A community school is a locally driven school transformation strategy that promotes child well-being. Community schools leverage and coordinate the resources of the whole community to build a thriving school for students, families, school staff, including educators, and community partners. The community schools strategy is a set of best practices based in evidence, data and research that guides the implementation of whole school transformation.
Core Implementation Strategies of the 6 Key Practices
Although all implementation strategies are important for whole school transformation, there are core strategies for each key practice that create a functional community school. These core implementation strategies should be given first priority in the beginning stages of CS transformation and implementation. It is noted that Key Practice 1 builds the foundation for a CS site-based leadership team and is first priority amongst the Key Practices (and so on and so forth). Of the key practices, for the FY2023-2024 school year, only powerful student and family engagement, collaborative leadership, shared power and voice, expanded, culturally enriched learning opportunies, and integrated systems of support are required for the NMPED grant. The other key practices are supplemental bonus points. The core implementation strategies are part of the CS Strategic Plan.