Community Partnership Schools Archives | University of Central Florida News Central Florida Research, Arts, Technology, Student Life and College News, Stories and More Tue, 17 Jun 2025 20:59:14 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/blogs.dir/20/files/2019/05/cropped-logo-150x150.png Community Partnership Schools Archives | University of Central Florida News 32 32 UCF, State Universities Partner to Upscale Impact of University-Assisted Community Schools in Florida /news/ucf-state-universities-partner-to-upscale-impact-of-university-assisted-community-schools-in-florida/ Wed, 20 Nov 2024 19:12:43 +0000 /news/?p=144080 University researchers are partnering with Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, Florida International University, and the University of South Florida to invest in and build upon unique community needs across four school districts.

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It 麻豆精品 S檚 often said that if you want to go far, go together. That 麻豆精品 S檚 exactly the route that universities, school districts and other community partners take when it comes to empowering community schools 麻豆精品 S public schools that integrate academics with family and community support services.

Now, researchers at UCF are collaborating with scholars from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), Florida International University (FIU) and the University of South Florida (USF) in elevating community schools across the state to the next level. Collectively, the four universities were awarded a Full-Service Community Schools grant to enhance and build upon the work of Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 community schools.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE), the five-year, $50 million state-scaling grant provides necessary capacity to partner universities and school districts, equipping them to leverage institutional resources and support community schools in their regions. A聽University-Assisted Community Schools聽approach involves a mutually beneficial partnership between a school or school district and a university or college. The school receives additional resources and support for its students, families and school community. At the same time, the university advances its goals of serving the community while providing its students with further educational opportunities.

麻豆精品 S淭his federal funding allows us to forge interdisciplinary partnerships among community schools, universities across Florida, and nonprofits to empower students to achieve their dreams and uplift families to build a strong community together, 麻豆精品 S says Eleazar 麻豆精品 S淭rey 麻豆精品 S Vasquez, professor of exceptional education and the project 麻豆精品 S檚 co-principal investigator.

According to data from the Florida Department of Education, about 66% of the state 麻豆精品 S檚 K-12 students are classified as economically disadvantaged, leaving them socially and academically vulnerable. Along with helping to provide more resources for high-need districts, the grant will meet the ancillary needs of 16 current community schools 麻豆精品 S including Community Partnership Schools 麻豆精品 S and upscale the university-assistance arm to 24 new community schools.

麻豆精品 S淲e can 麻豆精品 S檛 expect students to be successful in the classroom if their basic needs aren 麻豆精品 S檛 being met, 麻豆精品 S says , director of and the project 麻豆精品 S檚 principal investigator. 麻豆精品 S淐ommunity schools bring needed resources to the schools so students can learn, achieve and reach their greatest potential. The impact of the community-schools model is amplified through community connections and resources; we can 麻豆精品 S檛 continue to do our work alone. What we accomplish over the next four years will deepen and accelerate Florida students 麻豆精品 S achievements by placing them on a trajectory of lifelong success. 麻豆精品 S

Each partner university聽will work with its corresponding school district to invest in unique community needs. Although this grant supports four school districts 麻豆精品 S Hillsborough, Leon, Miami-Dade and Orange counties 麻豆精品 S all partner universities will expand on the knowledge and expertise gained to positively impact all Florida community schools. By leveraging existing collaborative efforts, university partners are empowered to scale up to a total of 40 enhanced or newly added University-Assisted Community Schools statewide in their respective regions. The project also scales up technical assistance by creating a statewide training academy that includes virtual learning opportunities, continuous improvement and coaching for participating community schools.

At Florida A&M University, that involves focusing on North Florida regional schools through the FAMU Developmental Research School and Leon County Public Schools.

麻豆精品 S淚 look forward to the impactful changes that will benefit K-12 students and families within our regional community and throughout the state, 麻豆精品 S says Allyson Watson, provost and vice president for academic affairs at FAMU. 麻豆精品 S淎s the only HBCU (Historically Black College and University) partner, we fully understand our responsibility to聽be a part of solutions聽that聽seek聽to聽enhance our schools and optimize聽the academic, social and cognitive abilities of the communities we serve.”

