ABOUT Belding Parents Group
Friends of Belding began in the Spring of 2007 as an e-mail distribution group focused on providing the community and prospective Belding parents regular updates on Belding’s activities, accomplishments and volunteering opportunities. The e-mail distribution and simultaneous posts to the Old Irving Park Association monthly newsletter continued as the sole efforts of Friends of Belding until the Spring of 2010.
Amidst the education funding crisis that squeezed CPS budgets in general and specifically threatened Belding’s full-day Kindergarten program for the 2010 – 2011 school year, two parents of children in Belding’s Preschool For All program explored the idea of incorporating FOB to serve as a means for funding additional teaching positions necessary to maintain the full-day Kindergarten program. Before incorporating, the two ladies consulted Belding’s then Interim Principal and the current PTA President as well as contacted other “Friends Of” groups supporting other elementary schools within the Chicago Public School system. After receiving helpful information and support, the two ladies began the steps of incorporation by recruiting an initial board and creating by-laws.
In September of 2010, Friends of Belding filed articles of incorporation with the State of Illinois and became incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation. We obtained Federal 501(c)3 status in September of 2011.
In 2014, Friends of Belding rebranded itself to the Belding community as “The Belding Parent Group” (or “BPG”) and filed papers with the Secretary of State to officially adopt Belding Parent Group as our d/b/a (doing business as) moniker.
Board Members
Joe Farrell – President
Bryan Pitts – Vice President
Claudia Rosales- Treasurer
Marisa Tell- Secretary
Bengi Weber – Director
Emily Sermersheim – Director
Kristin Jukes - Director
Garrett Harabedian - Director
Andy Barks - Director