“If I don’t care about his education, he won’t care.”
For MarrLa Slaughter McBee, a Chicago Bulls College Prep parent, being involved at her son Mekhi’s school is one of her top priorities. She feels so strongly about this, in fact, that she wants to bring other parents in to build a strong, supportive community for all students at Bulls. That’s why she, along with nine other parents across Noble Schools, joined the very first cohort of our new Parent Advocacy Training Initiative (PATI) program last year.
The program, created by founder and former Noble staff member Pattilyn Beals, is a year-long opportunity for parents to network, gain advocacy tools and skills, and voice their ideas on how parent engagement can be improved in our schools. During this time, parents attended three sessions where they learned how to share their stories, communicate effectively with government officials, advocate for their children, and gain a better understanding of the structure of Chicago Public Schools and Noble.
“Parents told us they wanted to be more deeply involved in our school communities but also needed a clearer understanding of the political landscape and the day-to-day challenges our schools face,” Ellen Moiani, the director of government and community engagement at Noble, said. “The Parent Advocacy Training Intensive was our way of meeting that need.”
McBee and the rest of her cohort graduated from the program with a culminating project: presenting to Noble staff (including our CEO, Brenda Cora) about how to increase parent involvement at our campuses.
McBee presenting to parents and staff at the program's graduation event.
The evening was filled with cheers, applause, and flowers as each parent spoke passionately about getting involved, their Noble experience, and the importance of their child’s education.
“One thing that has helped me as a single mom to raise my child is the teachers… The UIC College Prep teachers are awesome,” Amelia Gonzalez, a parent at UICCP, said, “But the teachers also need support from the parents!”
She joined the PATI program in the hope of connecting with other parents and learning new ways to improve her daughter’s high school experience and parent engagement on her campus. At Gonzalez’s campus, parents rarely attend their Parent Advisory Council (PAC) meetings or other school functions. She wants nothing more than for more parents to come because it makes a difference in their child’s education. She says she receives a great deal of information from teachers at the meetings about how to support her child.
Gonzalez spoke passionately about the supportive teachers at her school and how much she wants to see more parents show up to PAC meetings there.
This was an overarching theme throughout all the parents’ presentations. They had a clear message: Not enough parents are involved, and they need to be. They know parents are busy— they are, too. But they say it’s worth it to prioritize your child’s school experience, even if it means taking time off work, working it into your schedule, or even joining virtual sessions from a Chicago Bulls game (which is exactly what McBee did once).
“We are all working very hard— you don’t know what our situation is. But I’m not stopping! My child is important and matters. We all do, especially these students. So, until I have no breath, I’m gonna fight for that with y’all.” Leesa Brandon, a parent at DRW College Prep, said.
Another parent, Myisha Shields at Mansueto High School (who was awarded Parent Advocate of the Year by the Illinois Network of Charter Schools last fall), noted that many parents don’t believe that PAC can benefit them. McBee agreed, and she has plans to ensure that parents at her campus are aware of the space’s value. She had a whole list of benefits (parents, take note!):
- It’s an open forum to address your needs and concerns and to advocate for quality education on your campus.
- You have a chance to network with other parents and staff.
- You can find resources and build skills to advocate for your student and for more school funding.
- You can be part of the change and teach your children about the importance of collaboration.
Brandon points to a fellow parent in the audience as she presents.
Shields speaking with the group.
Many presenters had other ideas for addressing low parent engagement at their campuses. They highlighted tabling for PAC at Report Card Pick Up and other school events. They discussed improving communication, from using more flyers to email and text, to encouraging students to inform their parents about it. They also emphasized the importance of getting all staff to buy into improving parent engagement on their campus.
The entire experience, from the sessions to these final projects, was invaluable to Gonzalez. She not only got to connect with other parents and learn from their ideas and experiences, but also gained confidence in speaking.
“I’m very quiet, and I’m sometimes unsure of how to present myself or how to approach someone. Just hearing how these moms, you know, they’re so full of confidence, and I think that’s what also fueled me,” Gonzalez said.
Overall, the first PATI program cohort was a success. We are thrilled to welcome a new cohort this school year and keep the energy high! If you are a Noble parent interested in joining, reach out to Ellen Moiani at emoiani@nobleschools.org.
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