Central/Western Region CS TAC Updates Include Technical Enhancements and More

Central/Western Region CS TAC Updates

Building off a very successful Year One, the Central/Western Region CS TAC looks to Year Two as an opportunity to develop new partnerships and strengthen existing ones, as we seek to improve the CS TAC website, enhance the newsletter as a resource, provide more targeted technical assistance around integrating community schools with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, and launch an exciting new series of regional events and webinars (Save the Dates and Registration links coming soon!). We are also scheduling school visits for fall, so please let us know if you would like to be our list.

Join us for our Central/Western NYS Community Schools Summit!

In 2016, Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash rolled out the “Education Bargain” with students, families and staff. As part of the “Education Bargain”, Strong Community Schools was identified as a critical initiative and strategy to help guide the school improvement efforts of some of Buffalo’s lowest performing schools. Since its inception in 2016, the Strong Community Schools strategy has helped turn around a significant number of our schools under New York State accountability measures.

During this summit you will hear about the work in Buffalo and also be exposed to challenges, best practices and successes that come with the implementation of Strong Community Schools in New York’s 2nd largest school district. Attendees will also get to experience a Community School Saturday Academy as part of their participation in the summit.

Register: http://bit.ly/BSCS19

Districts of Distinction Award – Buffalo Public Schools

Buffalo Public Schools have been recognized for their outstanding achievement with Community Schools. “The district has relaunched 21 of 56 schools as community schools that serve more than 11,500 students.” Read more.

Regional Events

Kindergarten Readiness Summit
November 7th at Wayne/Finger Lakes BOCES

The goal of the summit will be to encourage the establishment of local transition teams, processes and activities that will support the needs of families with young children who are moving from one system of services to another.

Register: http://bit.ly/KindergartenSummit

Webinars

“How to Use the Science and Practice of Implementation to Solve Community Problems”
Friday, October 18th & Friday, November 22nd
Presented by Dr. Caryn Sabourin Ward – Director, State Implementation & Scaling Up Center of Evidence Based Practices (SISEP); Associate Director, Education & Measurement at the National Implementation Research Network at UNC Chapel Hill

Webinar registration links coming soon!

Spotlight: The Town of Webb Union Free School District (TOW UFSD)

Students worked with an architectural firm to design and brand their collected maple syrup, drawn from shared Town of Webb and school property.

From students working with an architectural firm to design and brand maple syrup drawn from shared Town of Webb and school property, to students presenting to a community panel at the local View Arts Center about their project, “Reimagining a Greater Old Forge,” great things are happening in TOW UFSD using a community schools approach. Located in the village of Old Forge and encompassing 566 miles, TOW UFSD enhances the lives of approximately 242 students in grades PreK-12 and community members through the many academic, recreational, health and wellness, and economic development programs and services it offers as the hub of this rural community. The district also educates the students of Inlet and Raquette Lake, which are now non-operating neighboring school districts.

Among its innovative community school practices, TOW UFSD recently created a Community School Initiative Policy to help support community groups expand their operation within the school space. A catalyst for organizing this group came from a survey conducted by the Health and Wellness Fund that found there was a need for a community center—and that the school would be the preferred location. Another driving force for analyzing potential community school initiatives came from the Comprehensive Master Plan committee and their analysis on missed opportunities regarding community character and livability. Recommendations include large capital projects that would benefit the school and broader community, such as a swimming pool, recreation center, intergenerational activities, and sharing spaces for essential services such as daycare.