The funding allocated to Florida International University will provide critical funding to scale FIU 麻豆精品 S檚 13-year University-Assisted Community Schools efforts, known as The Education Effect, to a total of 19 schools across six Miami-Dade communities.

麻豆精品 S淲e equally value the opportunity for greater collaboration with Miami-Dade County Public Schools leadership to help ensure that FIU can be a key differentiator in accelerating tangible impact for the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 third-largest school district, 麻豆精品 S says Phillip Lloyd Hamilton, assistant vice president for student belonging and support at FIU. 麻豆精品 S淭ogether, we are cultivating a statewide movement encouraging the active engagement of communities in the success of children, families, educators, schools and public-school districts. 麻豆精品 S

USF looks to deepen its partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools and leverage university resources to support the implementation of programs and services in local community schools.

麻豆精品 S淧art of our mission is to partner with schools, families and communities to advance innovative participatory research, services and program evaluation, 麻豆精品 S says Stacy-Ann January, co-director for USF 麻豆精品 S檚 Institute for School-Community Partnerships, Integrated Services, and Child Mental Health and Educational Policy. 麻豆精品 S淲e are also looking forward to expanding our partnership with the other institutions across the state who are part of the UPI initiative. Engaging in this important work together over the next five years and beyond only strengthens the impact community schools across the state will have in the lives of students and families. 麻豆精品 S

Florida increased its investment in the strategy of community schools over the past decade, and now national support for community schools is catching up. 麻豆精品 S疌ongress has been increasingly investing in the Full-Service Community Schools grant program for several years, from $10 million in 2013 to $150 million in 2023. Combined, such collaborative efforts enhance existing work and open the door to fast-tracking goals of better student outcomes.

麻豆精品 S淯pscaling the University-Assisted Community Schools model allows us to build upon our success by partnering with state universities, school districts and other agencies with the purpose of uplifting Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 students, 麻豆精品 S says , dean of the College of Community Innovation and Education. 麻豆精品 S淯niversities are important partners in this effort, and we are honored to play a crucial role in expanding upon the foundation that 麻豆精品 S檚 already in place with the work of community schools. 麻豆精品 S

Researcher Credentials
Ellis joined UCF in 2015 and leads the university 麻豆精品 S檚 Center for Community Schools in its dedication to developing and sustaining high-quality community schools that support the whole child. She has three decades of experience in scaling initiatives, honing educational strategies and supporting underrepresented student populations. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership from UCF.

Vasquez is the director of the and professor for the College of Community Innovation and Education 麻豆精品 S檚 . He holds affiliate faculty status with , SREAL Synthetic Reality Lab and the UCF Learning Sciences Cluster. His research focuses on the evaluation of academic and behavioral outcomes for traditionally marginalized populations with executive functioning deficits. His research has been supported with over $85 million from the National Science Foundation, the USDOE Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the USDOE Office of Special Education Programs.

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State Funding Increase to Drive Growth in Community Partnership Schools /news/state-funding-increase-to-drive-growth-in-community-partnership-schools/ Tue, 29 Oct 2024 19:31:23 +0000 /news/?p=143698 Statewide, nearly 50,000 students and their families benefit from services such as tutoring, healthcare and mentoring.

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Orlando 麻豆精品 S檚 Evans High School is a shining example of how students benefit when a community pulls together, with rising enrollment and a graduation rate that has soared to 91% 麻豆精品 S up from 64% a decade ago.

That is in large part thanks to Evans 麻豆精品 S teachers and students, as well as Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Home Society of Florida, Orange County Public Schools, the University of Central Florida, and Orange Blossom Family Health 麻豆精品 S all of whom collaborated to provide support to students and their families, including affordable healthcare, tutoring, access to healthy foods and more.

Those efforts made Evans High the first Community Partnership School 麻豆精品 S a designation that has grown exponentially to 43 total sites across the state 麻豆精品 S including 18 UCF-certified Community Partnership Schools and 25 Community Partnership Schools on their way to certification. Another nine planning sites are scheduled to launch this year through UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 , established in 2014 to expand community schools across the state.

Now with over 80 Florida core partners in this work, even more vital services will be delivered to help level up student success 麻豆精品 S including tutoring, healthcare and mentoring to almost 50,000 students statewide.

