When Van Bokkelen Elementary School was placed on the Maryland Department of Education's takeover list due to its low test scores, Rhonda Ulmer set out to improve student
achievement and help the families as a whole. Through a survey, Rhonda discovered that many parents had problems paying bills and buying food. Some were facing eviction; some
had never graduated from high school.
Rhonda, an AmeriCorps Alum and single mother of three, understood that when the basic needs of the family are taken care of, parents can concentrate on the academic needs of their children. She received parent leadership training and a grant from the Maryland Parent Leadership Institute to fund the Van Bokkelen Family Network Project. The project enabled parents with children in the school to receive local community resources, obtain their GED, housing, food and health assistance.
By addressing the parents' needs first, Rhonda fostered a real sense of partnership between the school and the parents. Under her guidance, other collaborations developed to help students and families succeed, including those with local Boys and Girls Clubs, the YWCA, Maryland Food Bank, Community Action Partnership and others.
The huge success of the project inspired Rhonda to start the University for Parents, a community organization that provides parents throughout Maryland with the skills and resources to help their families succeed. Parent educators conduct interactive family development classes with school communities, increasing parental involvement and the chances for student academic success.
Five years later, with the support of teachers and the community, Van Bokkelen Elementary families have healthier lifestyles; students have strengthened their math, science, history and other academic skills, and the school has become the hub of the community. That's why Points of Light Institute and L'Oreal recognized Rhonda as a 2009 Woman of Worth.
( To find out more about the L'Oreal Women of Worth program, or to nominate a woman in your life making a beautiful difference in the community visit www.womenofworth.com.)
Rhonda, an AmeriCorps Alum and single mother of three, understood that when the basic needs of the family are taken care of, parents can concentrate on the academic needs of their children. She received parent leadership training and a grant from the Maryland Parent Leadership Institute to fund the Van Bokkelen Family Network Project. The project enabled parents with children in the school to receive local community resources, obtain their GED, housing, food and health assistance.
By addressing the parents' needs first, Rhonda fostered a real sense of partnership between the school and the parents. Under her guidance, other collaborations developed to help students and families succeed, including those with local Boys and Girls Clubs, the YWCA, Maryland Food Bank, Community Action Partnership and others.
The huge success of the project inspired Rhonda to start the University for Parents, a community organization that provides parents throughout Maryland with the skills and resources to help their families succeed. Parent educators conduct interactive family development classes with school communities, increasing parental involvement and the chances for student academic success.
Five years later, with the support of teachers and the community, Van Bokkelen Elementary families have healthier lifestyles; students have strengthened their math, science, history and other academic skills, and the school has become the hub of the community. That's why Points of Light Institute and L'Oreal recognized Rhonda as a 2009 Woman of Worth.
( To find out more about the L'Oreal Women of Worth program, or to nominate a woman in your life making a beautiful difference in the community visit www.womenofworth.com.)
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