Community Coordinators Appreciation Week (Sept 21-27, 2020)
We’re thrilled to celebrate our Community School teams this week, and we’re introducing one each day. You’ll find these posts on our social media. Here’s what we have shared each day of this special #CoordinatorsRock week:
SEPT. 21, 2020: Before the day gets away, we’re celebrating Community School Coordinators Appreciation Week (Sept. 21-25) and our heroic #CoordinatorsRock, as you’ll see. They contribute SO much to Upton/Druid Heights that we recently changed their job titles from “Coordinator” to “Director” as each leads a fantastic team in the five Promise Heights Community Schools.
Today (Day 1) we’re introducing Meaghan Tine, who recently described current efforts with remote learning, saying,
“I’d like to see new structures and systems—stop trying to fit a circle into a square. Let’s reinvent what it means to engage with people, what it means for teachers to teach from home. To reinvent all of our norms, and to not fit into this presumed ‘box.’”
“That is what I’m hopeful for, and I feel that this time has made collaboration and communication so much more important. I think as a site and school partner to Furman, that we’ve really stepped up to our commitment.”
BRAVA Meaghan!
SEPT 22. 2020: It’s Day 2 of #CommunitySchoolAppreciationDay & we’re celebrating another Promise Heights #CoordinatorsRock hero.
Russell Elmore recently joined our @promiseheights_ team and shared that he’s assisted,
“our partners who’ve been gathering school supplies, & calling [school] families to ensure we’ll count all who need technology, whether laptops or hotspots, so they’d be equipped before school starts.”
“Everybody seems fairly anxious about this new (remote) school year. Teachers, students, parents, & administrators all are feeling uncertain about what this coming school year holds. Given the pandemic, I think it's important to normalize these feelings while continuing to do our best to provide the best opportunities for our families & students.”
Bravo Russ!
SEPT 23, 2020: Our #CoordinatorsRock this Day 3 of Community School Coordinator Appreciation Week. A shoutout to Catherine Anthony of @hsctph Elementary, who recently said,
“Our HSCT team has risen to the occasion time & time again. We’ve gotten creative in using popular apps & social media to engage families & students, aiming to keep them excited about learning, creative activities, & StoryTime, while also showing the seriousness of the pandemic.”
“Additionally, we’ve supported families as they trusted us with other needs that impacted their livelihood, from food distributions, securing internet & technology devices, & resource sharing—just to name a few. I’m really proud of ALL that we have done this year.”
“What’s different is that this has been unlike any other school year we’ve experienced before now. The first day pictures, smiles from eager children, & excitement that comes when connecting to both new & old students & staff alike are things we’ve really missed as the school year has launched!”
Brava Cat—we’re so proud that you’re in our team!
SEPT. 24, 2020: Today is Day 4 of Community School Coordinator Appreciation Week, this time featuring Mariel Pfister—our fab #CoordinatorsRock staffer who,
“started at Promise Heights in the spring of 2018, so I've been at Booker T. Washington Middle School for the Arts or 2 1/2 years. I’m starting my 3rd full school year, which is really exciting. In many ways, this time is going to force us to look at our existing accessibility in the school building & then think critically about how to make things even more accessible for our families.”
“We [will be] tutoring & [doing] social/emotional learning in small groups for kids who are struggling in areas like self-management or self-esteem.”
“I'm definitely excited for how this year will shake up family & community engagement. I think that, nationally, we haven't yet cracked the code on how to best do parent engagement with middle school & high school families—especially for middle schoolers.”
“I've been thinking that leaning more towards social media & heavily towards virtual family engagement—that will work much better for my families. I have parents who work two jobs, so having increasing access & not planning events for moms at 9am on a Tuesday is great, since now we can invite them to attend virtual meetings.”
“I'm also excited about expanding on accessibility with parents via good communication. I really hope we’ll build some momentum for our next school year, when we are back in person. You know, to look forward to being completely strategic and data driven in our practices. I'm so excited about that!”
SEPT 25, 2020: This #fabulousfriday is ALSO Day 5 of #CommunitySchoolCoordinatorAppreciation Week, so we’re introducing our #CoodinatorsRock staffer, Hallie Atwater from Renaissance Academy High School #433, who wants you to know that,
“I think that flexibility & resourcefulness will be paramount assets for our team this coming fall. Our students & families deserve all of the support & warmth that we were able to provide in-person before the pandemic, & now we must work together to continue providing that genuine support & warmth from a distance.”
“I’m a clinical social worker with experience working in child welfare, maternal child health, & survivors of sexual assault & intimate partner violence. I’ve been with Promise Heights for 5 years at Renaissance Academy High School. I’m really proud of the work that we have been a part of at Renaissance, specifically our recent work to support sexual health education, as well as pregnant & parenting students.”
“Although all of us have been isolated during this time of physical distancing to keep everyone healthy, our partnerships with Planned Parenthood B'more For Healthy Babies & the Judy Center At Eutaw Marshburn Elementary School have allowed us to provide critical support to individual students & their families. Body autonomy & informed consent are the building blocks for desired change, & we’ve been communicating that as one of our key messages.”
Brava Hallie!
SEPT. 26, 2020: This #SoggySaturday is ALSO Day 6 of #CommunitySchoolCoordinator Appreciation Week, so we’re introducing our (new!) #CoodinatorsRock staffer, Derris Hawkins-Smith from Renaissance Academy High School #433—who recently said,
“I've lived a life, to say the least, and I’ve dealt with a lot with things in my life. So, I think it’s on me—and most people, especially Black folks—we can’t just close the door behind us! We have to keep it open and help the next person.”
“I don’t want to let anybody to feel left out. And then at the same time, this attitude is important for the high school level: students have to start in the 9th grade with that focus and mindset to get into college, because a lot of times for our students of color, that doesn’t happen until the junior year…and by then…it’s usually too late.”
“By then they only give themselves one option—it may be a trade school or a community college—but for a four-year college, [if you wait too long] your GPA is usually not where you want it to be. I was one of those students! That’s why I’m the perfect person to talk to these students, because all I have to tell them is, ‘Don’t do what Derris did!’ All I want to do is to give these young men and women—for them to give themselves options, you know?”
“I’ve seen those people who are invested in students, and also those who aren’t. And those are invested are so important. Without people who believe in them, students just give up. I’ve seen the positive results. Simply put, I want to be part of that change.”
Yup, Bravo Derris! [aka #coordinatorextraordinaire]
This #ScintillatingSunday is Day 7 of #CommunitySchoolCoordinator Appreciation Week.
So we’re ending with a shout out to many other team members who support students & families at Furman L. Templeton Elementary, the Eutaw-Marshburn Elementary School The Historic Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Elementary School, the Booker T. Washington Middle School for the Arts, and the Renaissance Academy High School #433
We hope you’ll have a chance to learn more about their focus, dedication, and hard work to improve educational outcomes for youth, and to ensure that Upton/Druid Heights families are healthy & successful.
Now that we’ve reached the end of this week of celebration, Brava & Bravo to our full team of creative & energetic coordinators!