Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Coalition for Community Schools Offers Awards for Stellar Community Schools

The Coalition for Community Schools is now accepting applications from community schools for the Individual Community Schools Awards and the Community Schools Initiative Awards.  A community school is a set of partnerships between the school and surrounding community resources, including supplemental academic resources, health services, social services, and youth and community development. Public Schools host the physical space for Community Schools and are open to everyone – all day and in the evenings on weekdays and weekends. Community Schools have proven effective in revitalizing communities across the country. The model builds the capacity of the community, leveraging the neighborhood physical and human assets to help children succeed.

The Individual Community Schools Awards will be administered to schools that have demonstrated success operating as community schools for at least three years. Each winner will receive $2,500.

The Community Schools Initiative Awards will go to initiatives that have facilitated the expansion of community schools, organizing multiple community schools sites with a strong commitment to scaling up across the community or school system. Two initiatives will be recognized and awarded $5,000.

In 2013, the Coalition for Community Schools recognized five high-performing community schools and initiatives with the Community Schools national Awards for Excellence. Roosevelt Elementary School, a member of the COMPASS Community School Initiative (Community Partners for Student Success) in Allentown, PA, is one example of Community School that has improved student performance and community engagement. The percentage of students scoring advanced and proficient in reading increased by 19% from 2006 to 2011 and by 13% on math assessments. Additionally, parent volunteerism and participation has increased. More than two-dozen community members attend adult English classes, and more than half of students from these families attend out-of-school time learning with summer activities run by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Allentown and other community partners.

Schools intending to apply for the awards must be operating as community schools. All applications must be submitted electronically through the Individual Community Schools and Community School Initiative application webpages. Applications are due January 30, 2015. For more information or questions, please reach out to the Heather Naviasky at 202-822-8405 ext 111 or naviaskyh@iel.org. To learn more in general, visit the Coalition for Community Schools

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