Rhonda Ulmer and
The Van Bokkelen Story
AmeriCorps Alum and Eli J. Segal Fellow
As a single mother of three, Rhonda Ulmer understood the challenges facing families in her community. She wanted to make a difference, so she joined Volunteer Maryland, an AmeriCorps program through the Governor’s office.
While volunteering with AmeriCorps, Rhonda’s children attended
Van Bokkelen Elementary School in Severn, Md.
At that time, the school was in danger of being taken over by the State Department of Education due to its failure to meet No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law requirements. Seeing that change needed to happen at her children’s school, Rhonda took action!
Rhonda's Children
As the PTA President, she received parent training and a grant from the
Maryland Parent Leadership Institute to fund the Van Bokkelen Family Network.
The Network’s goal was to help families meet basic needs,
so parents in turn could focus on the academic needs of their children.
The Network collaborated with many community partners, including the local Boys and Girls Club, Southwest Airlines, Anne Arundel Community College, the YWCA, Maryland Food Bank, Community Action Partnership and others.
The Network used the school as a hub to provide the community with support and resources. After three years of hard work, commitment and dedication from parents, teachers, and community partners, the school is no longer at risk for being taken over by the state. In fact, the school has made Adequate Yearly Progress, a key NCLB benchmark, for five consecutive years.
Van Bokkelen won the highest National PTA Award for Excellence in Education Partnerships
Rhonda saw success in the Van Bokkelen Family Network and knew it was an effective model for community change. Inspired by the success of giving parents tools and resources, Rhonda started University for Parents, a community program committed to supporting parents through family education.