Community Schools
Community Schools Initiative
Successful students…healthy families…engaged communities
Working with businesses and local agencies, Union Public Schools plays an integral part in the well being of children and their families, offering Community Schools which provide a myriad of services from counseling to health care for qualified residents.
Union believes that students whose families have access to proper health care, counseling services and other programs will be much more successful in their educational endeavors.
Kathy Dodd, Ph.D.
Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning / Biography
Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning / Biography
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Community Schools Coordinators
The impetus behind community schools is to provide greater equity for lower income students within the school district.
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Harriet Patterson |
Alycia Pennington |
Mallory Nolen |
Kim Berns |
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Kim Rampey |
Erin Velez |
Jeremy Quinonez McAuliffe 918-357-6535 |
Katie David |
Community Schools
Clark Elementary School, 3656 S. 103rd E. Ave., and Rosa Parks Elementary School, 13702 E. 46th Place South, have been designated full-service community schools. Located at both Clark and Rosa Parks is a school-based health clinic, which provides on-site health care needs. Both schools serve as hubs which also provide services for Briarglen, Boevers, Grove and McAuliffe schools. The 6th/7th Grade Center is also a Communuity Schools.
The impetus behind community schools is to provide greater equity for lower income students within the school district.
Clark and Rosa Parks offer families comprehensive health care in school-based clinics to ensure children can thrive in school. Dental services, counseling from mental health agencies and after-school and summer programs will continue to provide structure and exposure to academics and activities that will provide students a chance to develop skills, abilities and interests that might carry over to engagement in school.
A community school:
- Unites academics with families, school, and community to create a web of support that nurtures the development of children and adults.
- Is both a place and a network of supportive partnerships between the school and the community, promoting improved student learning, stronger families, and healthier communities.
- Is uniquely equipped to enhance the learning environment of schools by providing opportunities that improve students’ success and build a community prepared for the 21st century.
Core components of a community school
- Positive early childhood care and development
- Health / health education
- Mental health / social services
- Family / community engagement
- Youth development / out-of-school time
- Neighborhood development
- Life-long learning
Funding
The funding for the programs including salaries for the comminity schools coordinators at Roy Clark and Rosa Parks comes from school partners, grants, private donors, state money, school fundraisers, Family & Children's Services and the Mayor's Mentoring Program.
History
Counseling services from mental health agencies and after-school and summer programs such as Catch Camp, a partnership with the YMCA, provide structure and exposure to academics and activities that will provide students a chance to develop skills, abilities and interests that might carry over to engagement in school.
Beginning in the summer of 2005, Grove Elementary School started helping young mothers graduate from Union High School by providing a room for their babies in an infant care program. Under the program, High School students drop their babies off at 7 a.m. and pick them up around 3 p.m. This arrangement enables students to attend classes and get their degree and graduate with their class. Community Action Project operates this program and rents a classroom from Union. A certified teacher and two assistants tend to the infants while their mothers are in class. The program runs on the same calendar program as Union Public Schools. The infant care program has since expanded to include Cedar Ridge and Rosa Parks schools. In cooperation with the Community Action Project, Union has since expanded its services and is offering services for early child education.
TACSI Vision
We envision a time when community schools serve as centers of community life, offering comprehensive programs, services, and opportunities to students, families, and the neighboring community.
Sustained by family, school. and community partnerships, community schools provide nurturing environments and enriching opportunities which promote successful learning.
With the support of community schools, every student will graduate from high school with a complete education, equipped with the academic, physical, social, and emotional skills needed to achieve success and continued active involvement in the community.
TACSI Mission
The Tulsa Area Community Schools Initiative (TACSI) provides leadership and influence to engage local communities in creating and sustaining community schools that support academic success and strengthen children, families, and communities.
We believe ...
- Children and youth are our most precious resources.
- All children can learn.
- A community school improves student learning and promotes family engagement with students and their school.
- All families deserve access to guidance, support, and resources, as they are the primary nurturers, educators, and advocates for their children.
- Families, schools, and communities must work together to create safe and secure environments in which all young people can succeed.
- Community partnerships increase opportunities available for student and family learning.
- Public, private, and faith-based community organizations and businesses play a vital role in promoting positive youth development and capable families.
- Community schools add vitality and stability to neighborhood communities.
- Diversity is an asset to be valued and respected.
- Strong and innovative leadership is necessary for long-term planning and sustainability.
- A community school is strengthened by a system of accountability, evaluation, and continuous process improvement.
- The best outcomes for students will be realized when these conditions for learning are in place:
The school has a core instructional program with qualified teachers, a challenging curriculum, and high standards and expectations for students. Students are motivated and engaged in learning--both in school and in community settings, during and after school. The basic physical, mental, and emotional health needs of young people and their families are recognized and addressed.
Mutual respect and effective collaboration exist among parents, families, and school staff. Community engagement and school efforts promote a school climate that is safe, supportive, and respectful, and connects students to a broader learning community. Early childhood development is fostered through high-quality, comprehensive programs that nurture learning and development.
Mutual respect and effective collaboration exist among parents, families, and school staff. Community engagement and school efforts promote a school climate that is safe, supportive, and respectful, and connects students to a broader learning community. Early childhood development is fostered through high-quality, comprehensive programs that nurture learning and development.