Last year, the program 麻豆精品 S檚 funding helped schools provide more than 292,000 hours of tutoring, 12,000 behavioral health sessions, and nearly 4,000 dental and vision checkups.

The Florida Legislature 麻豆精品 S檚 2024 funding boost ensures Florida schools have the resources they need to break down obstacles to educational achievement.

That support will continue thanks to the generous investment from the Florida Legislature, whose members recognize the importance of lifting up schools and communities in need to cement Florida as a producer of top-tier K-12 students.

The Legislature 麻豆精品 S檚 2024 funding boost rose from $11 million to $20.1 million, ensuring Florida schools have the resources they need to break down obstacles to educational achievement: wellness supports, family and community engagement offerings, and expanded learning opportunities.

麻豆精品 S淭he increase in funding to the Community Partnership Schools grant program is a testament to its success and the transformative impact it has had on our students 麻豆精品 S lives, 麻豆精品 S says Andry Sweet, president and CEO of Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Home Society of Florida. 麻豆精品 S淏y fostering a holistic approach to education, this program has not only improved academic outcomes but also enriched the overall well-being of our students. 麻豆精品 S

Sweet says the increased funding will help expand their reach, allowing them to provide even more students with opportunities they would not otherwise have.

麻豆精品 S淲ith this additional funding, we look forward to ensuring that even more students benefit from the support and opportunities they need to thrive, 麻豆精品 S Sweet says. 麻豆精品 S淲e are grateful to UCF for their invaluable partnership in making this possible. 麻豆精品 S

Each Community Partnership School brings together at least four core partners 麻豆精品 S a school district, university or college, community-based nonprofit, and healthcare provider 麻豆精品 S to work together and pool resources, offering students access to essential services.

Those partners collaborate to bring opportunities to students and families, such as academic support, health care, clothing, meals, counseling and more 麻豆精品 S all affectionately known as ‘the HUB’ at Evans. The high school offers a parent resource room and on-site access to public assistance for eligible families. There 麻豆精品 S檚 also a robust after-school tutoring program; enrichment activities and resources to address food insecurity, including a food pantry; snack cabinets; and periodic community food distributions.

The HUB helped me grow the perspective that anyone can be a leader and can voice their concerns to take action to create a world they want to see. At Evans, I felt like I was actively making Pine Hills better. What I have learned from my experiences with the Hub can be applied to have a positive effect on the community, 麻豆精品 S says Evon Thompson, a 2020 graduate of Evans High School who recently earned his degree in neuroscience from Harvard University.

“… [UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Center for Community Schools’] mission [is] developing and sustaining high-quality community schools.” 麻豆精品 S Grant Hayes, dean of the UCF College of Community Innovation and Education

UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Center for Community Schools has acknowledged 18 schools as UCF-certified Community Partnership Schools, ranging from elementary to high school, for successfully aligning with the model 麻豆精品 S檚 core components and reaching the implementation benchmarks defined by the UCF-certified Community Partnership Schools Standards. Earning this distinct honor represents years of dedicated work focused on student success and well-being.

麻豆精品 S淥ne of our primary goals in the College of Community Innovation and Education is to cultivate partnerships that allow us to collaborate with community stakeholders in creating innovative solutions to complex social issues, 麻豆精品 S says Grant Hayes, dean of the college. 麻豆精品 S淯CF 麻豆精品 S檚 Center for Community Schools not only embraces this mindset but actively works to transform the lives of students and families served through the Community Partnership Schools model. This funding increase is crucial to the center 麻豆精品 S檚 mission of developing and sustaining high-quality community schools, empowering both existing and future stakeholders to positively impact an even greater number of students and families. 麻豆精品 S

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7 Florida Schools Receive Funding to Develop Community Partnership Schools /news/7-florida-schools-receive-funding-to-develop-community-partnership-schools/ Mon, 31 Oct 2022 14:08:25 +0000 /news/?p=132079 Florida is now home to 36 Community Partnership Schools serving over 33,000 students and their communities.

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The awarded seven schools up to $80,000 each as part of the Community School Grant Program, which was established by the Florida Legislature. Among the winners are Blanche H. Daughtrey Elementary, Caribbean K-8, Colonial Elementary, Jefferson K-12, JFK Middle, Lake Worth High and Pine Forest High.

