It's the start of a new school year.

Yes.

Some kids are back in classes just days from now.

And a program that gets parents more involved in the classroom in the city's.

We'll.

The school bells will ring again throughout the Rock Island Mission School District.

The first day for classes is August 5th, in the district that opens earlier than any other in the city.

What can students and parents expect in the coming school year?

We're joined by the superintendent of Rock Island Schools, Doctor Sharon Williams.

so what are the preparations now for the 2526 school year?

I mean, are you all ready for this new class?

Well, we're definitely getting ready, as you can imagine.

Our summer is filled with getting ready for the next school year as soon as school is out in June.

We're ramping up for the next school year, so we're preparing now.

Our scholars come back on August 5th.

So we have lots of days of professional development for teachers, staff members.

I actually am in the middle of a school leadership institute today and next week, where we work with our school leaders on upcoming, preparations for the year.

Tell me about that first day of school.

I know that you love welcoming back the students.

Yes.

So let's start with the ready to rock.

So we have a pre, party, if you will, to get scholars and families, our community excited about the new school year.

That's on July 27th at 2 p.m. at Swope Suivent Park.

That's a tradition.

Yes.

A very, proud tradition of our school district.

Very exciting time.

The first day of school is always, everyone has the jitters.

Everyone's excited.

Not quite sure.

All of our scholars are going to a different grade, perhaps a different school.

Our school leaders are prepared and ready, but there's always that little bit of, first day jitters with the first day of school.

But we're looking forward to a great school year.

It's on a we start on Tuesday, which may be, I like to point that out that August 5th is a Tuesday.

And so we'll, we'll be ready for to welcome our scholars and teachers back.

Rock Island mining is so unusual because it starts so early, and it basically has what you could call a trimester, schedule.

Is that still, an effective way, for Rock Island schools to, to operate?

I mean, does that work?

Yes.

I would say that, with our longer intercessions, we have a longer fall break.

A longer spring break.

It really helps to break up the school year for scholars, families, teachers.

As you can imagine, the school year is long, about 190 days.

And having those longer intercessions really helps to refresh people and to have them come back ready to take on the next couple of weeks of learning.

In a way, it's easier for Rock Island million to do something like that, because it is more of an urban school, because so often in the rural school districts, you want the school year to start later in the summer.

So it seems to work for Rock Island.

Island.

It does.

It does shorten our summer.

As you can imagine, with construction and operations work that we have to do in the summer, that can be a challenge.

But we always, hit the ground running as soon as scholars and teachers are out in June and start that summer construction, summer operations and cleaning and maintenance.

So that can be a challenge.

But, also provides October and the longer spring break in March to do some of those things as well.

Let's talk about a grant money that you just got more than $3 million for a Head Start program for U.S. schools.

I mean, we have seen over and over again how important headstart and early preschool education is.

And it seems to be under fire so much.

Why is this federal grant money so important?

Well, it's important for a myriad of reasons.

Rock Island Million School District has had a Head Start program since the inception of Head Start in 1965.

So it's a very rich tradition of early childhood learning.

Our scholars come from all over the world, with different backgrounds and needs.

The Head Start program really gives those, scholars a head start, really literally to the to their, educational experience.

It's invaluable to our school community, as you can manage.

And, imagine, many of our families rely on, high quality childcare in order to, continue to work and be successful in their personal lives.

So that's important as well.

We're very thankful that the federal government has issued this grant.

It's a five year grant.

So will receive that $3.3 million each year, for, for the next five years, very crucial to the operations of the school district and serving our young scholars.

One other area that I know that's been so much work in all of the school districts is the literacy programs, particularly up to third grade, that third grade is so critically important as a benchmark for reading.

Are you succeeding in that area?

Because I know there's such an emphasis to improve literacy rates.

Yes.

So last year we started a reading revolution, and we're continuing that year.

This year we're focusing on leveling up literacy.

So really, the emphasis for us is to make sure that our scholars are reading and reading a lot, reading for pleasure, not not only just for school, but really in meshing themselves in literature and learning through reading.

You mentioned third grade as a standard bearer for schools in terms of literacy rates.

We are seeing some improvement.

We're talking, today and, on, instructional strategies for reading.

Our teaching and learning team is really focusing in on that tier one instruction for all scholars to make sure that they are getting what they need, through everyday instruction.

But we still know some scholars may fall behind.

So we do also have a very strong, program for scholars who need that extra help as well.

Our state report card will be coming out, early this fall.

We do have some preliminary results and have seen some growth and in some areas.

But no, we still have a ways to go.

And others.

What is the key then to improve those areas?

Because I mean, as you point out, some kids learn slower than others.

Yes.

So I think the it a couple of things.

So one, having a very strong curriculum.

We had a curriculum management audit, this past spring and, know the results now.

