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.”
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."
