor Program. The Parent Mentor Program works with public schools statewide to recruit neighborhood parents to assist teachers in the classroom. Interviewed by members of the Parent Engagement Institute, women Carmen, Brenda, Jackie, and Ms. Tina reveal their journey from the role of Parent Mentor to that of teacher, social worker, student, and civic organizer.

Illinois parent mentors kick off the school year, ready to get back into classrooms

By Samantha Smylie

Sept 5, 2023, 10:25am CDT

Article excerpt: “Last year, Pearlie Aaron volunteered as a parent mentor at the school her 10-year-old daughter attends — McKinley Elementary in Bellwood School District 88. Aaron got a chance to work with students on classroom assignments and receive professional development with other parent mentors for about two hours a day.

Now, Aaron is a program coordinator at McKinley for the Parent Mentor Program, a state-funded initiative run by Palenque Liberating Spaces through Neighborhood Action and the Southwest Organizing Project.

On Friday, Aaron and hundreds of other parent program coordinators  — mostly Black and Latino women from Chicago and the suburbs — sat in a packed auditorium at Harry S. Truman Community College on the city’s North Side to celebrate the start of a new school year. 

“When we talk about growing our own from within, this is the program to do that. We have such a shortage of teachers, it’s clear to see that these parents love education,” said Aaron. “These are future teachers sitting in this room.”

The Parent Mentor Program has around 2,000 parent mentors and staff in over 200 schools, at almost 40 school districts around the state, according to a press release. The organization works with 44 community-based organizations across the state to help recruit parents from their neighborhoods.”

Read the full article here.

Parent Mentors program expanding in Waukegan elementary schools; ‘It’s much better than ... working with a Chromebook’

By Steve Sadin

Lake County News-Sun

Published: Aug 31, 2023 at 1:38 pm

A parent mentor works with students at North Elementary School in Waukegan last school year. - Original Credit: News-Sun (Waukegan District 60/HANDOUT)

“A three-way collaboration between HACES, United Way of Lake County and the Waukegan public schools gives students more attention in the classroom, and parents an opportunity to both understand what happens in school and a potential career path. […]

‘The mentors work with students in a classroom, and learn how the education system works,’ Alicia Garcia, HACES’ (Hispanic American Community Education and Services) director of programs, said. ‘It teaches how to advocate for your own child.’ […]

North Principal Nicole Lemberger said there were six mentors a year ago, she hopes to have eight to 10 this year and she would like to have one for each classroom. […]

‘They give students a strong growth consistency,’ she said. ‘They can work in monolingual, bilingual and diverse learner classrooms. They learn skills to help them parent their own children at home.’

Lemberger said the mentors help expand learning because they can work with one group of students, while the teacher helps another and the paraprofessional assists still a third. Without them, the small groups cannot function simultaneously.”

Read the full article here.

We did it! Celebrating $14M for the Parent Mentor Program 🎉

A NOTE FROM YOUR PEI TEAM

Dear Parent Mentor Family,

We did it! And then some! This year we asked for $13.5M in the state budget for the Illinois Statewide Parent Mentor Program. It was a big, bodacious ask to go from $8M to $13.5M. Well, guess what? We ended up with $14M! Congratulations!

The main purpose of this big, bodacious request was to increase the grant amount that goes to the community organizations leading the work. As a statewide Parent Mentor network, we collectively organized for this budget increase so that the people leading this work, over 90% of whom are Black, Latina, and immigrant women, are more fairly compensated for the unique, essential, and nationally-recognized work we do every day within the classroom and beyond.

Every day this school year, 1,660 Parent Mentors worked with students in classrooms in 225 schools across Illinois. Our beloved schools are facing historic levels of mental health challenges, staffing shortages, and deeply inadequate funding systems. The fact that Parent Mentor Coordinators were able to recruit, onboard, and support 1,660 Parent Mentors to fill the gaps in our classrooms and give 33,123 students extra attention is nothing short of heroic.

We want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to every Parent Mentor who showed up every day in the classroom, and to our champions in Springfield who recognize the power of your work.

Congratulations again.

With gratitude,

The Parent Engagement Institute Team

VIDEO PREMIERE

New Video Highlights the Power of Parent Mentor Program in Building Strong School Communities

Our brand new video We Grow Together showcases the impact of the Parent Mentor Program in building strong school communities. The video highlights how through the program, parents become leaders in their community as well as mentors and advocates for their children's education, creating a supportive environment that benefits everyone involved. Click the play button above to watch!

2023 CONVENTION

Relive the 2023 Parent Mentor Program Convention: Photos and Highlights

Join us in reliving the excitement of the 2023 Parent Mentor Program Convention! From inspiring speakers to many moments of reconnecting with your PMP family, this convention had it all. And now, you can take a trip down memory lane with our photo gallery featuring all the highlights of the event. Click here to access the photo gallery!

Above (from left to right): Ana Laura Narro, PEI Lead Organizer, SWOP; Maggie Perales, PEI State Grant Administrator, SWOP; Jianan Shi, President, Chicago Board of Education and former director of Raise Your Hand; Stacy Davis Gates, President, Chicago Teachers Union; Leticia Barrera, Parent Mentor Program Director, Palenque LSNA; Jen Johnson, Chicago Deputy Mayor of Education, Youth, and Human Services; Liz Steinhauser, National Parent Engagement Organizer, American Federation of Teachers; Ruby Rodriguez, Parent Mentor Administrative Financial Manager, SWOP.

