What's a Community School Coordinator?
The Community School Coordinator works collaboratively with the school principal and other school support staff to design, develop and/or implement Community School programming including: Family and student support services, Health services, Enrichment activities including those that occur during the school day, after school and summer , Family and community engagement activities, and Community sponsorship, partnership, and volunteer infrastructure.
Download the Toolkit
We've created a 2023 Coordinators Appreciation Week toolkit filled with resources to help you highlight the amazing Coordinators you know, as well as spread the word about the role they play in growing the Community School movement.
Take Action
Join our letter campaign for organizers and supporters of the Community Schools movement engaging in policy and advocacy outreach to lawmakers to secure more funding for Community Schools in FY24! Congress will soon be finalizing the federal budget for Fiscal Year 2024, and they need to hear from you that the Community Schools strategy is a comprehensive approach to restructuring and reimagining our public education system so that all students can learn and thrive. Use this tool to tell your story (feel free to add in your own examples and stories of impact to strengthen the message) of the benefits of Community Schools and send that message to your representatives now. Together, we can advance the Community School strategy, by garnering bipartisan support at the local, state, and national levels.
Add your CAW actions and events to our campaign hub!
Help us celebrate Coordinators Appreciation Week (CAW) by educating others about the role of a Coordinator in the Community Schools System, sharing stories about the work they do and impact they have, and advocating to your local and state policymakers for a Coordinators Appreciation Week proclamation! Find CAW events near you by typing in your zip code, or if your hosting your own, fill out the form by clicking the link below to get added to the map and to show how broad this movement is - you can upload files, share in-person or virtual event details, and more!
Welcome to CAW 2023! Hear from some of the hardworking Community School Coordinators about what they do, and why it’s so important:
Check out these headlines sharing more about the success of the Community School strategy, and the importance of the Coordinator role!
Community Room Podcast S1E4 – “Building Capacity” with Larry Ryan and Elizabeth Byrne
In the fourth episode of the Community Room podcast, the hosts interview former Community School Coordinators: Elizabeth Byrne and Larry Ryan to discuss the topic of “Building Capacity.” They talk about the different ways they build capacity in their own schools, the differences between an elementary school model versus a high school model, caring for the whole child, and much more.
“Larry Ryan has been in education for over 25 years. From his role as a school Youth Worker, Teacher, Community School Coordinator, and a Vice Principal in a middle school, he has been part of the school community from a variety of vantage points. He believes that the key to enhancing student learning and outcomes is to engage all stakeholders in the community. As a vice principal, Larry focuses on servant leadership and building a sense of community among students, staff, parents and other stakeholders. He strives to make his school a place that students and staff want to attend every day because it is a place of safety, connection, and fun.”
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Coordinator’s Appreciation Week Spotlight: Laura Howard Leads Her District to Coordinator Success
As part of our upcoming week-long celebration of Community School Coordinators, we’d like you to meet Laura Howard, District Community Schools Coordinator at Batesville Schools in Arkansas!
Laura has been working alongside the Coalition since she first became a Coordinator, about four years ago. Thanks to the support of an NEA Foundation grant, her team receives technical assistance from the Coalition for Community Schools to increase awareness and engagement around the Community Schools strategy in the Batesville school district.
Through this partnership, Laura has been able to grow her team and build the capacity of all the Coordinators in her district as they implement a sustainable, shared vision around the four pillars of Community Schools and adapt effective collaborative leadership practices. Using resources like the Stages of Development and learning more about Community Schools policy, finance, partnerships, and programs, Batesville is an exemplar of what quality Community School implementation looks like! Read the full spotlight here.
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East High School opens urban clothing store for needy students
This Community School recently opened a Urban Clothing Store to help mee the needs of students who need clothes, accessories, and other supplies throughout the year. Community School Coordinator Luis Zarate helped organize the initiative and was interviewed by a local news station to share more!