Community Schools Framework

Chapter 1: Ground Zero

Our country break into war. I and my family, we have to escape. I did not know a lot of people in Grass Valley. The biggest goal for me is, no matter what, to save my boys.

Moving up here, witnessing how CO had affected a lot of families. I was very communicated with the teachers, but there was always this like gap between how to connect. The baseline was zero with family engagement. Learning about the community schools grant and what we can do for families and students — it was exciting, but at the same time down, because like, wow, how can I build a program from nothing?

Chapter 2: Finding Out What Families Actually Need

Our data showed basic needs was one of the priorities. We bring the school pantry. We start organizing a clothes closet. We want the families to know that Ilmore have the resources to help them.

One of the things that I research and I found out is about apparently essence. I thought that that was the perfect positions for these schools that lack engagement.

Chapter 3: Closing the Gaps

The enjoyment of connecting to the parents and making them feel welcome, and making them feel connected — that they are part of this school, that they are part of this community. They’re relating to us. They’re feeling connected. And then they’re feeling that sense of community, like, I belong here. My children belong here.

And now my kid wants to go to school. And it’s not so scary maybe for them to come to campus and start to get involved in some of the events that we’re holding.

Chapter 4: Ambassador Program — Students Shaping the School Experience

I’m an eighth grader now, and we started this whole program when I was in sixth grade. The ambassadors are a big impact because the fights have decreased a whole bunch. This year we’re not getting a lot of people coming to us about like problems, so I think we’ve solved a lot of them.

This job only works if you work in collaboration. Collaboration with families, collaboration with the staff, with our partners in the county and local nonprofit organizations.

Chapter 5: Collective Work & Community Wins

What has improved this year a lot so much? The school events, and how much they’re engaging with the parents. I’m always here with my kids every day. I pick them up every day. I stay over with them. I don’t feel alone, because I know I can reach out.

There’s an opportunity that come with the guard school district to teach in after school, and my volunteering time make me the ideal candidate for them to do some more work hard.

From zero to now where we at — it’s like, wow, I never imagined that that happened so fast. But I think that we still can do much more and expand those services.

Chapter 6: The Human Right to Connect

There is something to be said about connecting, and yeah, it’s our human right to connect to other humans.

The school district, they are really supportive. They are incredibly supportive for my boys to cut off going through therapy for trauma. So we can’t never thank them enough for these like welcomes and also for all of the supports.