Lee County Schools wins regional community‑school grant; WB Wicker to get full‑time coordinator and family resource supports

The Lee County Board of Education heard that WB Wicker Elementary will become a community school under a regional grant awarded to the Sandhills region.

Dr. Lisa Duffy, executive director of student services, told the board the grant will place a full‑time community school coordinator at WB Wicker starting in January. The coordinator will lead a school advisory board, build partnerships with community organizations, oversee a family resource center and help coordinate supports that address students’ academic, emotional and physical needs.

Duffy said the grant provides the school with roughly $100 per student each year and amounts to about $200,000 in additional support over the three‑year funding period. She described the funding as "no cost to the district." The coordinator role and the family resource center are funded for the next three years under the coalition partnership.

The grant is part of the North Carolina Community Schools Coalition effort and covers 12 districts in the Sandhills region; Wicker was selected as one of the community schools. Duffy said districts that have implemented a community school model have reported improvements in attendance, family engagement and some academic measures, and that the Wicker coordinator will also collect and share lessons learned that could inform other schools.

Board members asked how the position differs from prior community‑oriented programs; Duffy said the coordinator role centralizes responsibilities that otherwise fall across multiple staff and will allow focused work on partnerships, family resources and tracking outcomes. No formal vote was required for the informational item.

Ending

Staff said they will return with implementation updates as the coordinator is hired and the family resource center is established.