our core:
the four pillars of community schools

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - Increased number of strategic partnerships formed between the  school, faith-based organizations, local businesses, and non-profits.

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT - Family members are empowered to serve as partners — not only in their children's education, but also in school-wide improvement as well.

ATTENDANCE - Decreased truancy, tardiness, and student absences related to health conditions or family function.

BEHAVIOR - Decreased need for behavioral interventions in the school environment.

PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL HEALTH - Increased access to physical, mental, and social/emotional  health assistance for students, families, and staff.

ACADEMICS - Improved academics and learning.

These seven principles guide the community school approach to school transformation. When used in combination with a clear, strong vision for how students, schools, and communities can thrive — these principles provide a solid foundation for the community school strategy.

PURSUE EQUITY

Educational excellence and equity are inseparable. Community schools work actively to identify and confront policies, practices, and cultures that keep students of different backgrounds from achieving outcomes. Community schools proactively and intentionally empower those typically disempowered by barriers to participation.

INVEST IN A WHOLE-CHILD APPROACH TO EDUCATION

Meaningful teaching and learning embraces core academic subjects — but it also goes beyond mastery of those subjects. It includes youth development principles such as holding high expectations for all involved as well as developing social-emotional, health, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

BUILD ON COMMUNITY STRENGTHS TO ENSURE CONDITIONS

Community schools utilize the assets of the entire community, including the gifts of those who live and work there — parents, families, and community partners — to create the optimal learning conditions.

USE DATA AND COMMUNITY WISDOM

Reliable and community-specific data, coupled with the wisdom of youth, families, and residents, guides how educators and community partners work together to achieve measurable results.

COMMIT TO INTERDEPENDENCE AND SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY

Student success requires explicit investment in collaborative planning and implementation between educators and community partners. Mutually agreed upon results and related indicators — as well as written agreements — enable educators and community partners to hold each other accountable.

           INVEST IN BUILDING TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS

Deep collaboration takes dedicated effort and time to becomes ingrained in the daily social exchanges within a school community and between the school and the broader community. Trusting relationships fuel school transformation by creating a nurturing, safe, respectful climate where caring adults, families, and students can     rely on each other as part of a shared approach to student success.

FOSTER A LEARNING ORGANIZATION

Improved student learning depends on a school community where educators and community partners work together towards continuous improvement. Time and support are available for individual and collective reflection, as well as shared learning and professional development, to facilitate responsiveness to student needs.