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District unveils two-site Full Service Community Schools grant to expand wraparound services
Summary
District 742 staff said a five‑year federal Full Service Community Schools grant will support site coordinators and wraparound services at Discovery Elementary and North Junior High, with planned health, nutrition, tutoring and family‑engagement programs.
Song Maxwell, the district’s director of partnerships for student success, briefed the board on a five‑year federal Full Service Community Schools grant that funds two site coordinators and a planning year for a district hub model.
Maxwell said the grant will support coordinated, school‑based wraparound services—expanded learning, integrated student supports (mental health, nutrition, on‑site clinical services), community partnerships and collaborative leadership—at Discovery Elementary and North Junior High. “We put students in the center and we bring them community partners and school resources,” Maxwell said.
Why it matters: Research cited in the presentation links the community‑school model to improved attendance, stronger family‑school connections, fewer disciplinary incidents and gains in academic achievement for students in low‑income communities. Maxwell and site coordinators said the district will use needs assessments and partner commitments to shape services that include after‑school enrichment, on‑site medical and mental health services, food supports, clothing closets and adult education/job‑training opportunities.
Local staffing and pilots: Maxwell said Year 1 was dedicated to planning and that the grant covers two site coordinators (Discovery and North). Amran Youssef (Discovery site coordinator) and Abdallah Mireh (North site coordinator) joined Maxwell and described needs‑assessment work and early partner coordination. Staff said they will use the grant’s assessments and the grant application as a blueprint and refine services based on school‑level needs.
Funding and partners: Maxwell said funding derives from a federal grant (five‑year award) and the district will leverage local nonprofits, healthcare providers, and government agencies. Board members and presenters discussed how existing community partners and programs could be integrated into the new, more formalized hub model.
Next steps: Staff will continue partner development, use needs‑assessment data to determine priorities at each site, and report back to the board with implementation milestones and metrics.
Ending: The board asked clarifying questions about the needs assessments and partner commitments; staff said families’ and staff needs aligned closely in early surveys and that the two‑site start will help the district build a system to expand to other schools in future years.
