Innovate was proud to gather more than 50 parents, educators, and district leaders on November 11 in Ravenswood for an evening of dialogue and collaboration focused on increasing parent engagement and supporting student success. The event highlighted a powerful truth: when families are involved and supported, students thrive, and so does the entire school community.
Ravenswood has seen an uptick in parent involvement thanks to Innovate’s participation. While overall participation isn’t yet where we want it to be, the upward trend reflects the strong commitment of parents, educators, and district leaders to work together to support students. The evening underscored the importance of maintaining a strong partnership between the Superintendent, school staff, and parents to ensure every child’s academic needs are met.
Parents shared moving personal stories about the challenges and rewards of supporting their children. Cristina, an Innovate Parent Leader, reflected on her own journey:
“I finally decided to change my son’s school, and I honestly saw very positive changes with his new teacher. In our first meeting, we discussed his strengths and the areas where he needed support, and together we began working on those areas. I loved that connection with the teacher, and to this day I continue to apply what we learned together so that my son feels secure, motivated, and confident that he can improve in any subject.”
Miriam, mother of a 13-year-old, emphasized the critical role of parental guidance at every stage:
“Our role as parents isn’t to make things easy for them, but to teach them the value of effort and the satisfaction of achieving something on their own. A child who learns to take responsibility, to commit, and to believe in their own potential…is a child who will have the tools to succeed in school and in life.”
Yajaira Chona, a parent leader who recently joined Innovate, shared her experience advocating for her children alongside other parents:
“At Innovate, I’ve learned how the education system works here and, most importantly, how to advocate and work alongside my daughters’ teachers to better support their learning. Thanks to the interest and commitment of the parents in supporting our children, we were heard and given access to the curriculum our students will be using this year.”
The evening concluded with a collective commitment: to continue building parent leadership, strengthen partnerships with educators, and ensure all students have the tools and support they need to succeed academically and emotionally.