A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement leads to improved student learning, stronger families, and healthier communities.
In the Lebanon School District, our investment currently supports the employment of a community school coordinator at Northwest Elementary School. Union Canal Elementary and Ebenezer Elementary Schools in the Cornwall-Lebanon School District will be joining our community schools program in the 2024-25 school year.
With our partnership with Communities In Schools, a nonprofit that specializes in integrated community school programs, United Way’s investment supports employment of a Community School Coordinator, who helps address barriers to education and ensure that children - and their families - have access to the resources available both within the school system and community at large so they have what they need to succeed in school.
The following goals were identified within our first Community Schools in the Lebanon School District, which the community school coordinators are working to help address with students and their families:
- Increase parent engagement
- Increase attendance
- Decrease behavioral issues
- Align community resources to meet needs of the students and families.
Some of the projects that have come out of these goals:
- Providing targeted case management services to 35 students.
- Launching a girl’s self-esteem group at Northwest Elementary.
- Implementing an anti-bullying Group at Lebanon Middle School.
- Coordinating with community programs such as Power Packs and Be The One Parenting Program.
