Ethical outreach: a parent coordinator anchors immigrant families

Ethical outreach: a parent coordinator anchors immigrant families

Author: Ethical Schools April 15, 2021 Duration: 37:00

We speak with Herminia (Ita) Saldana, parent coordinator at MS 328, a middle school in Washington Heights, Manhattan. Every public school in NYC has a parent coordinator. Virtually all of the MS 328 students are current English Language Learners or have tested out of ELL status. As parent coordinator, Ita encourages and facilitates parent engagement as both advocate and navigator. She also helps recent immigrant families to access all kinds of community services as they adapt to life in NYC.  

Overview

00:00-02:21 MS 328 demographics

02:21-03:39 Most important aspects of parent coordinator job

03:39-06:44 Job requirements, professional development, career status

06:44-10:01 Issues faced by new immigrant families

10:01-15:29 Tensions between immigrant parents and their children

15:29-19:52 How parent coordinator/school can help

19:52-23:06 Balancing power imbalances between families and the school

23:06-25:46 Culturally responsive support

25:46-29:46 Taking external circumstances into account when evaluating academics

29:46-32:10 Ethical questions

32:10-35:02 How the DOE can provide more support to parent coordinators

35:02-37:00 Outro

Transcript


Conversations about education often focus on test scores and curriculum, but there’s a deeper layer that truly shapes a student’s experience. Ethical Schools digs into that layer, exploring what it means to build a learning community grounded in integrity and care. Each week, hosts Amy and Jon sit down with educators and innovators who are actively reimagining schools. You’ll hear specific, grounded discussions about the practical work of creating environments where every student feels safe and respected. The dialogue frequently addresses how to support young people dealing with trauma, moving beyond theory to share actionable strategies that teachers are using right now. More than just problem-solving, this podcast highlights how to empower students themselves to become advocates and changemakers in their own communities. It’s a series that connects philosophy with daily practice, looking at the social and cultural structures within schools through a lens of ethics. For anyone invested in the future of education-whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or simply a concerned community member-this podcast offers a thoughtful and necessary perspective on the foundational values that make education meaningful.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 240

Ethical Schools
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