So we know some of the gaps we have, between grade levels and making sure that we have a strong curriculum.

That's number one, making sure that our teachers and staff members understand that curriculum, understand the state standards, and know how to use that curriculum with all of our scholars.

So that's definitely number two.

Number three is having a strong principals, strong school leaders in each of our schools, to help coach and teach our teachers to make sure that our scholars are on track.

So you have to have all three of those things happening at the same time to, have those gains in literacy or any academic area, but especially in literacy.

Well, and the audit is so important.

A curriculum audit, because it does show, deficiencies or gaps or successes.

What was the area that most surprised you when the audit came out?

Where's the greatest attention you think needed right now?

So, throughout the district, we looked at the four major content areas reading, math, social studies, science.

We also looked at our, extracurricular activities or that extracurricular, but our supplemental activities such as P.E., music, etc.

and what we found is that we have a gap in social studies, in terms of our curriculum.

So those are that's one of the areas that we're going to work on first.

What we also notice is that our teachers need or another finding was that our teachers need more professional development.

So we're going to focus in on making sure that our teachers are well versed in the curriculum, the curriculum materials that we have and are able to teach the curriculum with fidelity.

In May, you kicked off what's called the Strategic Planning Summit.

Yes.

Tell me about what you have learned from that.

Yes.

So our current strategic plan is sunsetting this year.

And so the Board of Education, we partnered with, third party facilitator engaged to learn to start our new strategic planning session.

So in May, we kicked off our strategic planning summit, and that's where we invited all of our school community members, community members, all together on two summits.

We had a panel of our scholars, high school and junior high scholars who talked about their aspiration since their experience with our school district to help us guide our new action plans and goals for the next school year.

So our next step is we also had a survey that went out to all of our stakeholders.

We used all of that information and some smaller focus groups.

So we had focus groups of families, scholars, teachers, staff members, other members of the larger Rock Island building community.

And we're going to take all of that and put together.

And we have two days in July where we'll start designing our new strategic plan.

So all of that input goes into those two design days.

And to set our start, setting our goals, the profile of a graduate, the profile of how we want our scholars to, what we want them to accomplish when they graduate our schools.

So that's a massive blueprint.

I mean, that that's a that's a large undertaking.

How do you think it will benefit the students in particular?

Well, we started with Scholar Voice first.

I mentioned at our summits, we did have scholars present on a panel.

They had a set of questions that talked about their experience in our schools.

What they would what their goals for themselves are, where they want to be.

And having that input from them, I think, is the guiding force for the new strategic plan.

It will focus on scholars and what their needs are, what their aspirations are, and how the adults in the school district can then support scholars in reaching those goals.

I think in the past year that you've been here, you have done as much as you can to reach out to the community.

You also have a superintendents advisory council as well.

Yes.

I mean, it's a good point that I like how you say stakeholders are shareholders because Rock Island Schools is everyone's school.

Yes.

And so you've heard from the community.

What what's your takeaway about Rock Island Mile in so far?

Well, the number one takeaway is that our school community is very proud of our schools, very proud of Rock Island and the city in the village of Island.

And they want the best for their scholars, no matter where they are in Rock Island or Milan.

You mentioned those superintendents advisories.

We've had, two meetings with different groups.

So we have a family advisory staff members, teachers and also scholars.

Again, going back to Scholar Voice, we've heard from our junior high school scholars and our high school scholars.

And really the biggest takeaway is that, everyone feels that Rock Island has the the bones and the structure to be a very good, if not great school district.

But there are some gaps that we have.

So, for instance, in communication, we can do a better job always in communicating what the goals of the district are.

What we're doing about those goals and who's involved with helping us reach those goals.

So that's really, one thing that we focused in on at our School Leadership Institute this morning was improving the chain of communication throughout the school district and making sure that everyone in the district knows what's going on and how they can help to make us, a better school district.

We've talked about the academics.

And, and the reading and and even the testing.

What I noticed is that you had silver cord, recipients in this last school year.

Yes.

And they were being honored for volunteerism.

It's so critically important to not only teach kids learning, but also how to be a part of a bigger community.

Is that how you see this?

Absolutely.

I was so very pleased to hear from the, teacher sponsor for this activity.

Our state does have a requirement for scholars to have, volunteer hours to graduate.

However, they've taken it to another level in terms of recognizing those scholars that go above and beyond the number of hours for volunteerism and as you mentioned, it is a very important skill that we, teach and support in schools because we want our scholars to come back to Rock Island or Milan to contribute to their communities and the ways that they would like to, give back to their community.

So a very important, and very well recognized recognition for our scholars.

It is just days away at the beginning of the 25, 26 school year.

Yes.

Good things ahead.

I mean, what do you see for this year?

