Cleveland City Schools lays out Denning Center family resource hub plan, aims for full launch by August

Cleveland City Schools provided a detailed update on plans to convert the Denning Center into a Family Resource Center that will house a community “market,” parent education courses, English-language instruction and volunteer and internship opportunities, district staff said. Construction work inside the Denning Center’s market space is underway, and administrators said they expect soft public openings in late March or early April with regular operations targeted for August.

The Family Resource Center is intended to connect families to basic needs and services the district identified through a recent needs assessment. Autumn O’Brien, a Cleveland City Schools staff member who led the presentation, said the district’s top three needs identified by stakeholders are English-language learners, homelessness and chronic absenteeism. "The family resource center will aim to support families in Cleveland City Schools through an interconnected and consistent approach that responds to the health and well-being of students and families," O’Brien said.

Why it matters: district staff said the resource center is meant to address barriers that affect student success by providing on-site and partnered…