Save North

Lawndale Schools



Pope
Reuse

Henson
Re-Use










Framework for Community Based Planning
Presented by Valerie F. Leonard
Based on Presentation by Committee to Save North Lawndale Schools
Thursday, April 17, 2014

Save Our Schools

The Committee to
Save North Lawndale Schools

The Committee to Save North Lawndale Schools (CSNLS) is comprised of North Lawndale
stakeholders who have come together to provide an alternative plan to avert school
closings. Members of the ad hoc committee include elected officials, local community-
based organizations, and engaged individuals. To date, the group consists of the following
members:

Benjamin Bedenfield, Y-Men
Billy Brooks, Better Boys Foundation
Rev. Eric Brown, Greater Progressive Missionary Baptist Church
Willie Cole, North Lawndale Supporter
Willie Mae Bowling, 4200 West Cullerton Block Club
Dan Cantrell, Congressman Danny K. Davis' Office
Alderman Michael Chandler
Congressman Danny K. Davis
Margaret Davis, Lawndale Resident
Cheryl Francis, Chicago Area Project
Dr. Betty Green, North Lawndale Community Advisory Council
Nicole "Nikki" Harvey, Eden Advocacy CDC/ WSBNAACP
Benard Clay, WSBNAACP
David Evers, Commissioner Robert Steele's Office
Sherneron Hilliard, Family Focus-Lawndale
Mariame Kaba, Project Nia
Valerie F. Leonard, Lawndale Alliance
Trina Mangrum, Alderman Chandler's Office
Lorenzo O'Bryant, Family Focus-Lawndale
Windy Pearson, Action Now
Xavier Ramey, Y-MEN
William Riley, Eden Advocacy CDC
Katie Russell, Better Boys Foundation
Commissioner Robert Steele
Wayne Stiles, Better Boys Foundation
Darren Tillis, North Lawndale Community Advisory Council
Michael Trout, Y-MEN
State Representative Arthur Turner
Mary Visconti, Better Boys Foundation
Debra Wesley, Sinai Community Institute
Cynthia Williams, Sinai Community Institute
Annetta Wilson, Sankofa Safe Child Initiative
Gladys Woodson 4300 West 21st Place Block Club
Michelle Young, Action Now

Kick Off
Community
Assessment
Community
Planning
Approval of
Action Plan
Community
Mobilization
and Education
Assessment of
Progress
Refine the Plan
Develop an Evidence-Based
Community Strategic Planning Process
Rationale: To ensure authentic community voice in community and education
planning in North Lawndale.

Overall Goal: To develop a community-driven, evidence-based community
strategic plan for implementation. This six-step plan will be developed over 9-12
months through data collection and a series of community meetings in the North
Lawndale Community.

Process: Kickoff; Community Assessment; Community Planning; Approval of
Action Plan; Community Mobilization and Education; Assessment of Progress and
Refining the Plan

Expected Results: North Lawndale citizens and stakeholders will produce a
solid blueprint to position the community for long term economic growth using
school improvement as a major driver for change.

Progress: We have completed a basic framework for a community school
resource center that will be amended to fit within the context of a comprehensive
community development plan with schools at the focus.
Community Advisory Council Proposal

The North Lawndale Community Advisory Council (CAC) submitted a
comprehensive plan for North Lawndale schools to remain open last spring.
They recommended four specialty foci for schools, including STEM programs
for Chalmers and Dvorak; green technology and entrepreneurship at Penn
leadership development for Pope and Plamondon and a fine arts focus at
Crown. They also identified the following goals and objectives
.
Figure 1: CAC Goals and Objectives

Goal 1:
All North Lawndale
Schools will provide a
high quality education to
all students


Objective 1:
Provide opportunities
for all families to have
access to quality pre-
school education
programs.

Objective 2:
Provide a curriculum that
meets the needs of all
students.

Objective 3:
All North Lawndale
schools will have a safe
and respectful
environment.

Objective 4:
All North Lawndale
schools will have on-
going and transparent
communication that
connects the school,
parent and community.
Goal 2:
Schools will provide
social, emotional, and
health services to North
Lawndale students that
will ensure that they are
ready to learn

Objective 2-1:
All families will have
access to physical,
emotional and mental
health
services.

Objective 2-2:
All schools will have
social, emotional and
health services that
eliminate or significantly
reduce the barriers to
learning.







Goal 3:
North Lawndale Families
will appreciate the
traditional
neighborhood schools

Objective 3-1:
The North Lawndale
School Staffs will do a
great job of marketing
their schools.
















Note: Pope has since closed, and Chalmers has been turned around by AUSL.
Schools
Community
Advisory
Council
Community
School
Collaborative

School
environs

Continuum of wrap
around services and
community based
activities
Community School Collaborative

We wholeheartedly support the plans put forth by the Community Advisory Council
and the Lawndale schools. We envision ourselves working in concert with the North
Lawndale Schools and the Community Advisory Council. The North Lawndale
Schools and Community Advisory Council will focus on the activities within the
school environs, while we provide a continuum of wrap around services and
community based activities. To this end, we will create the North Lawndale
Community School Collaborative to serve as an intermediary for the North Lawndale
Schools, the Community Advisory Council, parents, students and local residents.