COORDINATORS IN ACTION

Parent Mentor Organizers, Coordinators Gear Up for Successful School Year with Summer Brainstorm Sessions and Workshops

Summer is here, which means Parent Mentor Organizers and Coordinators have been hard at work as they prepare for the upcoming school year. From brainstorming ways to recruit new Parent Mentors, to committing to weeks of professional development workshops, our Organizer’s and Coordinator’s tireless dedication to their crucial role in supporting their cohorts and our program as a whole is beyond inspiring! We can't wait to welcome new Parent Mentors as they join us in this transformative work.

Above: Palenque LSNA Parent Mentor Organizers and Coordinators strategizing ways to recruit new parents for 2023-2024.

Above: Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) Parent Mentor Organizers and Coordinators host and participate in a month-long professional development workshop series.

LADDERS OF OPPORTUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Congratulations to Secilia Perez on Earning Paraprofessional License!

Hailing from Gurnee, Illinois, Secilia Perez joined the PEI family by way of Woodland Primary School, where she volunteered as a Parent Mentor through the Lake County Regional Organization of Education.

After only a few weeks of starting on her Parent Mentor journey, she realized that pursuing a career in education would be her top priority. She learned about the paraprofessional role and how PEI can help prepare Parent Mentors for the licensing process, and knew instantly that this was how she would achieve her goals. We're so happy to share that Secilia Perez has received her paraprofessional license and is interviewing for a paraprofessional position! Congratulations, Secilia!

She has been greatly impacted by her experience as a Parent Mentor, and notes how powerful it is to see her work make such a difference in "students whose confidence was low, who were shy, and just needed that extra push to become outgoing students who are succeeding academically and socially.

SAVE THE DATE: UPCOMING TRAININGS

Save the Dates for the 2023 Orientation and Train-the-Trainer 101! 

These sessions are designed for Parent Mentor Organizers and Coordinators who are about to start the Parent Mentor Program. While some of us will be brand new to the Parent Mentor Program and some will bring 25+ years of experience nurturing this work in our schools and communities, all of us will end up as a Parent Mentor family.

Orientation: August 7-11, 2023
This is 10 hours of training provided by the Parent Engagement Institute for Organizers and Coordinators where we flesh out all of the Parent Mentor Program (PMP) policies and procedures, guidelines, expectations, rules, roles and responsibilities, paperwork, etc. Participants will learn about the structure of the PMP as well as the ongoing coaching support they will receive from their respective Parent Engagement Institute Program Support Manager and the Parent Engagement Institute as a whole. We will also share the larger picture of PEI’s mission and vision, and our hopes and dreams for our program.

Train The Trainer 101 (TTT101): August 28-31, 2023
This is a train-the-trainer for the PMP Initial Training. This 5 days of training to bring PMP participants together into a space to ground ourselves in love, connection, relationship building, compassion, self-care, and growth. During TTT101, PEI models the PM initial training for ALL Coordinators and Organizers who will return to their communities and share the amazing experiences and love with their Parent Mentor cohorts.

Kick-Off Celebration for 2023-24 School Year: September 1, 2023

Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!

PEI BIRTHDAY SHOUT-OUTS

May & June Birthdays at the Parent Engagement Institute

Ana Laura Narro

PEI Lead Organizer, Parent Engagement Institute, SWOP

Ana Laura was born in Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico, and is the oldest of four children. Due to her father’s job, Ana Laura lived her childhood moving around Mexico and enjoyed experiencing different foods, traditions, and people. Ana Laura was an education and art lover and dreamed of one day becoming a teacher.

She earned her bachelor's degree in Communication and won a scholarship to Davidson College in North Carolina, where she completed her associate's degree in Art and Visual Communication.

After her family moved to the United States, Ana Laura noticed strained communications between her daughter’s preschool staff and non-English-speaking parents due to a lack of translation assistance. Always seeking ways to lend a helping hand, she took the initiative to help with the language barrier and became a Parent Aid. Upon understanding the immense value Ana Laura’s skills bring, the school Principal supported her in obtaining her teaching license.

Ana Laura took a short hiatus from working in education to stay at home to take care of her son who became ill. After learning her son was experiencing issues in his classroom, she jumped into action and worked with the school board to resolve the matter. While she wasn’t able to accept it, the Principal offered her a position at the school and introduced her to the Parent Mentor Program as the next best way to become involved in her son’s school.

Ana Laura became a Coordinator and Organizer for Nightingale School and is now with Southwest Organizing Project and the Parent Engagement Institute. She loves the Parent Mentor Program because it allows her to fulfill her dream of educating and helping others by creating a way for parents to understand the school system better and grow personally and professionally.

Ruby Rodriguez

Parent Mentor Administrative Financial Manager, Parent Engagement Institute, SWOP

Ruby Rodriguez was born and raised in the Eckhart Park area of Chicago. As she entered her teenage years, Ruby started to dream big and plan her future. Her first job was at First Chicago Bank as a proofreader. Ruby graduated high school and began her college education while continuing to work and climb the ranks at the bank.

It wasn't long after that she met the her husband, Joel Rodriguez, and the joy and happiness of family life began.

After working for the bank for 13 years, Ruby decided to become a full-time stay-at-home mom. She rejoined the workforce a few years later and was encouraged to apply for an open position at the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP). A perfect fit, Ruby was hired and welcomed with open arms. She is now thriving as a Parent Mentor Administrative Financial Manager with the Parent Mentor Program.

