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Too often, we hear Community School Coordinators and Directors described as the ones “in charge” of community school implementation. They’re referred to as the “engagement” person who manages “wrap-around services'', or a “helpful set of hands” whose work is seen as existing outside of normal district or school work.
In reality, when actually set up for success, a Community School Coordinator is really more of an air traffic controller. They convene leadership teams, and create lasting and effective relationships between schools, families, and the community. They’re integrators who connect work streams that are often siloed and ineffective. And perhaps most important, they look at the big picture. They tell the truth.
But, and this is speaking from experience, Community School Coordinators can’t really do their job very well if they don’t have the understanding and the buy-in of stakeholders at their district or school, inevitably leading to misaligned expectations of what you all can accomplish together.
And when so much of the job revolves around cultivating understanding across stakeholders at a district or school, Community School Coordinators need a team-wide investment to decide - together - how your school community will understand, imagine, and own the work of designing your community school.
For a multitude of reasons, this co-design is something that just doesn’t happen enough.
Designed specifically for CS Coordinators and their teams, CS Fundamentals provides such a space. The two-day workshop, developed in collaboration with our partners at the National Center for Community Schools, serves as a starting point for the kinds of conversations community school teams should be having as you go about setting and implementing your community school strategy. And it’s coming to Orange County from November 17-18th.
We’ve had the pleasure of hosting five CS Fundamentals Workshops in the last few months and if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that these conversations are POWERFUL. In the words of Juan Juarez, the Coordinator of Community Schools at Esparto Unified School District, “attending [CS Fundamentals] was an eye opener to understanding the philosophy and executing my role as a community school coordinator. It provided me with the affirmation, tools and networking tools to lead an innovative initiative to transform our rural school community in Esparto, CA.”
We hope you’ll join us.
This event has ended. Contact us if you'd like to bring offerings like Community School Fundamentals to your district or county.
Neda is the Communications Director for the Community Schools Learning Exchange (CSLX). With nearly fifteen years of experience in digital marketing, copywriting, and communications, Neda specializes in cultivating engaged and action-oriented online communities for organizations spanning from direct-to-consumer e-commerce brands to nonprofits and philanthropies. She is passionate about leveraging digital-first storytelling, brand, and engagement strategies to influence people, inspire action, and drive social change, particularly in the areas of justice, equity, and opportunity for marginalized communities. Get in touch with Neda at neda@cslx.org.
Whether you're brand new to your school – or brand new to the CSC role – take these three tips on how to kick off your first year as a CSC.
So you’re ready to onboard your Community School Coordinator! Now what?
Community School Coordinators are the heart of their school communities, and the heart of our movement to rebuild and transform schools. Here's what we get wrong about their roles in our schools and districts.
