Engaging Minority Community

North Eugene High School

To encourage involvement of our minority parents, with the expectation that their increased engagement will encourage the greater participation of their children, we ask for funds to engage in the following three-fold endeavor:

1. Make personal, adult contact with the parent or guardian of every minority NEHS student. The contact will include a survey with the intent of determining and overcoming common barriers that prevent parents from participating in school activities such as attending the Latino parent night.

2. Host a minority parent and student dinner. The capstone of the dinner will be a motivational speaker. The speaker will be someone with experience in developing leaders, and motivating organizers and activists. In addition to the speaker, we will discuss opportunities for and solicit participation in school governance activities like site council. We will extend an invitation for parents to come to a site council meeting with Spanish translation provided. If we find that language is a significant barrier to Latino parent involvement, we will include interpretive services for future site council meetings and other events. Childcare will be provided as required.

3. Make follow up contact. Again, extend the invitation to specific and various activities in which parents can participate (ex: North parent meetings, Latino parent night, site council meetings and Small Schools Initiative stakeholder events).

Why is this project important?

When North Eugene High School opened its doors to students this fall, more than one in four who entered was a student of color. In recent years this demographic has steadily increased and NEHS now serves the largest minority student community of any of the 4J high schools. Traditionally the representation of people of color in leadership positions at NEHS has been not been on par with the growing demographic. As this population becomes more and more significant, the need to engage students of color and their parents in the governance of their high school becomes more crucial.

Additionally as North Eugene begins restructuring as part of the Oregon Small Schools Initiative grant, it becomes imperative that all student populations have a voice in the reform. As we endeavor to include all stakeholders in the input and decision-making processes, the voices of their parents become equally as critical.

Who, and how many will be served?

The increased participation of minority cultures will benefit the entire school community. This grant will directly benefit all minority students at NEHS. The request predominately focuses on the largest minority (Latinos) as we will provide translation services. By identifying and overcoming barriers and by actively involving and empowering parents of minority students in the decision-making structures of the school, we expect that the parents increased contribution and activism will affect positively the participation and leadership activities of their child.

How will you evaluate the success of this project?

We will evaluate the success of this project by tracking the numbers of minority parents and students that are involved in various leadership opportunities at North Eugene H.S. This would include, but not be limited to participation in various parent meetings, membership on site council, membership in student council and student government, and participation in parent and student events in the Oregon Small Schools Initiative restructuring endeavor. Also, the academic achievement of minority students will increase as they become more active and more empowered in their school.

Does this proposal build upon existing programs at your school?

Yes, minority students are already supported by a number of programs at North Eugene. Our four most prominent support organizations are the North Eugene English Language Learner Success Program (NEELSP), the Natives Program, the Black Student Union, and Centro LatinoAmericano. All of these organizations already work for student and parent empowerment and academic success; this grant will support activities that are in concert with these organizations.

How will the funds be spent?

Classified staffing; a motivational speaker; interpretive services for the speaker and for site council meeting(s).