Ruby says what she loves most about the Parent Mentor Program is the empowerment of the individual Parent Mentors and the impact on the children. She recognizes the need for father figures in kids' lives and hopes more fathers join the PMP program. Ruby is of strong faith, loves to DIY, and enjoys spending time with family and friends

FY24 Parent Mentor Program Application Now Available!

Announcing our FY24 Parent Mentor Program Application

Bring the Parent Mentor Program to your community!

The Parent Engagement Institute (PEI), a partnership between Palenque LSNA and Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP), is looking for community organizations and school partnerships in Illinois to apply to start the Parent Mentor Program in their local public schools during the school year 2023-2024. The application deadline is June 30, 2023.

Upcoming info session:
Monday, June 12, 2023 at 10:00 am Central Time (US and Canada)*
Click here to register.
*If you cannot attend the info session, visit our website after Tuesday, June 13 to access the informational slide deck and Zoom recording.


Click here to download the 2024 Parent Mentor Program Application.

What is the Parent Mentor Program?

Parent Mentors help address persistent equity gaps in their own children's schools by volunteering in classrooms for two hours/day for at least 200 hours. The Parent Mentors access weekly professional development on instructional practices, leadership and career opportunities, mentoring from a teacher, and stipends. Parent Mentors support each other within their cohort to pursue their dreams and unite the school community for long-term change. For more information, please visit the Parent Engagement Institute website and this fact sheet on program impact.

How will the Parent Engagement Institute support us?

We seek community partners ready to collaborate with their public schools in Illinois to implement the Parent Mentor Program to accomplish these goals. We anticipate adding 3-4 new partner organizations to lead the Parent Mentor Program in their communities, each starting with an average of 2 public schools. SWOP will provide a contract of a minimum of $40,000 per school. Partners and schools may choose cohorts of 6 or 8 Parent Mentors. Contracts are for one year only. Funding is through the Illinois State Board of Education.

Our relationship is more than a grant. Based on over 25 years of running local Parent Mentor programs, Palenque LSNA and SWOP have developed the PEI to coach other community organizations and school districts to replicate the Parent Mentor model and join our network. PEI provides an orientation, a yearlong calendar of professional development workshops for partner organizations, a peer support network, site-specific coaching, and the program documents needed to help make sure your program is successful and true to the original values.

Who is eligible?

Our priority will be partnering with community-based organizations rooted in Black communities, severely under-resourced school districts, and/or rural communities. Must be in Illinois.

What else do I need to know?

The application deadline is June 30, 2023. We are offering an informational session at 10:00am Monday, June 12, 2023. Click here for registration.  An informational slide deck, recording of the info session, and all application materials will be available on our website here after the session.

Click here to download the application.

Questions?
Please feel free to reach out to Director of the Parent Engagement Institute Bridget Murphy at bmurphy@palenquelsna.org for more info.

April + May 2023 Newsletter

A Note From Your PEI Team

Dear Parent Mentor Family,

Whether you are a current or former Parent Mentor, an educator, an organizer, and/or a champion of the Parent Mentor Program, we invite you to join us to celebrate our 10TH ANNIVERSARY as a Statewide Parent Mentor Program at the Parent Mentor Convention on Wednesday, May 24th 9:30am - 2:00pm at House of Hope, 752 E. 114th St., Chicago, IL. We are proud to announce that our Keynote Speaker for the Convention will be Stacy Davis Gates, President of the Chicago Teachers Union. Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to learn more!

Many of us can remember the excitement 10 years ago in 2013, when we gathered for our first Statewide Parent Mentor Convention at Daley College. The energy, power, and potential was palpable—we felt in our bones that it was our mission to keep growing and opening this movement to more parents and schools.

In 2013, the Parent Mentor Program was in 57 schools. In 2023, we are rooted in 225 schools across Illinois. 10 years later, we still feel in our bones that it is our mission to keep strengthening and growing the Parent Mentor movement. We are in the home stretch of our state budget campaign for $13.5M in FY24, and should hopefully know the outcome by the time we gather for Convention May 24.

Thank you to everyone who has helped foster this movement of growth, leadership, and radical love—from 1995 at Funston Elementary in Logan Square to 2013 at Daley College to 2023 at House of Hope.

See you there!

The Parent Engagement Institute Team

featured story

Campaign for $13.5M in the General Revenue Fund for Parent Mentor Program Continues

Parent Mentors and our partner organizations are continuing their hard work in the campaign for $13.5M in the General Revenue Fund for the Parent Mentor Program. Over the last few months, parents have met with a record number of our elected officials across the state of Illinois. Check out the highlights below!

Palenque LSNA

Senators Omar Aquino and Cristina Pacione-Zayas and State Representatives Eva Dina Delgado, Jaime Andrade, Lilian Jiménez and Will Guzzardi meet with Parent Mentors and Palenque LSNA staff.

DISTRICT OUTREACH INITIATIVES

To meet with Parent Mentors, Senator Willie Preston visits Dr Martin Luther King Jr Academy of Social Justice and Senator Robert Peters visits Parkside Elementary Community Academy.

Enlace Chicago

Enlace Chicago Parent Mentors meet at several schools with State Representatives Edgar Gonzalez, Theresa Mah, and State Senator Celina Villanueva.

Las Boconas

First ever Parent Mentor Program site visit and meeting with Speaker of the House of Representatives Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch! Thank you to Las Boconas, West 40 ISC, and Bellwood School District 88's school McKinley ElementarySchool for hosting. Truly a pleasure.

Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP)

SWOP Parent Mentors meet with State Representative Cyril Nichols in his office.

