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Melissa Mitchell

Director of Resource Development

melissa@cslx.org (she/her)

Melissa Mitchell is a community school practitioner with more than fifteen years in the field. Her experiences range from Community School Coordinator to leading the Federation for Community Schools, a Illinois-wide capacity building and policy organization. Melissa has supported community school development in a variety of ways, from providing coaching and direct technical assistance to schools, districts, practitioners and community partners to working with legislators and policymakers to develop supportive-state level policies that advanced community school development across Illinois.

The latest from Melissa Mitchell

Illustrated image of a hand turning the page open to the year, 2025, on a desk calendar.

Post-holiday reset: How community school teams can build on their wins and plan for impact

Coming back after the holidays is an opportunity for community school teams to recharge, refocus, and set the tone for the remainder of the school year. We're sharing some tips to get you started.

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This is a drawing of two women sitting on a sofa sharing coffee and conversation. The style is cartoony, kind of alegria art inspired.

Coffee and conversation do not equate to transformational family engagement

When asked about their family engagement efforts, many school teams say that they’re putting in the work. But it’s hard to point to evidence of this connection beyond survey results–let alone know how many people took the survey in the first place.

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An illustrated image of a young woman at a starting line about to run a race.

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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