The Community Partnership Schools model was co-founded in 2010 at Evans High in Orlando by the Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Home Society of Florida, Orange County Public Schools and the University of Central Florida. With the success of Evans High, the model has been replicated throughout the state. The model is designed to support students and their families through expanded access to health and wellness support, along with a wide range of new and integrated learning opportunities.

This collective work is grounded in collaboration and partnership with long-term support from four or more core partners 麻豆精品 S the school district, a nonprofit organization, a healthcare provider, and a college or university. By leveraging the social and institutional capital of their partners, schools are better equipped to offer resources and services in response to emergencies or enduring challenges.

In Lee County, Colonial Elementary is the third school 麻豆精品 S after Franklin Park Elementary and Fort Myers Middle Academy 麻豆精品 S to become a Community Partnership School. Both elementary schools feed into the middle school, benefiting students and families by providing a continuity of services, according to Angela Jackson, vice president of Community Partnership Schools for United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades counties.

A group of students and CPS staff
Between classes, students at Fort Myers Middle Academy have a chance to reminisce with their former principal at Franklin Park Elementary, along with their current principal.

“All three schools serve the same population with similar needs and more familiarity with the resources and services offered, 麻豆精品 S says Jackson, 麻豆精品 S渦ltimately helping students and families more easily navigate the school system with confidence. 麻豆精品 S

Community Partnership Schools empower school communities to meet the changing and unique needs of their students and families by connecting them to a wide range of resources tailored to the needs of that community.

A flooded street near homes
Many Florida communities were severely impacted by Hurricane Ian, including those in Lee County.

Lee County was hardest hit by Hurricane Ian, but this didn 麻豆精品 S檛 stop the three schools from coming together to help students and families weather the storm and mobilize recovery efforts.

A room full of clothing, cleaning and food supplies with a group of volunteers
The Community Partnership School team at United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades hosted a Hurricane Ian Recovery Pop-Up for over one hundred staff members and families of Franklin Park Elementary, Colonial Elementary and Fort Myers Middle Academy. The Pop-Up provided toiletries, home cleaning supplies, clothing, home goods, food, and much more, all donated from community agencies and businesses.

Along with core partners Florida Gulf Coast University, Lee Health, the School District of Lee County, and United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades, and other local partners, the schools offered students and families guidance on hurricane preparedness and served as shelters for displaced residents. As recovery efforts progress, the schools have leveraged partnerships with local organizations to offer students and families food, clothing, healthcare, counseling, housing support and more.

麻豆精品 S淭he entire CPS team heeded the call to action. 麻豆精品 S 麻豆精品 S Angela Jackson,聽vice president of Community Partnership Schools for United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades counties.

麻豆精品 S淭he entire CPS team heeded the call to action. Their determination and faithfulness are unwavering, 麻豆精品 S says Jackson.

Along with in-person outreach, nonprofit core partner United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades set up the SWFL Hurricane Ian Relief Fund, along with an for the United Way School Resource Center.

Students and families at Blanche H. Daughtrey Elementary, Manatee County 麻豆精品 S檚 newest Community Partnership School, are facing food insecurity based on multiple factors. Most of the school community lives over half a mile from the nearest supermarket and all students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. With support from their core partners 麻豆精品 S including Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County, Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Home Society of Florida, MCR Health, the School District of Manatee County and the University of South Florida 麻豆精品 S the school plans to build an accessible hub that is student-centered, family-focused, and equipped with school-based wraparound services designed specifically for students and their families.

Colonial Elementary has plans to address food insecurity, as well as access to school uniforms. Through existing partnerships with Franklin Park Elementary and Fort Myers Middle, the school will already have frameworks to improve the school 麻豆精品 S檚 Food Pantry and Clothing Closet, while still mapping out their Community Partnership School in the planning stage. Other priorities for the school include implementing a tutoring program and increasing classroom support services.

The envisions a world of equitable communities, supporting the needs of the whole child with resources that redefine and expand student success. The UCF Center serves as a comprehensive resource for best practices in the advancement of community schools through technical assistance, assessment and evaluation, and university assistance, driving continuous improvement and better outcomes for students, families and communities.

