Sonya Simpson has been named the first Full-Service Schools Community Coordinator for Daviess County Public Schools. Officials said Simpson will coordinate a grant that “provides an insulated educational pipeline” for the district.
Simpson is currently the principal at East View Elementary, a role she’s held since 2015. She began her career as a 6th grade science teacher at Burns Middle School in 1998. She has also served as an Instructional Coach, East View Assistant Principal, and Meadow Lands Elementary Assistant Principal.
This new position was created thanks to a 5-year grant totaling approximately $1.5 million from The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.
According to a release from DCPS, the grant will include implementing:
• High-quality early childhood education programs.
• High-quality school and out-of-school-time programs and strategies.
• Support for a child’s transition to elementary school, from elementary to middle school, from middle to high school, from high school into post-secondary education and into the workforce, including any comprehensive readiness assessments determined necessary.
• Family and community engagement and support, which may include engaging or supporting families at school or at home.
• Activities that support postsecondary and workforce readiness, which may include job training, internship opportunities, and career counseling.
• Community-based support for students who have attended the schools in the area serviced by the pipeline, or students who are members of the community, facilitating their continued connection to the community and success in post-secondary education and the workforce.
• Social, health, nutrition, and mental health services and, supports.
• Juvenile crime prevention and rehabilitation programs.
“This grant provides the full capacity to remove any and all barriers to student learning and growth,” said DCPS Superintendent Matt Robbins. “The grant was initially a dream opportunity, enabling students to receive full academic, behavioral and social-emotional support. For this to become a reality is unbelievable and amazing for our kids. Ms. Simpson is a perfect fit for this role based on her background, experience, and heart for our students and families.”
Simpson will be stationed on the Burns school campuses including the elementary and the middle schools, where she will begin rolling out the initiatives. She will work closely with family resource youth service center coordinators at those schools and across the district.
“I am excited for this opportunity to be the first full-service community schools coordinator for DCPS,” Simpson said. “My passion as an educator has always been to serve our students so they feel loved, valued, and supported. I look forward to working closely with our family resource youth service coordinators along with community members to build our capacity as a community school model district.”
