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“I have really enjoyed PPS's training and what I have learned I can apply to my job. It helps me understand how to work effectively with parents. ”
-PPS PEP Graduate
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In Press Release

PPS Announces Appointment of Five New Directors to its National Board

Share Tweet Share (JACKSON, MS, September 22, 2023) Parents for Public Schools (PPS) is pleased to announce the appointment of five new directors to its national board: Cindy Arriagada, Executive Director Assistant, NC Foundation for Public School Children; Stephen Brooks, Ed Foundation CEO, Alameda County Office of Education; Karen Harrington, Director of Student Services, Pitt County Schools (NC); Andrea Jones-Davis, Director of Course Gateway, Educause; and Thomas Reynolds, Attorney and Mississippi State Representative. In commenting on the new appointments, PPS National Executive Director Joann Mickens stated, "We are privileged to have these excellent volunteer leaders join us as we look...
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In Joann's notes

Summer Learning Enhances Student Success

Summer break is often looked upon with great anticipation by both students and teachers alike. However, as research shows, summer learning loss can be a major concern for many families. Studies have found that students can lose up to two months of progress in math and reading over the summer months. This “summer slide” can disproportionately affect students from low-income families, who may not have access to the same enrichment opportunities as their peers. This is where summer learning programs come into play. Summer programs offer opportunities for students to engage in academic learning and fun activities during the summer...
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In Press Release

PPS Receives $45,000 Grant from the Elias Foundation

Share Tweet Share (JACKSON, MS, June 27, 2023) Parents for Public Schools (PPS) has been awarded a $45,000 grant from the Elias Foundation. The Foundation’s sole mission is to promote a more equitable and progressive society by supporting the development of emerging grassroots leaders and their organizations. The Elias Foundation has created a fund in honor of Lutonya Russell-Humes who is currently serving as the treasurer of the PPS National Board of Directors. PPS is pleased to be a recipient of a grant from that fund and sincerely thanks Ms. Russell-Humes for her support. The grant will be disbursed over...
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Joann Mickens
In Joann's notes

Parent Involvement vs. Parent Engagement: Is there a Difference?

When it comes to a child’s education, there is often talk of the importance of parental involvement or engagement. While the terms may seem interchangeable, there are actually important differences between the two concepts. Parent Involvement Parental involvement refers to actions or activities that parents do to support their child's learning, such as attending parent-teacher conferences or volunteering at school events. It is often seen as a more passive role, where parents are involved in their child's education but may not be actively seeking to improve it beyond these traditional activities. Parent Engagement Parental engagement, on the other hand, goes...
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In Joann's notes

Culturally Responsive Teaching Can Improve Student Academic Outcomes

It can be said with assurance that COVID-19 and the resulting removal of students from school buildings, has changed the way classrooms work and has left schools, districts, and teachers searching for ways to motivate and engage students now that they are back at school. Because of the learning loss students experienced as a result of the pandemic, schools and parents are finding it challenging to figure out ways to best manage both student resilience and learning. Many school districts have been able to access funds and resources to help address the issue while parents have become more concerned about...
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In Public School Proud

Why We Chose the Public School Path: A Family’s Experience

This blog was written by Becky Glover, PPS Policy Analyst. Recently, we’ve seen state legislators, congressional officials, and others celebrating and promoting the privatization of public schools, which they call ‘school choice.’ Well, I’m here to tell folks some of the many reasons why our family chooses public schools. I support public schools because I grew up in a community with a strong, high-quality public school district that not only provided me with a great education but also learning opportunities not offered anywhere else. For instance, my public high school in Mississippi offered an elective class called Medical Careers. Taking...
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In Press Release

Amerigroup Provides Additional Sponsorship to PPS

Share Tweet Share (JACKSON, MS, February 3, 2023) Parents for Public Schools® was recently awarded a sponsorship from Amerigroup, a trusted health insurance provider that offers Medicare and Medicaid coverage. The $25,000 sponsorship will allow PPS to partner with public schools throughout Mississippi to improve health outcomes for students.  Due to this funding, PPS will develop a workshop focusing on the connection between healthy students and academic outcomes. Of this sponsorship, PPS National Executive Director, Joann Mickens, stated, “We are truly appreciative of the support we continue to receive from Amerigroup, a valued partner that has sponsored our work in...
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In Publications

Impact Report 2021 – 22

A message to our supporters The 2022-23 PPS Impact Report celebrates PPS’s continued commitment to advancing the role of families and communities in securing a high-quality public education for every child.  PPS chapters have done amazing work over the past year to support our mission. Through their hard work and dedication,  PPS continues  to have a powerful impact on our public schools and the communities where they are located. We look forward to the next thirty years of working to ensure that equitable and excellent public schools are available to every child.
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In Press Release

PPS Acquires New Director of Chapter Services

Share Tweet Share (JACKSON, MS, January 25, 2022) Parents for Public Schools® (PPS) has officially announced Kylene Dibble as its new Director of Chapter Services. Having served as the Executive Director of Parents for Public Schools of Pitt County for more than 7 years, Kylene’s knowledge of public schools and connection to PPS will serve her greatly as a member of the National Office Staff. As the Director of Chapter Services, Kylene will be responsible for providing support and assistance to PPS chapters. She will also assist in managing the process of chapter creation and development. Additionally, she will work...
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In Joann's notes

School Board Elections – The Epicenter for Political Control 

School board meetings and school board elections are becoming frontline battlefields for the nation’s political division. School board decisions directly impact three of our most precious resources – our children, our public schools, and our money. School boards not only determine policy, they are also the community’s educational watchdog and, in rural districts, they may be overseers of the largest employer in the area. To a considerable extent, school boards also determine the level of difficulty for parents and citizens to navigate their local public school system and find a seat at the decision-making table, itself. This is where politicization...
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