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La Mesa–Spring Valley wins $17.1 million community-schools grant; district outlines services and rollout
Summary
La Mesa–Spring Valley officials told the school board they were awarded a five-year, $17,100,000 California Community Schools Partnership Program grant and outlined early implementation steps including three community resource centers, Playworks recess programming, on-site dental clinics and expanded attendance supports.
The La Mesa–Spring Valley School Board heard an update on a newly awarded five-year California Community Schools Partnership Program grant worth $17,100,000 and on early steps to use the funding to expand on-site student supports and family engagement.
Jennifer Cornell, the district’s director of student supports, described the grant as the product of two years of planning and said the district will focus on four pillars: integrated student supports, family and community engagement, expanded learning time and collaborative leadership. "La Mesa Spring Valley Community Schools support students, engage families, and build stronger communities through partnerships, resources, and comprehensive education to promote lifelong well-being," Cornell said during the presentation.
Miss Rad, principal of STEAM Academy at La Presa, which was featured in the meeting’s spotlight, said the grant-aligned services reinforce school work on social and emotional supports and career-focused pathways. "STEAM Academy at La Presa is about possibility. The possibility for every student to discover their potential and their dreams," she said.
Staff said the district has already staffed 13 community school sites with community schools facilitators and will operate three community resource centers (formerly called hubs) that will host parent education, enrollment fairs, and workshops. District presenters listed existing or planned services tied to the grant: on-site dental clinics, planned on-site vision exams and glasses, a mobile medical unit at some campuses, Playworks structured recess training for campus aides, tutoring through partner-funded hours, and increased access to food through local partnerships.
On attendance, Jessica Ramirez, a social worker on the grant team, explained that new community schools facilitators will work with school attendance teams and use PowerSchool as an adjunct attendance-tracking tool to support grant metrics and interventions. Staff emphasized the grant will fund tools and positions but that some health resources were identified and implemented without relying solely on the grant so they will remain after grant funds expire.
Board members asked how services would be advertised and whether programs would serve only the 13 designated sites. Staff said outreach will vary by program: districtwide events will be promoted broadly via Peachjar and social media while school-specific health services requiring parental permission will be communicated at the site level. The district also said it adjusted internal facility-booking procedures so district programs can have priority when necessary.
The district indicated it will post a dedicated web page and run a social media campaign later in the spring, and staff invited feedback from trustees as they refine rollouts and site-specific plans. The presentation concluded with staff offering to provide additional acronyms and materials to help trustees interpret the SARC and grant-related documents.
Next steps: staff said community resource centers will begin opening in the coming months, with one expected grand opening in March, and ongoing implementation reports will come back to the board as the grant-funded activities expand.
Sources: Presentation and Q&A during the La Mesa–Spring Valley School Board meeting; direct quotations from Jennifer Cornell (director of student supports) and Miss Rad (principal, STEAM Academy at La Presa).