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Lee-County-CPSs—Students-from-feeder-schools-at-Franklin-Park-Middle-Academy Between classes, students at Fort Myers Middle Academy have a chance to reminisce with their former principal at Franklin Park Elementary, along with their current principal. Lee County CPSs – Hurricane Impact Many Florida communities were severely impacted by Hurricane Ian, including those in Lee County. Lee-County-CPSs—Hurricane-Relief-Popup The Community Partnership School team at United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades hosted a Hurricane Ian Recovery Pop-Up for over one hundred staff members and families of Franklin Park Elementary, Colonial Elementary and Fort Myers Middle Academy. The Pop-Up provided toiletries, home cleaning supplies, clothing, home goods, food, and much more, all donated from community agencies and businesses.
Evans High School Becomes 1st UCF-Certified Community Partnership School /news/evans-high-school-becomes-1st-ucf-certified-community-partnership-school/ Thu, 24 May 2018 19:40:45 +0000 /news/?p=82956 The Orlando school has raised its graduation rate from 64 to 87 percent in six years.

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UCF has been helping to build a new model of community school for children in grades K-12 for nearly 10 years. As a result, there are 16 registered Community Partnership Schools in Florida. Of those 16, Evans High School in Orlando recently became the first to be a UCF-Certified Community Partnership School.

The school recently celebrated this achievement at a community event at which a banner announcing its new status was unveiled.

麻豆精品 S淏eing a UCF-Certified Community Partnership School sets us apart from all others, 麻豆精品 S says Rolondo Bailey, principal of Evans. 麻豆精品 S淣ot only聽have we been doing the work of empowering students and families, but now we聽have been rigorously assessed to validate the work. 麻豆精品 S

C.A. Weis Elementary School in Pensacola also was recently certified.

To ensure consistency of quality programming, strategy and framework fidelity, the UCF Center for Community Schools, along with partners across the state, developed a process of certification聽that reflects best practices in the field of community schools.

And according to David Bundy 麻豆精品 S97, the importance of a certification process was discussed prior to the opening of Evans, the flagship Community Partnership School. Bundy is the president/CEO of the Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Home Society of America, and has been involved in the community school initiative since the beginning.

Before the initiative could be funded by the Florida Legislature, Bundy and others had to address concerns that there be quality control over what they had identified as the key elements of a community school model.

麻豆精品 S淲e were proposing to replicate a model developed by the Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Aid Society of New York, which has almost 20 years of supporting research, 麻豆精品 S Bundy says. 麻豆精品 S淭he model included core partners, after-school programs, on-site health care, and parent and student engagement that were integral to the success of the model. 麻豆精品 S

Additionally, Bundy says, 麻豆精品 S淭he primary purpose of the certification is to ensure fidelity with a proven model and to protect the use of the Community Partnership School model as one that is consistent and includes a rigorous quality assurance process. 麻豆精品 S

UCF provides ongoing technical assistance and training for schools becoming a Community Partnership School, says Amy Ellis, director of the Center for Community Schools. The model requires signed, multi-year commitments from a school district, health care provider, university or college, and a lead nonprofit partner. These partners work together with the school 麻豆精品 S檚 leadership, as well as community and student leadership councils.

麻豆精品 S淎ll of our partners are deeply committed to our children and their families, 麻豆精品 S Ellis says. 麻豆精品 S淲hy? So they, too, can support families and lift students to new heights of success. 麻豆精品 S Evans 麻豆精品 S other partners include Orange County Public Schools, Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Home Society of Florida, and Orange Blossom Family Health.

Since Evans became a Community Partnership School, student test scores and other metrics have significantly increased, Ellis says. Especially notable: Evans 麻豆精品 S graduation rate has improved from 64 percent in the 2010-2011 school year (when CPS efforts began) to 87 percent in the 2016-2017 school year. Prior to becoming a Community Partnership School, Evans was labeled a 麻豆精品 S渄ropout factory 麻豆精品 S by Johns Hopkins University.