Well, I see, school community who, they're ready to roll up their sleeves and do what they whatever is necessary to make sure that our scholars are successful.

If there's not one thing I've heard from, folks in this community is that they are willing to do the work to make our school district better.

So we're very excited about that.

We're very excited about our new facilities management, plan.

Very important for us to shore up the safety and security of our school buildings, but also to make them places that scholars and teachers want to be every day and that are healthy environments for learning.

So we're very excited about that.

Lots of projects going on in that area, and it will be a process that will make our schools a better place to be.

Our thanks to Doctor Sharon Williams, superintendent of the Rock Island Mile and School District.

In a moment, expanding a program that gets more parents involved in the classroom.

But first, here are some events that may be perfect for you, your family and friends.

Thanks to visit Quad Cities.

Check out the things to do this week in the Quad Cities.

Come out and enjoy a family friendly circus located in the parking lot of South Park Mall.

Then explore the river while taking a ride on the channel Cat Water Taxi on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Next, cruise along the Mississippi while enjoying lunch on the celebration bow.

Then get ready for great food, live music, unique vendors and kid friendly fun at Mercato on fifth.

Finally, get ready for amusement rides, fair food, and great concerts at the Mississippi Valley Fair.

For more events like these, check out our events calendar at visit Quad cities.com.

It started in Chicago, but has grown into a program that's being tested in school districts across the country.

The Parent Mentor program will expand to the Rock Island Mile and school district after starting in Moline and East Moline.

Now it's operated locally through Western Illinois University Quad Cities and places volunteers in elementary classrooms to support teachers and students.

We talked with Sarah Benson, who's part of the Parent Mentor program in the city's.

Sarah and Teresa, thank you so much for joining us, Sarah.

Let's just start.

What is the basics of this program?

I mean, why does it exist?

So parent mentorship program, it's all about really empowering families and getting families to engage with their children's education and the whole process.

It's really about building a team around our kids where school and family isn't separate.

It's something that comes together, to make, you know, the future brighter for our kids.

And we've got to work together.

It's it's getting, you know, the family to engage with, the teachers to engage with administration and, and then just working on all those relationships in between to really just get all the way around our kids to make sure that we're giving them the best chance at a good future.

You started in Moline and East Moline, and now you're expanding this year to Rock Island.

Yes.

The program has been expanding for a while.

We've been here in the Quad Cities for ten years.

You know, and every year we get a chance, we get an opportunity to add more schools, and then just get involved in the community as well.

So we're really excited to start, you know, including some more, towns that are in the Quad Cities, you know, into this program.

Because we work a lot in the community, you know, getting resources in and out.

And so we're really excited to take what we're doing for families and take it into Rock Island, into Silvis, as well.

So, Teresa, tell me about these these parents that you get you're not recruiting, are you?

I mean, how do you pick the parents that are part of this mentor program?

Well, for myself, a parent has to have passion.

Like, I look at, the commitment.

You got to have commitment to go in these classrooms and really love what you're doing.

Because my my saying is, no, no child left alone.

None I work with.

I don't care if they don't speak English.

I don't care what color that is.

I want every child to have the same opportunities myself.

Being born in Chicago and I didn't have them opportunities.

I want every child that I work with or any parent that I hire that have the passion to do this.

How do the teachers respond to having yet another person inside the classroom?

Actually, they loving it.

They actually love and we get great responses.

So that's why we started.

We start with the teachers and the principals and we carry on to parents.

And I mean, what what do these parents do?

Because you say you have to train them.

Yes.

I mean, so they're not just standing against the wall, right?

Observing.

So we want to make sure, you know, when we're sending parents into the classroom, that they are going to be there as a resource.

And so parents are bringing, you know, their life experience.

And but also they're getting professional and personal development weekly for at least three hours a week.

So, you know, we're we're giving them skills that they can take into the classroom.

So whether they're working one on one with a student or they're working in small groups which in the elementary setting, that's usually what parameters are doing.

They're going into the classroom working with the teacher to, you know, either catch kids up on literacy skills or math skills.

But really, what kind of becomes the focus of parent mentors is social and emotional development for these kids is we become a safe place.

Parameters are a safe place for these kids to connect.

And then, you know, academically, we start to see that progress in these kids.

Once they kind of make that connection with parent in their classroom.

And teachers are great.

I mean, they become mentors or the parent mentors themselves.

They're sharing skills and and teaching them things and, and how to work with their own kids at home.

It's just a really just kind of beautiful relationship that happens with Parametros and their teachers.

Well, Teresa, you know, a lot of parents don't have the time to do this.

I mean, this is a real commitment.

Well, it's actually only we do eight up to eight hours in the classroom weekly.

And we have workshops that we do, three hours a week.

So it's actually 11 hours.

And we look for people like mothers that, or grand moms that have kids or grandkids in a district.

