Unions and educators praise Taneytown community schools initiative, offer partnership and community programs

Representatives of employee groups praised the district’s community schools initiative and urged continued collaboration at the July 16 board meeting. Cindy Porter, president of CASE (representing clericals and assistants), said the system’s community-engagement work matters and urged more conversations across differing perspectives. "As a public education system, we provide educational services to all students," Porter said, urging engagement with classroom educators to understand needs. Celeste Jordan, president of the Carroll County Education Association (CCEA), commended the community schools launch at Taneytown Elementary and described the school’s needs-and-assets assessment: "Taney Town Elementary has engaged 193 students, 219 families, and 54 staff members in a deep needs and assets assessment over this past year," Jordan said. She listed 42 community partnerships already formed at Taneytown, including LifeBridge Health, the Carroll County Health Department and the Carroll County Public Library. Jordan encouraged creation of a district steering committee to coordinate and support community schools work. She also noted the Shepherd Staff backpack program prepares about 2,000 backpacks for Carroll County students in need and said the enrollment deadline for that program has been extended to July 18; she promoted fundraising events tied to the program. Why it matters: Community schools use local partnerships and family engagement to address student needs beyond instruction. Taneytown’s needs-and-assets work and its partnership map are concrete examples district leaders cited as evidence of progress. No formal board action was required at the meeting; union leaders offered to partner in a district steering committee should the district pursue it.