Indo-American Center

Indo-American Center Parent Mentors share their stories, testimonies with State Representative Kevin Olickal at Daniel Boone Elementary School.

Brighton Park Neighborhood Council

Brighton Park Neighborhood Council had their state legislators out today to visit Parent Mentors from eight different schools.

Garden of Prayer Early Education & Intervention Center

Representing five different schools in the Kankakee School District, the Garden of Prayer Parent Mentor Group met with State Representative Jackie Haas.

A PRINCIPAL’S PERSPECTIVE

Brentano Math & Science Academy Principal Reflects on ‘Beautiful Change’ Brought by Parent Mentors

In a letter written earlier this month, Principal Seth Lavin of Brentano Math & Science Academy outlined just how impactful the power of the Parent Mentor Program can be on a school, its staff, and the school community at large. Read the letter below:

LADDERS OF OPPORTUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Congratulations to Esmeralda Torres on Earning Paraprofessional License

Originally from Jalisco, Mexico, Esmeralda Torres has called Chicago home for 14 years. Esmeralda started as a Parent Mentor and then became a Parent Mentor Coordinator at Pasteur Elementary. Always wanting to do more to support the students, she recently became a math tutor at Pasteur through the CPS Tutor Corps program.

This past year, with the support from the Ladders of Opportunity team at the Parent Engagement Institute, she attended preparation classes for the WorkKeys exam in order to apply for a Paraprofessional License. We are thrilled to share that she passed both the reading and math exams and has been approved for her permanent Paraprofessional License!

Esmeralda's next step is to be hired as a bilingual teacher assistant. Esmeralda shares how integral the support from the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) was to achieving her goals: "They motivated me to fight for my goals, and provided me with the necessary tools to achieve it,” she says. "It's never too late to achieve your goals."

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE WORKSHOP

Upcoming Workshop Series To Focus on the Meaning and History of Restorative Justice

In this workshop series, we re/imagine what Restorative Cultures look and feel like in schools. We are imagining, and actually, reimagining or remembering what Restorative Cultures are, which are cultures that are historically rooted in relationships that promote restoration and compassion, as opposed to punishment and indifference. To explore this re/imagination phase, we must also explore the history of how restorative culture were replaced with a punitive one.

Workshop Objectives:

  1. Examine the connection between Race, Ability, and School Discipline  

  2. Identify the School-to-Prison Pipeline

  3. Envision a future where we invest in helping children learn how to take care of themselves and each other.  

About the presenters:

huu nguyen

is a cultural worker and organizer whose being is steeped in different cultural practices that are all grounded in unwavering values of a commitment and praxis to restorative and transformative justice principles. She was born in Vietnam, raised in North Carolina and awakened in Chicago, where she calls home, living on the southside with her partner and two teenage daughters.

Mayra Sarabia

is a Parent Engagement Institute Program Support Manager, where she coaches parent mentor partner organizations in adapting the Parent Mentor Program to their own school communities and helps pilot the Ladders of Opportunity initiative. Mayra got her start at Southwest Organizing Project as a Parent Mentor, then as a Parent Mentor Coordinator, then as an organizer working for education and immigrant justice.

Monica Soto-Espinoza

is a Parent Mentor Coordinator/Organizer & proud Parent Leader with Palenque LSNA. She strongly believes in healing through learning/unlearning behavioral patterns and systems of oppression. She believes healing starts internally and then can ripple outward powerfully.

SPRING WORKSHOPS

Upcoming Workshop Schedule

Wednesday, May 3: Healing and Restorative Justice
Wednesday, May 10: Healing and Restorative Justice
Wednesday, May 17: Healing and Restorative Justice
Wednesday, May 31: Beyond the Classroom Series - Celebration! And Summer Opportunities and Activities/Resources

All workshops take place on Zoom and are offered at two times:

  • 11:30 am - 1:00 pm: English, Spanish, Mandarin or Arabic

  • 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm: English or Spanish.

DISABILITY JUSTICE WORKSHOP UPDATE

Disability Justice Concludes Successful Workshop Series With Spanish Cohort

The Parent Engagement Institute’s Program Support Manager Ana Laura Narro, who is overseeing the Disability Workshop’s Spanish cohort, stated the workshop series has been a great success. Maria Castillo, the instructor with Family Resource Center on Disabilities shared that this cohort’s sessions have been highly participatory, engaged, and interactive.

Reflecting on the sessions, the parents in attendance expressed their gratitude for what they learned, the help they received, and the invaluable resources that have been shared with them because it has allowed them to feel empowered and more informed about what they can do for their children and others. Learn more about their experiences in the quotes below.

“First of all, as a mother because I didn't know many things about how to advocate for my children at Lee School. But after meeting Maria and attending her workshops, my personal empowerment has been more effective. I have been able to get one of my children evaluated to get better educational services and I have been able to help other parents in their need for guidance and resources.”

—Reinalda Lara, Parent Mentor Coordinator, Lee Elementary/ SWOP

“This training has helped me a lot in my day to day life as a mentor. In the classroom it has helped me a lot to be able to handle situations with the children in class, and to know how to deal with each one. Each child learns in their own way and at their own time, patience, affection and all the learning helps us to be better parents, better educators, better parent mentors. Well, this training for me has been very important in my life, it has helped me to understand things that I didn't even know how to handle. In my family we have a member with autism; that is why for me it was very important to be part of this training, to understand more about the subject because for us it is new. I thank you in advance for this learning opportunity; I hope to continue to nurture myself with more information.”