Figure 2: North Lawndale Community School
Collaborative Framework

North Lawndale
Community
Schools
Collaborative
Academic Support
Services
Health, Fitness
and Nutrition
Truancy
Prevention
Workforce
Development
Early Childhood
Family Services
Leadershipand
Mentoring
Research
Sports and
Recreation
Arts and Culture
Outreach and
Civic Engagement
Areas of Focus
Lead Agencies
Better Boys
Foundation
(BBF)
Sinai Community
Institute (SCI)
Capacity Building
The North Lawndale
Community Schools
Collaborative will
network with over
240 North Lawndale
organizations and
churches to provide
a continuum
supportive services
and create a referral
network for North
Lawndale Schools.
The Collaborative
will also leverage
the resources of city
agencies, including
Chicago Public
Schools, the
Chicago Park
District, Chicago
Public Libraries,
Chicago
Department of
Cultural Affairs and
Special Events and
the Chicago Police
How We
Will Work
Figure 3: North Lawndale Community School
Collaborative Operating Structure

What We
Invest
-Staff
-Students
-Partners
-Existing
Program
Models
-Time
-Money
-Materials
-Equipment
-Access to
partners'
research
What We
Acquire
-Additional
Staff
-Training/
Expertise
What We
Do
Youth
Mentoring
Develop
Workforce
Healthcare
Family
Counseling
Workshops
Research
Community
Outreach
Cultural
enrichment
Sports and
Recreation
Who We
Reach
-Schools
-Youth
-Parents
-Churches
-Residents
-Community
-Key
Decision
Makers
Short Term
Results
-Improved
school
attendance
rates
-reduction
in truancy
and
delin-
quency
-Improved
student
outcomes
-Eradication
of food
deserts
-Improved
health and
Ultimate
Impact to
School and
Community
-Improved
student
outcomes
- Reduction
in unem-
ployment
rates
Inputs Outputs Outcomes/Impact
Overall Goal: To increase academic outcomes for North Lawndale schools by:
-reducing truancy
-improving health , fitness and nutrition for students and their families
-exposing school children to career options
-providing basic skills training and workforce development for parents and local residents
Sample Evaluation Question: What is the effectivenessof utilizing after school programming
and community based resources to increase school performance and retention?
Situation
The majority of
North Lawndale
schools are Level 2
or 3.
North Lawndale is
among the top 5
with respect to
truancy.
Approximately
46% of North
Lawndale children
between 6 and 12
years of age were
obese in 2003
Unemployment
exceeds 50%
among youth
There is a need for
more high quality
programs for
sports, recreation,
arts and culture.
Figure 4: North Lawndale Community School
Program Logic and Evaluation Model

Figure 5: North Lawndale Community School
Implementation Timeline

1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr 4 Qtr 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr 4 Qtr 1 Qtr 2 Qtr 3 Qtr 4 Qtr
2013 2014 2015
Planning
Implementation
Evaluation
Formalize working
relationships
Develop governance
structure
Conduct needs
assessment
Strategic planning
Develop and refine
programs
Create formal entity
Identify other resources
Set stage for evaluation
Develop collateral
materials
Develop program
infrastructure
Develop website
Conduct marketing and outreach activities to schools,
parents, students and community organizations.
Hire additional staff, subject to funding and final program
structure.
Implement programs in focus areas
File periodic reports to governing body, funders,
regulators and community .
Collect data for research, advocacy and evaluation
purpose.
Utilize findings to improve programs.
Conduct process
and outcome
evaluation to
assess
effectiveness of
program to
impact systemic
change in a cost
effective manner.
Ongoing
Note: This timeline was developed in March 2013 as part of an alternative plan to
school closings in North Lawndale. In the event this proposal is accepted, the timeline
will be revised as necessary.
Figure 6: North Lawndale Community School
Implementation Budget

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Staff (5 members) 210,000 216,300 222,789
Bookkeeping 12,000 12,360 12,731
Auditing 6,500 6,695 6,896
Legal 5,000 5,150 5,305
Insurance (Health, Liability, D&O) 25,000 25,750 26,523
Supplies 10,000 10,300 10,609
Rent 15,000 15,450 15,914
Furnishings 15,000 - -
Equipment 10,000 - -
Mailing 1,500 1,545 1,591
Utilities 6,000 6,180 6,365
Software and subscriptions 3,500 3,605 3,713
Advertising 2,500 2,575 2,652
322,000 $ 305,910 $ 315,087 $
Note: The staff will include a director, administrative assistant, two program
coordinators and a research and policy coordinator. This budget does not
include acquisition, construction or building maintenance costs. If this
proposal is accepted, the budget will be revised to include these items, as well
as revenue projections.

Questions regarding this plan may be directed to Valerie F. Leonard at 773-521-3137
or valeriefleonard@msn.com