Model Logan Square Program Wins Money to Keep Parents Tutoring
February 24th, 2012
One hundred twenty Parent Mentors will again be tutoring in Logan Square classrooms this spring, after program monies were restored — thanks to major support from Governor Patrick Quinn, Human Services Secretary Michelle Saddler, Speaker Michael Madigan, State Senators William Delgado and Iris Martinez, State Representatives Luis Arroyo, Toni Berrios, and Cynthia Soto, and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
“We want to thank all these decision-makers for supporting this unique program that helps strengthen students, teachers, parents and community,” said Leticia Barrera, Education Organizer for the Logan Square Neighborhood Association. “Large groups of parent mentors visited these key decision-makers to explain how much parents and students would lose if program funding was not restored. And they all responded to keep the program going. Thank you!”
This nationally recognized 16-year-old program of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA) places school parents (mostly immigrant Latina mothers) in classrooms to work with struggling students. Schools who partner with LSNA have benefitted in raised test scores, warmer school climates, and happy students and families. It has been a key to involving parents in the school and the after-school Community Learning Centers run by LSNA. It is one of those rare win-win programs that helps everyone involved.
“Parent Mentor is a model immigrant integration program for women,” said LSNA Executive Director Nancy Aardema. “We are glad so many people are now recognizing its importance.”
This unique program is now the subject of a new book A Cord of Tree Strands: A New Approach to Parent Engagement in Schools, published by. Harvard Education Press. LSNA and the Southwest Organizing Project have created the Parent Engagement Institute to develop programs outside their neighborhoods, and are now starting Parent Mentor programs in 13 additional CPS schools, with the goal of making it a state-wide program.
For more information contact Leticia Barrera, 773-384-4370 ext. 36 or lbarrera@lsna.net.
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