—Mayra Tinoco, Parent Mentor, HACES, Waukegan, IL

PEI BIRTHDAY SHOUT-OUTS

April & May Birthdays at the Parent Engagement Institute

Fanny Lopez-Benitez

Director of Innovation and Evaluation, Parent Engagement Institute, Palenque LSNA

Fanny was born in Mexico City Mexico and moved to the Bensenville, Illinois with her family at age 13. Experiencing displacement and difficulties finding affordable housing at a young age became the seed that grew Fanny into the advocate she is today; along with the fight for immigration rights.

She earned an undergraduate degree from Dominican University in River Forest and her masters degree at University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. Her studies and various jobs led her into organizing and gave her extensive experience supporting communities of color in Illinois with project management, community-based research and evaluation, community organizing, bilingual popular education, and mentoring.

Fanny is on a mission to co-create spaces rooted in radical love, joy and mutual aid with other oppressed folks to achieve our collective healing, transformation, and liberation. The stars aligned when she joined the Parent Mentor Program after applying for the Director of Innovation and Evaluation position with Palenque LSNA.

Although her mission is important to Fanny, what supersedes all of that is what brings her the most satisfaction and joy: her two children with her husband David Martinez. In her down time (as if there is such a thing with a working mom), she enjoys reading, writing stories, dancing, and solving puzzles. Fanny looks forward to planting seeds of liberation with her children and other future generations!

 

Rebecca Walz

Innovation and Evaluation Data Analyst, Parent Engagement Institute, Palenque LSNA

Rebecca joined the Parent Engagement Institute following several years of volunteering and working in community organizing as well as 10 years of teaching 8th grade and high school in Chicago Public Schools.

Growing up, Rebecca listened to her mom tell stories of how her Milwaukee public high school was finally integrated in the 1970s – more than 20 years after Brown vs. the Board of Education. She realized that public schools were shaped by social, political, and economic forces and that she should care about how they were organized and whom they benefited.

When Rebecca learned of the opportunity to support the Parent Mentor Program and apply her new skills from recent studies in education policy, she jumped at the chance. Rebecca is inspired by how the Parent Mentor Program empowers parents to share their culture, wisdom, and perspective with teachers and public education stakeholders. In her free time, Rebecca is learning how to play soccer and exploring the DMV with her partner, Pablo.

March 2023 Newsletter

A Note From Your PEI Team

Dear Parent Mentor Family,

Since 2012, we have traveled to Springfield with thousands of letters, flowers, photos, and even homemade trees to create, protect, or increase funding for the Parent Mentor Program. Acting out of love, we have seen our Parent Mentor budget line grow from $1 million in FY13 to $8M today.

This spring we are respectfully and unapologetically requesting $13.5M for the Parent Mentor Program in General Revenue Funds.

$13.5M is for:

  1. Equity: Ensure all Parent Mentor Coordinators statewide can be paid at least 20 hours/week

  2. Capacity: Make sure partner organizations have the staffing and stipend funding to run a quality program in the face of rising operating costs

  3. Opportunity: Bring the Parent Mentor Program to at least 10 additional schools

Parent Mentors and Parent Mentor staff love what we do, but we can’t live on love alone. Over 90% of Parent Mentor staff and Parent Mentors are women of color, mothers dedicating their days to improving and filling the gaps in some of our most under-resourced, highest poverty elementary schools in the state. In other words, doing some of our state’s most important work every day.

Community organizations have operated the Parent Mentor Program on a shoestring budget and relied on passion to make ends meet. We have prided ourselves on our fundraising creativity and hustle, but we can’t keep up with rising operating costs. This bandaid solution of relying on nonprofit fundraising to fill budget gaps is not equitable because not all organizations or school districts have equal fundraising capacity.

We are asking for $13.5M out of deep respect for the parents who lead this work in our communities. The Parent Mentor Program is unique, it is valuable, and it is worth funding sustainably and equitably.

To our parent mentors and coordinators, thank you for telling your story everywhere you go.

To our legislator champions, thank you for listening and walking with us as we create this path together.

See you in our schools and/or in Springfield!
The Parent Engagement Institute Team

Above: A parent mentor hard at work at Gale Elementary Community Academy, meeting students where they’re at. Let's raise the floor for the Parent Mentor Program and bring home $13.5M!

featured story

Parent Mentors Across Illinois Welcome Legislators Into Their Schools

Over the last few weeks, our partner organizations and their Parent Mentors are meeting with elected officials across the state of Illinois to share how the Parent Mentor Program has positively impacted their lives, their families, their schools, and their communities. Check out the highlights below.

 

Woodland Elementary School

Woodland Community School District’s Parent Mentor team welcomed State Representative Joyce Mason and State Representative Candidate Laura Faver Dias for a presentation and tour. During the visit, teachers shared deeply moving testimony about how Parent Mentors taught their students to read, and Parent Mentor Coordinators expressed their deep admiration for Parent Mentor Program Support Manager Kathy Davis and her tireless guidance. Highlighting how the program inspires and builds ladders of opportunity for parents to begin careers in education, one Parent Mentor shared she now has a Paraprofessional License thanks to coaching from Flor Dimas and others at the Parent Engagement Institute. It was a beautiful day!

 

The Resurrection Project

The Resurrection Project’s Parent Mentors met with State Representatives Theresa Mah, Edgar Gonzalez Jr., Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, and Aarón M. Ortiz in Springfield.

