Southwest Partnership

Education Committee

August 3rd 2017

 

Meeting Minutes

 

Present

Sheila Drummond Camm

Jane Buccheri

Venroy July

Lou Packett

Curtis Eaddy

Elizabeth Weber

 

Community School Planning Process

The Committee discussed the draft statement of purpose and description of what will be needed from schools, the neighborhoods associations/communities, and outside partners during the planning process (NOT the implementation of the community school initiative). Edits made during the meeting are reflected in the outline.

 

There needs to be an explanation of why having every school in the area be a community school is the major priority for the Committee. The Committee discussed possible ways to word the overarching reason for the goal that would emphasize the important role that community schools play in both supporting students and strengthening communities. Committee members will continue to think about the best wording of the statement of purpose.

 

Elizabeth will send out the below outline to the attendees and some regular committee members and give people two weeks to respond

 

She will schedule meetings with the principals at each school through August.

 

There is a meeting scheduled with UnderArmor, who has expressed interest in supporting the community school planning process–Lou and Elizabeth will attend and we will share with them the areas of support for community partners that the Committee has discussed.

 

Statement of Purpose

The Southwest Partnership is working to make every school in the SWP area a community school WHY.

 

Our model of a community school is of a full time community school coordinator in each school, developing partnerships to meet the needs of students, families, staff, and the (surround schools, families, and neighborhoods with the resources that they need for children to succeed) community and a whole school that is an anchor to the community as a whole. The following conditions need to be met:

  1. The school has a holistic approach to addressing family and community needs
  2. Leadership opportunities for family and community members–decision making opportunities
  3. Ongoing collaboration with the community–engaging community authentically  
  4. Specific, written plan that has measurable goals that are regularly met and which is reviewed and approved regularly by the school, families, and the community
  5. There will be a key point of contact who will connect with each school in the area and manage the process

 

What We Will Need During the Planning Process

The first step is to create a plan for each school through a community planning process. During this process we will need from the schools:

  1. One-on-one time with each principal to discuss school needs and resources and the strategic plan for each school
  2. The opportunity to hold information gathering sessions with school staff about school assets and and needs
  3. The opportunity to hold information gathering sessions with school families and students (as appropriate) about school assets and needs
  4. The opportunity to hold information gathering sessions with school partners about school assets and needs
  5. Data on student achievement, where students live, partners, population of each grade, demographic data, mobility, age in grade level, family structure (is it a challenge?), trauma experiences

 

We will need from the community/neighborhood associations

  1. The opportunity to hold information gathering sessions with community members about school and community assets and needs
  2. Support in outreach around the community school planning process
  3. Regular attendance at Education Committee meetings to guide the planning process

 

We will need from outside partners (or the SWP) during the planning process. All outside partners need to be good listening partners, embrace and understand what we are trying to do, don’t have a savior complex

  1. Support around creating outreach and marketing materials
  2. Support in data collection and analysis
  3. Support in grant writing, resource development, resource identification
  4. Support in producing the final plan for each school
  5. Influence in supporting the community school plan–sharing it with their partners and networks
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