U-46 Plazas Comunitarias is an educational program designed to provide literacy and primary and secondary education to parents who have not completed these educational milestones. The Plazas Comunitarias objectives are to: provide education, information, and communication to the Latino adult population in the community, use education as a tool for self-improvement, and bring parents and children together to improve academic achievement. School District U-46 has a partnership with the National Institute for Adult Education INEA in Mexico.

For further information about Plazas Comunitarias, contact MME Department at (847)888-5000 ext. 6024

Navigating the American Educational System - A Curricular and Training Program to Increase Hispanic Parental Involvement

The purpose of Navigating the American Educational System (NAES) is to increase parental involvement in the academic careers of their children. NAES does this by increasing parents' ability to navigate the American educational system. Through a series of four parental seminars, NAES will provide Spanish-speaking parents with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to interact with the school system and to better manage the academic experiences of their children.

• Seminar One will provide Hispanic parents with an understanding of the role of education in American society and enable these parents to identify and discuss appropriate parental involvement that may improve the academic performance of their children.
• Seminar Two will enable Spanish-speaking parents to identify and explain how to communicate with school personnel so that these parents can initiate and maintain successful school experiences.
• Seminar Three will empower Spanish-speaking parents to identify and utilize strategies to maximize their children’s academic potential. This includes topics like managing homework, developing reading skills, and planning for post-secondary training or education.
• Seminar Four will focus on why, in the U.S., helping Hispanic students to reach proficiency is a big step in achieving the goals of numerous state tests.

Bilingual Parents Advisory Committee (BPAC)

 Following State regulations, each district or cooperative shall establish a parent advisory committee consisting of:

• parents/legal guardians,
• transitional bilingual education teachers,       
• counselors,
• and community leaders.
  ISBE 23 ILLINOIS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE 228.30
  
  

This committee participates in the planning, operation, and evaluation of programs. The majority of committee members are parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in these programs.

 (Section 14C-10 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/14C-10])
 
The members of this committee represent the languages served in programs to the extent possible.

The committee:

• meets at least four times per year;
• maintains on file with the school district minutes of these meetings; and
• reviews the district’s annual program application to the State Superintendent of Education.
   

In partnership with the MME Department Office, BPAC offers a series of parent education-training sessions to provide the parents of students in MME programs with the necessary information to become knowledgeable of current policies and procedures in School District U-46. For more information on how to be part of the Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee, please call (847) 888-5000 Ext. 5331, 5332, or you may ask your student’s teacher or principal.