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An illustrated image of a whole group of people behind a white woman indicating that it takes the village to raise literacy in our communities.

It really does take an entire village

It’s time to stop siloing and start collectively owning our goals as the village that holds the power of our students’ futures. Because it really does take a village to reach our literacy and math goals!

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From putting out fires to building systems: A community schools lesson

My first few years as a Community School Coordinator (CSC) were, honestly, confusing.

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Taking a community school approach to grow belonging, strengthen engagement, and improve attendance

When students feel seen, valued, and part of a caring community, they don’t just show up at school–they want to be there, and they show up ready to engage with learning, and with each other.

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Building trust, making impact: My journey as a newcomer student

Creating a school environment where trust, safety, and belonging are felt by students, families, staff, and community partners is essential for meaningful learning and engagement.

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An illustrated image of a woman alone in a classroom, wondering where everyone is.

Build the room with families–not for them

The community schools approach teaches us that every voice matters, and that authentic transformation comes when students, families, educators, and community members each contribute their perspectives and strengths.

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An illustrated image of educators doing different tasks to maintain a school, like moving a stack of books.

Coherence: The make-or-break factor for community schools

Community schools only become “the way we do school” when we strengthen and align our systems to hold the work together.

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A number of young adults stand in a circle, smiling, with each of their hands in the center, stacked.

Building trusting relationships: Lessons from labor and management collaborations

If you want any kind of school transformation to be successful, you have to spend time thinking about and building trust – and community schools work requires a lot of it. How do you know you’ve built trust?

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An illustrated image of a dark-haired woman considering, while the numbers, 1, 2, 3, and 4 float next to her.

Four ways to maximize use of the S-TAC Sustainability Plan Template

How might you maximize your use of the S-TAC team's Sustainability Plan Template? CSLX's Melissa Mitchell lays out four tips in her latest blog post.

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What if we've been looking at sustainability all wrong?

When practitioners think about community school sustainability planning, especially as CCSPP grants continue to “age,” the first question they often ask is, “how are we going to replace this funding?” But sustainability planning shouldn’t revolve around dollar for dollar replacements.

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CCSPP awards are coming–Are you ready?

Did you apply for CCSPP implementation funding in the final round? Grant award announcements are coming out soon. Here are three ideas to help you plan ahead.

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