Two years ago, SVPP invested in a coalition of organizations in Forest Grove engaging Latino students and parents to improve academic connectedness and success. Since that time, these organizations have conducted outreach and created services to engage students and their parents, resulting in significant improvement in student achievement for minority and low-income students. (See The Oregonian, 3/25/08). SVPP Partner Martha Soltesz has also jumped into this work with a monthly program on topics of interest for parents at Echo Shaw Elementary School.So far, Martha has conducted four sessions in the parents’ native Spanish language on nutrition, dental hygiene, safety in the home and fire prevention. Parents have shown great enthusiasm for the programs and the guest speakers that Martha has invited. “It means a great deal to these parents to meet people in their local community who care enough to share information and provide resources to their families,” Martha said. “As a recently retired teacher, it has also been great fun for me.”
One coalition member,
the Forest Grove School District, has made great strides in supporting Latino achievement. Forest Grove High School has received the Oregon Department of Education’s Celebrating School Success award for three years. The district also launched a Parent Advisory Council that has attracted many Latino families. Several area agencies have joined to conduct home visits through a Promotoras program to make health referrals and provide necessary school supplies and necessities. Still others have started programs for mentoring of young migrant and Latino girls.To learn more about the progress of this SVPP Investee, click here to download the latest report.
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