The Owensboro and Daviess County public school districts are taking the first steps of a new initiative to help students be more successful in the classroom. The districts are among the first cohort chosen by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence to establish effective and evidenced-based “community schools” for students and families most in need of removing barriers to learning.
During a meeting Wednesday morning, community members and school officials connected to discuss what changes they hope to see in the districts. It was part of the 1st step in the 5-step program developed by the Prichard Committee.
“The purpose of today was to educate our community leaders about the purpose of the grant that was given to the Prichard Committee and how we can work collaboratively to bring more success to our students and families and entrepreneurs,” said DCPS Community Schools Coordinator Sonya Simpson.
The Community School Grant is a 5-year program that pushes the schools to form and strengthen a community and school partnership that will be strong enough to last beyond the five years of the grant.
The 5-year, $47 million grant comes from the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE).
Officials said getting the community involved is a key part of the first step because of the partnership that is formed.
“I think that’s one of the things that makes it great, and that’s one of the things that’s going to make it work and make it sustainable beyond the 5 years with the grant,” said OPS Community Schools Coordinator Brian Benjamin.
Benjamin and Simpson said the next step will be getting the school officials at each district to help decide where the needs are most prevalent.
Benjamin said the grant will put the funds in the hands of the schools’ Family Resource Youth Service Centers, which are best equipped to use it.
“There is nobody that’s more connected to the students, families, and communities than they are. They deliver a needs assessment every year to students, staff, and parents. They are so plugged in that they could probably already tell you what the greatest needs are going to be,” she said.
Travis Marcum, Director of the Community Schools Initiative, said it’s exciting seeing community members involved in the decision-making process for the local schools. Similarly, Prichard Committee Chair Clay Ford said he was excited.
“As someone who has been working on several initiatives with regard to education, it excites me,” he said. “I’m not surprised (at the involvement so far) because people have been showing up on a regular basis to make sure that we’re bringing those voices to the table that need to be heard.”