麻豆精品 S淭here are other 麻豆精品 S榗ommunity schools 麻豆精品 S throughout the nation, but few if any have all the components and commitment of the Community Partnership School model, 麻豆精品 S Ellis says. 麻豆精品 S淎chieving status as a UCF-Certified Community Partnership School sets Evans apart from other schools, and represents years of intentional, dedicated work to building partnership and aligning resources to ensure student success and well-being. 麻豆精品 S

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UCF Helps Bring Community Partners Together to Support New School in Parramore /news/ucf-helps-bring-community-partners-together-support-new-school-parramore/ Mon, 14 Aug 2017 15:43:39 +0000 /news/?p=78355 The design for a stunning new school opening today in Orlando 麻豆精品 S檚 Parramore neighborhood got its start on a napkin in New York City.

Architects for the new Orange County school were touring public 麻豆精品 S渃ommunity schools 麻豆精品 S in New York that had a track record of helping children in poverty succeed and thrive with support from community partners such as the Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Aid Society. The community schools offered health care, enrichment programs and other services for students.

The architects were looking for design ideas for a school to be opened in Parramore and were excited by what they saw, said Nancy Ellis, director of the Center for Community Partnerships and a graduate of the doctoral program in public affairs at the University of Central Florida. 麻豆精品 S淏y lunch they were making sketches on what was handy in one of the school 麻豆精品 S檚 cafeteria. 麻豆精品 S

Ellis and colleagues at the College of Health and Public Affairs, Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Home Society of Florida and True Health had already partnered with Orange County Public Schools to develop a community school at Evans High School in Pine Hills that began in 2010.

The high school was seeing a steady increase in its graduation rate and the future seemed promising, so Orange County School Superintendent Barbara Jenkins wanted the new school in Parramore to be a community school too, said Ellis.

Ellis coordinated the 2015 trip for the principal architects from Baker Barrios, the Orlando-based architecture firm hired by the school district, and representatives from the school district, UCF and Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Home Society of Florida.

The following year she coordinated a similar trip for three new community partners now involved in the Parramore school project 麻豆精品 S Orange Blossom Family Health, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, and the Rosen Foundation. Andrew Rollins, the newly hired principal, went as well.

Both trips and ongoing conversations among the partners have helped the school district reach its milestone today of launching the new OCPS Academic Center for Excellence as a community school for some 1,200 students and their families and community.

The school will serve not only Parramore but also the Callahan and Holden Heights neighborhoods, said school board District 5 representative Kate Gordon at an Aug. 9 sneak peek of the school.

麻豆精品 S淭he parents are excited. The students are excited. We 麻豆精品 S檙e going to do great things this year, 麻豆精品 S said Rollins, who earned two degrees in education at UCF.

OCPS ACE is formally known as a Community Partnership School, the name coined by UCF and Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Home Society of Florida for the school model developed at Evans High.

All community schools foster strong partnerships to support the well-being of students and their families and communities, but the programs and services vary depending on the needs, said Amy Ellis, assistant director of the Center for Community Schools at UCF.

In the case of Community Partnership Schools, four types of community partners are always involved 麻豆精品 S a school district, a university or college, a nonprofit and a health care provider. Other types of community partners participate, too, and can play a major role.

For OCPS ACE the partnerships are among Orange County Public Schools, UCF, Valencia College, Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Home Society of Florida, Orange Blossom Family Health, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, and the Rosen Foundation.

The partnerships mean OCPS ACE can offer tutoring and mentoring programs; professional development for teachers; before- and after-school services; a resource center for parents; onsite medical, dental and behavioral health services; athletic, arts and summer programs; and a high-quality preschool program.

麻豆精品 S淐ommunity Partnership Schools are among the most comprehensive community schools in the world, 麻豆精品 S said Amy Ellis, a former community school administrator at Evans who has visited community schools in England and is studying them as a doctoral student in education leadership at UCF.

The Community Partnership Schools model is now recognized as a national community school model by the Coalition for Community Schools in Washington.

The Florida Legislature appropriated more than $4 million dollars during the past four years for the development of Community Partnership Schools across the state.

Currently, eight public schools in Florida have become Community Partnership Schools with state support, including Evans and OCPS ACE in Orlando and schools in Pensacola, Jacksonville, Tampa, Holiday and Cocoa. Five others are implementing the Community Partnership Schools model with support from their local community, and another four are in the emerging phase, said Amy Ellis.

