State PIRC Board:

Mr. Terry Scrogum, Illinois Arts Council
Ms. Linda Vaughn, Illinois State Title 1
Mr. Ronald Lawless, Illinois Title 1 Parent Coordinator
Ms. Barbara Quinn, President, Illinois PTA
Ms. Anna Weselak, National PTA
Ms. Julie Andrianopoli, Illinois Arts Alliance
Ms. Julie Parente, Kids Count Illinois
Ms. Deb Bretag, Illinois Center for Violence Prevention
Ms. Suzanne Kerbow, Polk Bros. Foundation
Ms. Kay Henderson, Illinois Department of Early Childhood Education
Ms. Barbara Bowman, Chicago Public Schools Early Childhood Dept.
Ms. Carol Ann Stowe, Harris Center for Early Childhood Education
Ms. Susan Armato, Illinois Federation for Community Schools
Dr. Lee Jackson, Principal, Crown Community Academy
Ms. Claire Dunham, Ounce of Prevention
Dr. Beverly Butler, CPS Parent Involvement Division
Ms. Robin Lisboa, Illinois State Title III
Ms. Linda Miller, Learning Point Associates

David Flatley, Illinois PIRC Director

Special Advisory Committees:

Advisory Committee, in formation, will consist of:

• 12 parents
• 6 Community School Resource Coordinators
• School Administrators
• Educators
• Early Childhood Education Specialists
• Illinois PTA representatives
• The Illinois PIRC Program coordinator
• The Illinois PIRC Early Childhood Program Coordinator

Over the past 8 years, Columbia College Chicago’s Center for Community Arts Partnerships (CCAP) has fostered a vibrant culture of mutual and reciprocal learning in Chicago and suburban elementary schools with arts programs designed to meet the needs and expand the capacities of urban students living and learning in high-risk communities. Now, through the U.S. Department of Education’s Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC) grant, CCAP will provide the same opportunities to all Illinois parents through arts infused programming.

The Illinois PIRC will be implementing services in the following ways:

• Six PIRC “hubs” have been identified at schools throughout Chicago. These hubs will be pilot sites for our services and programming.
• In year 3 of our grant, we will establish two more hubs in southern and western Illinois. Any Illinois parent is welcome to attend any PIRC program.
• Services will be delivered through several statewide networks to attract the most diverse audiences of parents. Collaboration with the Illinois Federation of Community School, the Illinois Association of Early Childhood Teachers and Educators, the Local Arts Network of the Illinois Arts Alliance, and the Illinois State PTA.

Parental Engagement Model
The Illinois PIRC will offer extended development opportunities for parents, and parents will be encouraged to consider their own educational needs while working with their children on academic and arts programming through interaction with Columbia College Chicago faculty and students.

Early Childhood Model
The Reggio Emilia Early Childhood approach, in which parents are considered to be equally influential to their child’s education as her teacher, will be the focus of our Early Childhood programming and services.

How the Work Plan Meets the Needs of Parents
To offer direction for programs and services, a parent advisory infrastructure will be developed and implemented at each of the PIRC hub sites, with parents leading the training programs and taking an active role in recruiting other parents to attend. These parent leaders will then be capable of offering support in the development of parents in other areas of the state. A needs-assessment data collection tool will be distributed to shape the content and the methods of delivery for our services.

Alignment of Work to Statewide PIRC Efforts
The Illinois PIRC will be coordinating with state wide entities throughout the course of its operation. Through its Board of Directors (composed of Illinois leaders in educational and parental issues), networking with different statewide organizations, and developing “model” hubs throughout the state, the Illinois PIRC will align itself with the overall goals of the Illinois State Board of Education’s plan for parental involvement. The Illinois PIRC will also support the goals of the Department of Education’s PIRC goals through the dissemination of information through printed material, electronic media, conferences, mass media, and a summer institute offered each year to Illinois parents.

Unique Characteristics
Arts based learning for all ages has been the centerpiece of the Center for Community Arts Partnership’s operations, and now, as the site of the Illinois PIRC, CCAP will offer unique intergenerational opportunities to all Illinois parents and their children in a manner that builds upon our success in creating meaningful partnerships using the arts.