MONTHLY PHOTO ROUND UP

WINTER/SPRING WORKSHOPS

Upcoming Workshop Schedule

Wednesday, March 22:Training on Instructional Practices for Tutors, Organizers, and Parents (TIPTOP) -Student Engagement: Engaging Student Attention throughout a Learning Activity

Wednesday, March 29:TIPTOP -Quality Questions: Questioning Strategies to Extend Student Thinking
Wednesday, April 5:No workshop - Happy Spring Break!
Wednesday, April 12:Building Relationships through the Power of Sharing Your Story
Wednesday, April 19:TIPTOP -Effective Feedback:Providing Individual and Specific Feedback to Increase Student Understanding

Wednesday, April 26:Beyond the Classroom Series: Organizing Tools #4

All workshops take place on Zoom and are offered at two times:

  • 11:30 am - 1:00 pm: English, Spanish, Mandarin or Arabic

  • 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm: English or Spanish.

February 2023 Newsletter

A Note From Your PEI Team

“Building Lines of Solidarity” was the creed that Tami Love urged us to live by. Tami was a member of the very first parent mentor cohort at Funston Elementary in 1995, and she went on to become a legendary housing organizer and builder of the Parent Engagement Institute until her passing two years ago, in February 2021.

When Tami joined the Parent Mentor Program, she was the only Black parent in her otherwise Latina cohort. She spent the next 26 years learning Spanish, becoming an expert on arroz con gandules and carne asada, and learning about the immigration issues that weighed heavily on her friends.

Today–because of organizers like Tami Love who traveled the state with a vision of solidarity–the Parent Mentor Program is in 45 communities across Illinois. Our school communities are 47% Latino, 35% Black, 11% White, and 4% Asian.

We take seriously Tami’s call to build lines of solidarity across and within our communities. We believe that building lines of solidarity begins with learning the histories we’ve never been taught, especially Black history.

Every Wednesday, over 1,100 parents join our multilingual townhall-style professional development workshops where we invite each other to open our mics and we call on each other to listen deeply. We want to say thank you to all of the presenters who not only teach us our histories, but also cultivate a brave space for us to connect the past to the present. Most of all, we want to say thank you to all the parent mentors who step out of their comfort zone in order to share and to act. See you soon.

In solidarity,
The Parent Engagement Institute Team

Above: Illustration artwork of Tami Love exemplifying her impact on the Parent Mentor Program.

MONTHLY PHOTO ROUND UP

GOVERNOR’S STAFF VISITS PARENT MENTOR PROGRAM

Above: Group photo of Governor’s staff with Parent Mentors, PEI/Palenque LSNA staff, and educators at McAuliffe Elementary.

Parent Mentors, Palenque LSNA Welcome Deputy Governor for Education at McAuliffe Elementary

Last week, Deputy Governor for Education Martin Torres and First Assistant Deputy Governor for Education Teresa Ramos visited McAuliffe Elementary School and Palenque LSNA to see the Parent Mentor Program in action.

During their visit, McAuliffe Elementary Parent Mentors, educators, and staff shared stories and discussed their work with the Governor's team. A day like this reminds us that our statewide parent mentor initiative is not only unique to Illinois (for now!), but one of the most valuable aspects of our state. Thank you to our Parent Mentors, McAuliffe Elementary, and the Governor’s staff!

LADDERS OF OPPORTUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Above (from left to right or top to bottom): Photo of Karla Mendez, Photo of Karla Mendez with her family.

Congrats to Karla Mendez on Receiving Your Substitute License!

"As an immigrant, I saw my dream of studying and at least having a small career as something impossible, but dreams come true when you go after them. The fear of everything helps me and pushes me to want to continue learning more, because whenever I am afraid I think, ‘What am I going to feel after overcoming this fear?’ And here the answer: I feel satisfaction for the things I've done after conquering my fear." — Karla G. Mendez

Born in Aguascalientes, México, Karla G. Mendez has lived in Chicago for 17 years and is a mother to two beautiful and intelligent girls. She was a Parent Mentor and later a Parent Coordinator at Hurley Elementary in Chicago’s West Lawn neighborhood.

Through the Parent Mentor Program, Karla discovered her passion for teaching children. After seeing the great need for more teachers in her school, Karla was inspired to get her substitute license to make an even bigger impact. She currently holds an Associate’s Degree and is planning on earning a Bachelor's Degree so she can apply for a permanent substitute license.

From all of us at the Parent Engagement Institute, congratulations Karla!

DISABILITY JUSTICE

Parents Complete Parent Advocacy Leadership Training on Disability Justice

Last month, we kicked off our Disability Justice Cohort for the second year in a row in partnership with the Family Resource Center on Disabilities.

Our amazing parents completed two weeks of Parent Advocacy Leadership Training, which covered the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), IEP and 504 plans, components of evaluations, and so much more! These workshops equip our parents with tools to ensure their children’s needs are met, inside and beyond the classroom.

WINTER/SPRING WORKSHOPS

Upcoming Workshop Schedule

Wednesday, Feb. 22: Black History Workshop
Wednesday, March 1: Women’s Rights Movements
Wednesday, March 15: Beyond the Classroom Series - Organizing Tools #4
Wednesday, March 22: TIPTOP - Quality Questions
Wednesday, March 29: TIPTOP - Effective Feedback

All workshops take place on Zoom and are offered at two times:

  • 11:30 am - 1:00 pm: English, Spanish, Mandarin or Arabic

  • 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm: English or Spanish.

January 2023 Newsletter

January 2023 Newsletter
01.06.23

A NOTE FROM YOUR PEI TEAM

Happy New Year, Parent Mentor family!

We are honored to be able to work with all of you and be in the Parent Mentor movement together. Thank you for all of the love and care you put into the Parent Mentor Program.

