by Rosa Ramirez
Simply stated, a Local School Council
(LSC) in Chicago Public Schools gives parents and community a say in
what happens in their neighborhood public school. It provides an
official structure for parents and community to have a role in school
operations and ensure that their voices are heard. At HSC, we were
thrilled to hear about the newly elected Little Village Academy LSC.
Parents United for Healthy Schools is a coalition of parent and community organizations that was formed in 2006 by Healthy Schools Campaign out of concern for the skyrocketing rates of childhood obesity in Chicago, particularly in low-income African American and Latino communities. While it is not unusual to see Parents United members engaged with their schools, it is an exciting and unprecedented success to see parents advocating for wellness win all six parent seats on an LSC.
Every Chicago public school has an LSC which consists of parents, community members, teachers, and the principal of the school. The elected council members conduct monthly public meetings, allocate funds and resources, make decisions regarding the annual school improvement plan, and evaluate the progress of the school’s principal.
With a strong belief in the positive connection between health and learning, the six candidates ran on a campaign platform rooted in improving the food and fitness environment of their school. Experienced Parents United advocates who had also completed HSC’s parent training helped the candidates formulate and execute a successful campaign that involved door-to-door organizing, recruiting volunteers, canvassing the neighborhood with fliers, making phone calls, and most notably delivering an important message: “healthy students are better learners.”
HSC congratulates Maria Tapia, Josefina Torres, Fabiola Andrade, Erika Martinez, Claudia Terrazo, Olga Bonilla for winning the Little Village Academy Local School Council election! We wish them continued success in advocating for students’ wellness.
This is simply put...marvelous. I am excited for these parents and look for this to have a ripple effect for other LSC's in Chicago. Good luck to them!
Posted by: Mendy Heaps | July 28, 2010 at 02:30 PM
I also want to extend congratulations. This is wonderful! I will spread the news...
Posted by: Tina Escobar MS RN CSN | July 28, 2010 at 09:13 PM