Today marks the one year anniversary of the announcement for the first nine community schools. To celebrate, we wanted to look back on our top 10 favorite moments from the first year of the community schools initiative.
1. First Nine Community Schools Announced
On July 18, 2016 the City announced the first nine schools after months of public engagement and feedback.
2. Community Schools Boot Camp Training: Gearing Up for a Great Year
Before community school coordinators started the school year, they went through an intensive 8-day training course to learn how to become effective community school coordinators.
3. Community Schools Students Run at the Philadelphia Marathon
Made possible by a partnership between the Philadelphia Marathon, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, Get Healthy Philly, and the Mayor’s Office of Education, Community Schools’ students from Cramp, Tilden, and Gideon were able to run in the kids fun run and received complimentary transportation, registration, t-shirts and medals for participating.
4. Community Schools Travel to Baltimore
In November 2016, Community Schools staff, principals and central office staff from the School District of Philadelphia, and the School Reform Commission took a field trip to Baltimore, a city with more than forty community schools that relaunched their community school strategy in 2012.
5. Community Schools Celebrate Martin Luther King Day of Service
Community schools participated in this national day of service to bring the community together to improve their schools.
6. State Education Secretary Pedro A. Rivera Visits Logan Elementary
Secretary Rivera was impressed by the school and called it a “powerful example of engaged community, dedicated faculty, and intelligent and cared for students.”
7. Community Schools Release Their School Plans
After months of public engagement, community meetings, focus groups, and partnership building, community school coordinators released their school plans. These plans detail the priorities that each school will focus on to better meet students’ and families’ needs.
8. Community Schools Host Mayors from Across the Country
The National League of Cities selected Philadelphia as the host site for the Mayors’ Institute due to Mayor Kenney’s commitment to creating community schools in Philadelphia.
9. Mayor Kenney participates in Food Backpack Program at Gideon
Thanks to facilitation of the Mayor’s Office of Grants, this past school year, Edward Gideon School partnered with nonprofit Philabundance to provide every student with a backpack full of nutritious food each month.
10. City of Philadelphia Announces Two New Community Schools
Just a few days shy of the one year mark of community schools, the City of Philadelphia announced the next two schools to join the community schools initiative.