Conversations About Overcoming Challenges

Are you looking to build family and school pride? Let me introduce you to Ms. Evelyn Sample-Oates, Director of the Office of Family and Community Engagement. Ms. Oates and Ms. Karen James have put together a series of conversations addressing real concerns of the families that they service. After the “Write Your Block” orientation and my Nutrition Biology final exam, I was able to catch the ending of “Overcoming Challenges”. I wish I could have been there for the entire conversation, for I learned so much just in the closing of the meeting. Ms. Evelyn Oates posed great questions (written on index cards by parents and community members) to the panelists. Great questions on topics like child clearance and parent access were asked of the panel.

Ms. Ludy Soderman mentioned that some cultures have a different way of relating to teachers and positions of authority, their cultures may see asking a teacher anything as disrespectful. I was so happy to hear her comment, because she bought understanding to our diversity and how we need to know the cultural backgrounds of each other to better relate to each other. If you know of a family with a language barrier please direct them here http://webgui.phila.k12.pa.us/offices/t/translation.

If you are interested in building a bond with your school, I would suggest you attend the series of conversations with Ms. Evelyn Sample-Oates, Director of the Office of Family and Community Engagement.

Ms. Karen James has monthly meetings with block captains. You can call (215) 400-6347 for more information and the next meeting.

Below is a calendar of events for October “Family Appreciation Month” and below the calendar is an application for parents to attend parent conferences. Last please get to know your parent coordinator, consider joining your School Advisory Council and Home and School.

The Office of Family and Community Engagement has eight parent coordinators (one per Learning Network).

Parent Coordinators:

• Assist schools in expanding parent engagement opportunities and building stronger school-family partnerships 
• Support parents in resolving their concerns 
• Act as a liaison between central office/school staff and families 
• Disseminate information about services and resources 
• Organize and facilitate parent workshops and information fairs 
• Help schools in forming a School Advisory Council 
• Provide other services and resources to meet the diverse needs of all families 

PLEASE CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT!

Learning Network 1 (Debora Carrera, Asst. Superintendent) Parent Coordinator: Maria Quinones E-mail: mquinones2@philasd.org Cell #: 267-738-7081 Learning Network 3 (Sonya Harrison, Asst. Superintendent) Parent Coordinator: Justina Bigelow E-mail: jcbigelow@philasd.org Cell #: 267-738-7026 Office #: 215-400-6382 Learning Network 5 (Cheryl Logan, Asst. Superintendent) Parent Coordinator: Linda Maldonado E-mail: lmaldonado@philasd.org Cell #: 267-738-7059 Learning Network 7 (Asst. Superintendent TBD) Parent Coordinator: Melanie Oeun-Greenhalgh E-mail: noeun@philasd.org Cell #267-738-7065

Learning Network 2 (Sean Conley, Asst. Superintendent) Parent Coordinator: LuQman Abdullah E-mail: labdullah@philasd.org Cell #: 267-738-7034 Office #: 215-400-5340 Learning Network 4 (John Tupponce, Asst. Superintendent) Parent Coordinator: Dorian Harris E-mail: dharris4@philasd.org Cell #: 215-400-1462 Office #: 215-400-6631 Learning Network 6 (Karen Kolsky, Asst. Superintendent) Parent Coordinator: John Holland E-mail: jholland@philasd.org Cell #267-738-7058 Learning Network 8 (Dion Betts, Assistant Superintendent) Parent Coordinator: Sherry Williams E-mail: swilliams3@philasd.org Cell #: 267-738-7084