Worcester County Public School officials outlined the benefits and process last week of creating community schools within the system.
Pocomoke High School students are pictured on the first day of the 2023-24 academic year.
Photo courtesy Worcester County Public Schools
By Tara Fischer, Staff Writer
Worcester County Public School officials outlined the benefits and process of creating community schools.
As defined by the Maryland State Department of Education, community schools “work in collaboration with community partners, local governments, and other stakeholders to identify and address structural and institutional barriers to achievement.”
Coordinator of Student, Family, and Community Nicole Selby and Coordinator of School Health Services Lauren Williams spearheaded the Aug. 20 presentation. Williams emphasized that a community school is a “mindset, framework, and … a way that we can make partnerships with other folks who have similar missions that want to help support youth and families.”
Pocomoke High School, for instance, partners with Chesapeake Healthcare for onsite physicals and urgent care appointments. According to Williams, the service has led to students missing less classroom instruction as they can be quickly diagnosed, medicated with parental consent, or immediately sent home to rest.
In the approaching school year, Buckingham Elementary and Snow Hill Middle School will officially be community schools for the first time. Expectations for the facilities in the 2024-2025 academic cycle include conducting a needs assessment to be submitted to MSDE by May 30, a collaborative process to identify the gaps in learning institutions and hiring and training a community school liaison.
PHS is going into its second year as a community school. Cedar Chapel Special School, Pocomoke Elementary, and Pocomoke Middle are entering their third cycles.
Williams said that creating community schools has been ongoing for three years, as the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a plan that aims to transform the state’s public education through increased funding, has prioritized and provided financial aid for the program.
Per MSDE requirements, a partnership liaison must be hired for each community school. This individual’s role is to talk to students, teachers, and parents, via survey or in person, and identify the services the facility needs to remove achievement barriers. They will then reach out to local businesses and agencies that may be able to provide support.
Worcester County is creating a Community Schools Advisory Committee to further the teamwork aspect of the program. The group will meet quarterly to review reports, provide feedback, and share where they see needs and partnerships that will benefit the schools. The first get-together is scheduled for November.
“All students flourish in thriving school communities,” Williams said. “We do that by building connections and identifying other folks doing similar work to support our families.”