Jason Coleman, principal of Valley View Elementary, and Kevin Centeno, the school’s community school coordinator, briefed the Columbia Heights Public Schools board on the school’s new full-service community school grant and the programs it funds.

Coleman said the grant is designed to transform the school into a hub of services, and Centeno outlined specific activities now under way: partnerships with the nonprofit Esperanza United and Free Arts, a mentorship program called Bridge to Lead that pairs students with fire and police department staff, English- and Spanish-language classes for parents, reading partners during the school day and an expanded set of after-school activities. "We are knocking it out of the park," Coleman told the board, describing growing engagement from families and community volunteers.

The presenters told the board the grant term is three years and that the program requires annual reporting on outcomes and participation. Centeno said the site council will approve a plan that will be posted on the district’s full-service community school webpage, and that the grant includes an annual-reporting requirement to document participation, outcomes and sustainment efforts. "There will be a plan that is due. We will bring it to our site council for approval," Centeno said.

Board members pressed for details about sustainability if grant funds end. Coleman and Centeno said many activities began before the grant and can continue at smaller scale, but that the grant funds staffing and coordination that make larger events — such as a community giving dinner the presenters expect will feed about 600 families — possible. Centeno said the district is exploring how to scale successful services and identify non-grant revenue or partnerships to sustain them.

On evaluation, board members asked what metrics will be used. Coleman described a mix of quantitative and qualitative measures: participation counts, communication surveys to gauge whether families feel supported, counts of classes offered, and program-specific outcomes. The presenters said they will track attendance and outcomes and report annually; site-council membership includes staff, families and community partners (the presenters named an equity coordinator, former teachers, and pastors among participants).

The presentation emphasized both in-school and after-school offerings: reading partners and some in-school supports run during the school day, while many classes, mentorship sessions and community events are scheduled in the evenings to maximize family participation. The board was invited to attend site-council meetings and to participate in community events.

The board did not take action on the grant at the meeting; the presentation was for information and follow-up reporting and planning will be handled through the site council and annual grant reports.