Early-outcomes data is impressive. Evans 麻豆精品 S檚 graduation rate has increased from 64 percent in 2011 to 88 percent in 2017. C.A. Weis Elementary School in Pensacola began offering behavioral health services when it became a Community Partnership School in 2015. Since then more than 100 children have been referred to behavioral health care and 81 new cases have been opened, according to school director John Sherman. Student referrals dropped 43 percent and suspensions dropped 50 percent in the first year.

Sherman 麻豆精品 S檚 position as director is one of four staff positions found at all Community Partnership Schools 麻豆精品 S a director, an after-school coordinator, a health programs 麻豆精品 S coordinator and a parent resource coordinator. The positions are partially supported with legislative funding.

Shannon Currie has been on board as the Community Partnership School director at OCPS ACE since last year. She is an employee of Children 麻豆精品 S檚 Home Society of Florida, works closely with the school principal, and receives training and technical support from the Center for Community Schools at UCF.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 an amazing experience to be a partner and to understand what it takes to support a school holistically, 麻豆精品 S Currie said. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 doing what I love to do 麻豆精品 S to serve people. What I want them to know is that they have access to support. If they know that, then we 麻豆精品 S檙e doing our job. 麻豆精品 S

 

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UCF, Evans High School Team Up to Show the Way to College /news/ucf-evans-high-school-team-up-to-show-the-way-to-college/ Wed, 14 Oct 2015 16:34:54 +0000 /news/?p=68542 Earning a higher education can transform lives. It can lead to a career designing cool video games, engineering innovative prosthetics for children, healing illnesses, performing on stage in front of thousands, launching a business or perhaps even curing cancer.

Getting high school students to dream is not the problem. Getting them excited and ready to start their careers in college is, and that 麻豆精品 S檚 why UCF and Evans High School 鈼 A Community School are teaming up at UCF Takeover Week Oct. 12-16.

UCF students, faculty, administrators and volunteers will spend time at Evans this week helping students envision college as part of their future and then showing them the tools and roadmaps to get there.

Organizers are also delivering another message: College can be fun.

Knightro, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 mascot, the UCF cheerleaders and the band will all perform at Evans as a way to showcase the fun side of college life. More than 30 student organizations will talk to students about the kinds of clubs and activities they can pursue from dance to engineering. Evans students also will get an opportunity to listen to UCF admissions and financial aid officers talk about getting ready for college, successfully navigating the admissions process, and payment options.

麻豆精品 S淭his is about connecting with students and families in our community and making sure they know that higher education can very much be part of their future, 麻豆精品 S said Michael Frumkin, dean of the UCF College of Health and Public Affairs. The college played a major role in organizing the event along with UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Student Development and Enrollment Services division. 麻豆精品 S淲e want all students to know we are here for them and to help them best prepare for a successful journey to college. 麻豆精品 S

Last year, 15 UCF students were volunteer mentors to ninth-graders at Evans, offering the teens support and guidance for success in life.聽UCF Takeover Week is another way to introduce more UCF students to Evans. Organizers hope the event will also inspire them and others in the community to become mentors and to continue delivering the message that college is accessible.

And because getting to college isn 麻豆精品 S檛 just up to students, UCF is also hosting a parent-information session at Evans from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15.

During the session parents can watch several panel presentations about the admissions process, paying for college, and the benefits of alternative pathways to college, such as ROTC and DirectConnect to UCF.

Students and parents also will get the opportunity to see some of the innovative things students at UCF are doing, including designing computer games, engineering devices that help the disabled, and much more.

A schedule of events:

Monday

11-12:30 p.m.: Kickoff with performances by Knightro, UCF cheerleaders and dance team

2:30-4:45 p.m.: Cultural fair featuring 12 UCF clubs including Black Student Union, Colombian Student Association and Giving Back Evans Alumni.

Tuesday

11-12:30 p.m.: Outreach and mentoring of students

2:30-4:45 p.m.: Nine different sessions on everything from undergraduate admissions to academic resources at UCF

Thursday

11-12:30 p.m.: Greek organizations

5-7 p.m.: Parent information session

Friday

11-12:30 p.m.: Student leadership opportunities at UCF and performance by UCF Band.

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