Some like myself, I was hard on my luck and had, the cut hours because I had to take care of my baby.

So it it helped me to go up in the school and work with teachers that he work with.

You said no child left alone.

No, no.

What have you noticed in as you've taken part in this program?

I mean, have you some kids are in a shell and have they come out, you know, I mean, tell me a story of somebody that you think was really impacted.

Well, myself, I was impacted with, where I work out of Wilson.

So I have some kids that came here from.

They speak Swahili, they can't speak English.

They had no chance at it.

And they were just sitting in a corner, you know?

So I took these kids under my wing and I helped them, and I saw the results in a happy day, screaming out, all the kids call me.

They know how to say missing.

And they say, we love you, teacher.

And they love this.

And it just inspires me because these are some kids that were scared are coming in here.

We don't know how they got here.

We don't know what's going on in their life and just for me to see the highest inspire them is great for me.

And we're starting at the elementary school level.

Sarah.

I mean, why did you pick that area for the program to begin it?

You know, that was something that was kind of, structured in from P.E.I.

is, you know, they started elementary and I think it's just kind of focusing on, you know, kids need help with those foundational skills.

And, you know, that's something that's going to stick with them, you know, for for the rest of their, their education.

And, I think it's important, just like Teresa said, is, you know, we work with so many different people from from different cultures and backgrounds and walks of life.

And I think when kids come in and they see somebody that they can connect with and make that connection with, whether it's through language or culture or, you know, those different things, I think that's kind of what makes the difference.

And those kids get more confident because they see somebody that's going to see them and relate to them in ways that other people in the building might not.

The program is coordinated through Western Illinois University.

How does a parent that's interested in joining get involved?

So, the the best way to kind of get Ahold of us and to follow us along is, our Facebook page right now, because, you know, where we are, we're involved with Western.

They're our parent organization here.

So Western really what they do for us is they give us a lot of structure.

They give us a place.

We actually hold our workshops here weekly.

Half the time the workshops are virtual.

And so that kind of is a nice to have that option for our parents as well.

But the way it happens is, you reach out to one of us, one of us coordinators or organizers of the program, we meet you, we do an interview process.

Once we get through the interview process, then a peer mentor goes through a background check.

Depending on the school district, they all kind of have different, you know, rules and regulations.

Once you get through the background check, then it's a matter of, you know, we we reach out to our teachers and we recruit teachers.

And, you know, it's who would like to have a mentor in their classroom this year.

And we really kind of rely on some of our teachers in the past to, you know, help promote the program as well because they, you know, most of our teachers, they they love this program and they see, you know, success in their kids.

And so then we match the teacher to the parent mentor, you know, we go over their schedule.

We get to know them what they're passionate about.

You know, it's do you want to work with kids that have special needs.

Do you are you interested in working with kids that are multilingual, you know, and, and just kind of find a good fit?

And, what I really like about the program, too, is all of us start as parent mentors.

And so we've all come through the program.

And so we have a really good idea of, you know, how is this match going to work?

How is this going to look?

Is this, you know, going to be a beneficial relationship?

And then just really communicating with our teachers, like very consistently throughout the year.

So that way if you know, a problem arises or even good things, we love to hear when things are going great and we see these teachers make like lifelong bonds with parent mentors even.

And it's it's just really great to see.

And Teresa, I mean, I keep getting back to that.

These people that are taking part in this program are really special, and they really have to be dedicated and care.

Oh, yeah.

I'm going to say with, say with myself, I came in and I started at Washington Elementary and I was working third and fourth graders, and I had two third grade classes.

I had two fourth grade classes.

And it's just it's it's not just rewarding for the kids.

It's rewarding for us.

And it helps the teachers.

Like if a kid is falling behind, let me check them out in the hallway and I help with that situation and, saying, because now I'm, I'm working out of Wilson, I don't see my third graders come to Wilson.

And they appreciate every little time to learn and talk with them.

Like I can't go nowhere in Quad Cities, and I don't hear my nine miss A because kid, know that I love each and every one of them is saying, I'm not going to get them different, situations or attitudes.

I love them all the same.

So we got to have more parents like that.

We got to have more people that have passion, love, that really want to see these kids.

When Facebook page is, what if somebody wants to contact you?

So we are the QC Peer Mentors.

Is our Facebook page right now.

And we do have a lot of contact information on there as well.

So we have an email that we use.

We have a WhatsApp link there.

You can send us a message on messenger any time.

But that's really kind of the best way to get Ahold of us right now.

Well, thank you so much.

We appreciate your time.

Thank you.

Our thanks to Sarah Benson, part of the parent mentor program in the cities, on the air, on the radio, on the web, on your mobile device and streaming on your computer.

Thanks for taking some time to join us.

As we talk about the issues on the city's