CVP Mission

Coachella Valley Parents mission is to construct a trustworthy relationship between teachers, staff, students, and parents by working together in harmony. CVP strengthens & empowers local community leaders. The purpose of CVP is to provide resources that benefits youth by creating a positive and peaceful school climate and developing more effective methods of conflict resolution. CVP’s core values are integrity, respect, loyalty, patience, tolerance, unity, positive communication.

A California non-profit 501(c)3

IEN: 41-259058

Sandra brought us a lot of hope, it was really hard gaining traction for restorative justice, but she was such a believer and brought other parents along to the point where it really became a parent-driven space.”

– Margarita Luna,

The California Endowment Senior Program Manager For The Coachella Valley

The Coachella Valley Parents (CVP) group was founded by Sandra Ramirez, a Coachella resident who one day decided she’d had enough with the bullying her son was enduring in elementary school. When she would ask teachers what was being done, they would usually just shrug their shoulders. Parents felt the district was not doing enough to improve school climates. Beyond the bullying issue, parents said administrators relied too heavily on suspensions and relations among teachers and students were often lacking.

In October 2014, Ramirez attended a meeting organized by the Council of Mexican Federations in North America (COFEM) and Coachella Building Healthy Communities, which has since been renamed Alianza Coachella Valley. It was the first time Ramirez had heard the term “restorative justice.” Also known as RJ, restorative justice is an alternative to punitive approaches to school discipline and juvenile justice. It is based on the premise that when someone misbehaves or inflicts harm on another person, the focus should be on holding the offender accountable and addressing needs of the person harmed rather than punishment. A key aspect of restorative justice is the circle process. Schools that implement it use “community building circles” to improve school climate and “harm” or “healing” circles to address discipline issues. “It was like a light bulb went off for me,” Ramirez said. “I said to myself: ‘this is what we need.

Since that day, the mother of four has dedicated herself to bringing restorative justice to the district. Along the way, she’s found like-minded parents who’ve joined Coachella Valley Parents. Their progress has at times felt painstakingly slow, with stonewalling and empty promises from the district. But they’ve persevered and proved the power of true grassroots organizing. Today the group is 20 strong and has created a community of parents stretching across the valley. Members have become fixtures at school board meetings and hold monthly Zumba nights and organize several lunada celebrations a year.

To prevent students from leaving school and therefore withdrawing from the classroom and their learning environment. To encourage students, teachers, and staff to feel that school is a second home for students. In continuation, to develop the values and methods for student’s to overcome situations of conflict and succeed in their educational goals.