In 2023, we are looking forward to:

  • Witnessing the growth, creativity, and brilliance of over 30,000 students every day in our parent mentor classrooms.

  • Supporting parent mentors in following their dreams—especially seeing many of us get education credentials and get hired in our schools.

  • Inspiring and challenging new Weekly Wednesday Workshops with organizers and educators from around the country.

  • Growing our collective organizing and mutual aid work through the Beyond the Classroom Mini-Grant opportunity.

  • Becoming data nerds with our new monthly report and database system.

  • Kicking off our second annual Disability Justice Cohort, in English and Spanish.

  • Celebrating our TENTH Anniversary as a STATEWIDE program in Illinois with our largest graduating class in Parent Mentor history!!

Wishing you peace, rest, joy, and justice in 2023!

Sincerely,
Your Parent Engagement Institute Team

FEATURED STORY

Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline, a special three-part workshop series, kicks off next week

Workshop #1: Organizing to Dismantle the School-to-Prison Pipeline

  • When: Wednesday, January 11, 2023

  • Who: Presented by Mark Warren (University of Massachusetts Boston) and Carlil Pittman (Good Kids Mad City, former VOYCE organizer)

  • What: This first workshop will discuss community organizing efforts to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline, exclusionary discipline, and policing practices that push students of color out of schools and into the criminal justice system. We will discuss how the pipeline operates at pre-K, elementary, and secondary levels, as well as the movement’s history of parents and students of color who challenge and dismantle it.

Workshop #2: Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline: The Role of Parents

  • When: Wednesday, January 18, 2023

  • Who: Presented by Mark Warren (University of Massachusetts Boston), Zakiya Sankara-Jabar (Racial Justice NOW!), and Lorraine Wright (I Vote for Me)

  • What: In the second workshop of the series, we will discuss the impact of these practices on parents and families and the critical role that parents play in challenging the pipeline and advocating for community-based alternatives. We will also discuss how parents can work together with teachers to advocate for change.

Workshop #3: Challenging the School-to-Prison Pipeline in Classrooms

  • When: Wednesday, January 25, 2023

  • Who: Presented by Mark Warren (University of Massachusetts Boston) and Roberta Udoh, Kindergarten teacher, Boston Public Schools

  • What: The final workshop of the series will focus on classroom strategies to challenge the pipeline. We will discuss the roots of these discriminatory practices and talk through strategies that teachers and parent mentors can use in classrooms to change a disciplinary school culture by implementing alternative approaches like restorative justice. As the last of the workshop series, we will also dream big together about the kind of school that all children deserve.

All workshops take place on Zoom and are offered at two times on the scheduled date:

  • 11:30am - 1:00pm: English, Spanish, Mandarin or Arabic

  • 4:00 - 5:30pm: English or Spanish.

DISABILITY JUSTICE

Above: Paula Wills, Lynn Betts, Maria Castillo present on the special education process in Illinois and Family Resource on Disabilities (FRCD) during a wednesday workshop.

Over 100 Parent Mentors Register for the Disability Justice Cohort

The Parent Engagement Institute is proud to partner with the Illinois Family Resource Center on Disabilities to launch our second annual Disability Justice Cohorts -- one in English and one in Spanish. 107 parent mentors from across the state have applied to join the cohorts, which will kick off next week. The cohorts will meet weekly this spring for an in-depth course on IDEA and to build a community of support for each other, so that they can go on to advocate for their children and their whole school community. For more information, contact Bridgett White bwhite@lsna.net.

A VISIT TO DOLTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Ace Project, Park Elementary Welcome the Illinois State Board of Education

In December, we visited the ACE Project at Park Elementary in Dolton, IL with our Illinois State Board of Education partners from the Center of Systems of Support, Executive Director Dana Kinley and Director of Family and Community Engagement Carolina Fabian.

We loved visiting classrooms and hearing stories from teacher and parent mentor pairs, and learning about all the ways The Ace Project parent mentors are finding their calling inside the classroom and beyond the classroom. Thank you for opening your school to us!

WINTER/SPRING WORKSHOPS

Upcoming Workshop Schedule

Wednesday, Feb. 1: Mental Health
Wednesday, Feb. 8: Benefits of Learning a Second Language
Wednesday, Feb. 15: Beyond the Classroom Series - Organizing Tools #3
Wednesday, Feb. 22: Black History Workshop

All workshops take place on Zoom and are offered at two times:

  • 11:30am - 1:00pm: English, Spanish, Mandarin or Arabic

  • 4:00 - 5:30pm: English or Spanish.

PEI BIRTHDAY SHOUT-OUTS

January Birthdays at the Parent Engagement Institute

January 8: Leticia Barrera

Read more about Leticia here.

January 11: Mayra Sarabia

Read more about Mayra here.

PEI January Birthday Shout-Outs

January Birthdays at pei

Leticia Barrera - January 8

One of the oldest of nine children, Leticia was raised in a house with a bare dirt floor taking care of her eight siblings in Iguala, Mexico. She would grow up to become a teacher to economically marginalized children like herself, traveling the rural countryside of Mexico to reach students. Her first classroom was under a tree. After meeting Rey, the love of her life, she decided to follow him back to Chicago in the early 1990s. Armed only with a tourist visa, Leticia exchanged the classroom in Mexico with factory work in Chicago. Soon she became a mother and in 1997, when Ricky, her oldest of three children, enrolled in her neighborhood school in Logan Square, she noticed mamas inside the building. She was enthralled, “How can I be like those mothers and make my way back into a classroom?” She missed teaching so much. 

