Prescott Parents is Evolving

A message from Prescott Parents’ board

Dear Prescott Community:

Thank you for being a member of the Prescott community! We are glad you’re here and wanted to provide an introduction to Prescott Parents as we continue evolving to better support the needs of our school community. If you’re new to Prescott, or if you’ve been here awhile, read on for an update on some changes happening with Prescott Parents. There are lots of opportunities to get involved in supporting our school and our student’s educational needs, even virtually. But first, a word from Jenn Lister, the founder of Prescott Parents and a fundamental reason Prescott is the school it is today, as she winds down her time as a Prescott Parent.

A Message from our Founder, Jennifer Lister:

My mission was simple – make Prescott a strong school option for all our kids – every child who attended Prescott. I had no roadmap, no template, no experience, no partner, no resources. I wasn’t equipped to transform a struggling school, much less establish a non-profit organization to support its financial needs. I wasn’t a teacher, nor did I have a child in school at that time (13 years ago) but I was energized by one powerful ideal – that all families should have access to a rigorous public school education.

Over the years as we expanded across the community, persistence, fortitude and tenacity gave way to success and accomplishment. Spearheaded by Principal Roche, our enrollment has grown to 500+, we have instituted rigorous learning strategies, witnessed the growth of civic-minded and conscientious students, hired the most accomplished teachers, improved test scores and grew Prescott Parents to be a comprehensive volunteer network. Our grass-roots effort, powered by sheer will and determination, has successfully navigated our small but mighty school through a CPS strangle-hold, out of a devastating closing scenario, and straight to a National Blue Ribbon School designation. While frustration and anger united us in our quest at times, smiles, laughter, and pride paved the way to incredible friendships, robust partnerships and an A+ education developed to grow our students holistically.

No one could have predicted our success and in fact, some still can’t believe what we have been able to create. The story of Prescott teaches us that one person can make a difference because that one person grows to 10, then 20, then 100. The story of Prescott shows us that perseverance matters, consideration matters, and conviction matters. The story of Prescott proves that anything is possible. I know this to be true because my story of Prescott includes hundreds of socially aware, well rounded, caring, and compassionate students who will enter the world fully prepared and motivated to make a difference.

The 2020-2021 school year will be my last with Prescott but the direction of Prescott Parents will continue under new and robust leadership. I am filled with pride as I recall our efforts and while the path was bumpy and proved difficult at times, in the end, we won. The ideal that started us on this path has come to fruition…for all of us who have been lucky enough to have a student at Prescott.

The Purpose of Prescott Parents Remains the Same

The purpose of Prescott Parents remains the same, to support the educational experience among Prescott students, as a 501c(3) nonprofit organization and to foster a spirit of cooperation, collaboration and community between parents, faculty, administration and staff; students, and the surrounding community.

Prescott Parents, through its team of committed volunteers, works to enhance the school facilities, underwrite academic and extracurricular programs, assist teachers in their classrooms, host the annual Prescott fundraiser, build the Prescott community, and coordinate communications to keep the greater Prescott community connected. Wolfpacks can be joined to support this mission. These include the Welcome Pack for supporting families new to the school, Prescott Benefit Wolfpack for fundraising, room parents to support teachers in the classroom, book fairs, as well as student events when in-person learning resumes (walk-a-thon, Field Day, and the end-of-the-year picnic), and many other opportunities to get involved and support Prescott.

In 2020 thanks to the generosity of our community and the support of our families, the Prescott Benefit (historically Prescott’s largest individual fundraiser) raised over $80,000 in support of our mission. Money raised by Prescott Parents in the past has been used for student iPads, teacher training, school facilities improvements, middle school student storage, and many other needs identified by Prescott’s teachers and administration.

Changes to Prescott Parents with New Bylaws

While many things remain the same, some changes are being made to facilitate the organization’s growth, starting with new Bylaws and a change to some governing procedures.

Membership: Automatic membership will be granted to (a) any parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of a child or children enrolled at Prescott during the academic year, and (b) any teacher or staff member at Prescott during the academic year. Neighbors, community and business leaders and all other persons interested in promoting the Prescott Parents purposes, may be granted membership upon registration with the Secretary (email prescottparentschicago@gmail.com).

Board of Directors: Prescott Parents is moving to an elected Board of Directors. To qualify for a position on the Board of Directors, a candidate must be a member of PP for at least one calendar year and have actively served on a Wolfpack for at least six months. Prescott Parents strives to make the Board of Directors representative of the student body and believes that diverse backgrounds make a strong parent organization. Voting will take place at the 3rd quarter report card pickup day, so for this school year, the election is planned for April 21. Information about the current Board of Directors can be found here.

Get Involved – and How These Changes Impact You

These changes are intended to help Prescott Parents serve its mission effectively and transparently. Prescott Parents is only as strong as its members. Even in these times of remote learning, your help is needed to strengthen our school community and this organization. Here are some ways you can get involved:

Send an email to prescottschoolchicago@gmail.com and include how you’d like to help or the Wolfpack you’d like to join. A list of Wolfpacks can be found here.
If you’d like to serve on the Board and meet the criteria, applications will be available in early 2021.
Vote at the 3rd quarter report card pickup day for the 2021-22 Prescott Parents Board of Directors.
Like the Prescott Parents Facebook page for more updates and news.
Attend one of our virtual events, like a Pampered Chef virtual party (November 13, 7:00 p.m.) or virtual game night (December 4th, 7:00 p.m.) to get to know other Prescott families. If you’d like to host a similar event, send us an email!

We have an amazing community, and even with the challenging times we face, as a community we can move forward in ways we never could have imagined alone.

Cordially,

Prescott Parents Board

Jenn Lister, President

Jen Bushek, Vice President

Dana Fenceroy, Secretary

Lizzie Gussis, Treasurer

Linda Cho

Amy Cortis

Shelley Krepich

Jacki Liautaud

Amy Malelo

Jeff Marren