As Leticia does, she began finding out who had the power to get her back into a school, and that person was another Mexican immigrant mother, Maria Alviso, who ran the LSNA Parent Mentor Program at Monroe Elementary. And like thousands of women across the state who serve as Parent Mentors, her life began to change. At Monroe, she learned English, taught folkloric Mexican indigenous dance to children in the community, became the Parent Mentor Coordinator, then an Education Organizer for LSNA, and now Director of LSNA’s Parent Mentor Program.

Today Lety's team of magical parent mentor coordinstors inspire and support over 100 Parent Mentors in 12 schools in Logan Square, Avondale, and Hermosa every year. She is a proud "glam-ma" of 3.

Yes, there is a long list of policies and ground-breakings that Lety and Parent Mentors have been the sustaining organizing force to make happen. And also the true gift of Leticia Barrera is bringing parents in to transform the arena, whether it is in our schools or our community organizations, or our homes.

Mayra Sarabia - January 11

Mayra was born in Morelia, Michoacan, the eldest of four siblings. She spent her first years of life mostly with her grandparents, and her grandfather taught her how to read at age three. As a teenager, adventurous and eager to experience independence, she went to an agricultural boarding school for three years. She dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but ended up leaving for Chicago in 1992 at the age of 17 and spent years working in restaurants and a country club. 

“After I got divorced I wanted to be involved in my children’s school environment, and that’s how I became a parent mentor at my children’s school, Eberhart Elementary,” recalled Mayra. The first year she saw the parent mentor flyer but was disappointed she couldn’t join because of her work schedule. Undeterred, the next year she changed her work schedule so she could join the Parent Mentor Program. 

Mayra was placed in a second grade classroom as a parent mentor for one year, and then was invited to become a parent mentor coordinator with the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP). After 3 years as a coordinator, an opportunity came up to help start the program in a neighboring community. Mayra then joined the PEI team. She coaches parent mentor partner organizations around the state while still staying rooted in the southwest side. 

Mayra lived in Chicago as an undocumented immigrant for over 20 years, and so organizing with SWOP for immigrant rights and opportunities for mothers of all statuses is near to her heart. 

Mayra has three adult children and one granddaughter. In her spare time she enjoys exploring new talents and passions from herbal medicine to candles to meditation to insurance to cacao ceremonies and more.

December 2022 Newsletter

December Newsletter
12.07.22

Featured Story

1,400 Parent mentors recruited this year

Our new 2022-2023 map highlights the ever-growing reach and impact of the Parent Mentor Program. This year, we are partnering with over 40 community organizations 233 schools across Illinois.

Right/Below: Nicholson Elementary Parent Mentor Josefina Rodriguez guides a student through their assignments.

Above: Nicholson Elementary Parent Mentor Josefina Rodriguez guides a student through their assignments.

Building Power

Above:
The Ace Project & Washington Elementary School Parent Mentors organize to protect tenant’s rights in Riverdale, IL.

Last week, we kicked off our Beyond the Classroom weekly workshop series led by Maggie Perales and Adriana Velazquez of Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP). We heard from our incredible network of PEI Organizers and Parent Mentors about how they utilized the Parent Mentor Program to unite the school community for long-term change.

Above: The Ace Project & Washington Elementary School Parent Mentors getting petition signatures to address eviction due to water outage.

Above: Maggie Perales presenting steps for organizing, building power, and taking action beyond the classroom.

““There is no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about.””
— Margaret Wheatley

Join the next Beyond the Classroom workshop!

  • Workshop #2: 12/21/22

  • Workshop #3: 2/15/23

  • Workshop #4: 3/15/23

All workshops take place on Zoom and are offered at two times:

  • 11:30am - 1:00pm: English, Spanish, Mandarin or Arabic

  • 4:00 - 5:30pm: English or Spanish.

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

100th Year Celebration at Gale Elementary

Congratulations to Gale Elementary Community Academy’s Principal Leal, staff, students, and parents (and Parent Mentors!) on your Centennial Birthday!

We really love when our elected officials come out and take time for our Parent Mentors. In attendance at the celebration were Senator Mike Simmons, Alderwoman Maria Hadden, Member of IL House of Representatives from the 14th district Kelly Cassidy, and US Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.

From all of us at PEI, we wish Gale Academy another 100 years of success in educating and inspiring our future generations of scholars and leaders.

FALL/WINTER WORKSHOPS

Parent Advocacy Leadership Training Workshop:

  • When: Wednesday, December 7, 2022

  • Who: Presented by Paula Wills and Lynn Betts Maria Castillo

  • What: Participants will gain an understanding about the special education process in Illinois and Family Resource on Disabilities (FRCD), learn how the FRCD’s services supports families, and gain an understanding of and the requirements for participating in the Parent Advocacy Leadership (PAL) Program.

Up next:

  • 12/14/22: PEER Presentation

  • 12/21/22: Beyond the Classroom #2 - Organizing Tools & Mini-Grant Update Pt. I

  • 1/11/23: Mental Health

  • 1/18-23 - 2/1/23: Dismantling the School to Prison Pipeline

  • 2/8/23: Benefits of Learning a Second Language

  • 2/15/23: Beyond the Classroom #2 - Organizing Tools & Mini-Grant Update Pt. II

All workshops take place on Zoom and are offered at two times:

  • 11:30am - 1:00pm: English, Spanish, Mandarin or Arabic

  • 4:00 - 5:30pm: English or Spanish.