Community Schools Coalition of Monroe County

Community Schools Coalition of Monroe County 

Children come to school to learn. But for some children, poverty, food insecurity, clothing needs, lack of transportation to doctor’s appointments, and homelessness create barriers to education.

 

A century ago, the concept of making schools the social centers of the surrounding community was conceived to address the needs of underserved neighborhoods. Today, the implementation of these hubs is increasing, most notably since the pandemic, as a response to poverty and inequality.

 

Community Schools provide the framework to meet the individual needs of children and their families, leading to improved student performance—in part by reducing chronic absenteeism and eliminating other obstacles to learning—and overall well-being.

“A Community School is not a plug-and-play program or initiative,” said Dr. Joseph Fantigrossi, Monroe County Regional Community Schools Coordinator for Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES. “It is a broad strategy or framework that is place-based and person-centered, reflective of the particular needs of that community.”

 

Fantigrossi leads a committee in the development of the Community Schools Coalition of Monroe County. His role is to make connections with schools and community partners. There are 93 organizations that make up the coalition, which include community-based nonprofits, governmental departments (like the Monroe County Office of Mental Health, Monroe County Department of Public Health, and Child Protective Services), institutes of higher education, and K-12 school districts.

 

“As an organizational tool, a Community School makes the best use out of the services and supports that are available in the broader community,” he said. “In Wayne County, school districts coordinated with the County Behavioral Health Network to co-locate mental health therapists in schools. Now, students in all 11 districts can just walk down the hallway for an appointment.”

 

Community Schools largely started as an urban strategy to eliminate the obstacles that stand between resources and children and their families. The Rochester City School District was an early adopter over 20 years ago.

 

“About 10 years ago, other school districts began to realize it’s not just an urban strategy, it’s just good work,” said Fantigrossi. “Schools in rural and suburban areas are now implementing the strategy as well.”

 

In Monroe County, there are currently 12 Community Schools in the Rochester City School District (RCSD), 13 in Greece, three in East Irondequoit, and one in Gates/Chili. For the 2025-2026 school year, six more Community Schools are slated for implementation, including Hilton. As part of RCSD’s 2024-2029 Strategic Plan, 41 buildings will implement the Community School model by 2028.

 

Community Schools are funded from multiple sources, including the state budget and community partners who give services in-kind. In Monroe County, ESL is a major supporter.*

“As a school, we have students with us for a significant period of time,” said Jim Garner, LMSW, Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) leading Community Based Services and Mental Health at Greece Central School District. “With the Community Schools model, we gather information and see what basic needs are lacking, like food and clothing, and who needs additional supports.”

 

No two Community Schools are alike, as the model looks at what services and supports are already in place and focuses on what core interventions are missing. This information is gathered through stakeholder voices—teachers, students, families, and community members.

 

“We meet the immediate needs of students first,” said Garner, “and then dig deeper to uncover any underlying issues with their families.” He cited loss of employment or imminent eviction as examples.

 

“Prior to implementing the Community Schools strategy, some families would have been a hotline call for neglect,” he said. ”Life is hard for everyone, it’s on us to connect families to services, rather than assuming parents are not doing their job as parents.”

 

He explained that the model empowers schools to partner with families and hear their voices by allowing them the safe space to tell their stories, without concern of being reported.

 

“One of the promises of Community Schools,” added Fantigrossi, “is that if we create strong enough environments for all students, the number of students who will eventually need more intensive services will be limited.”

 

He explained that, statistically, five percent of students have a significant need that requires a one-on-one intervention, which may involve CPS. Even though a specific service is being provided to that child, there are plenty of other young people who could also benefit from the additional attention or support.

 

“Community Schools hold the promise of creating an environment where young people get more opportunities,” he said. “When we build a strong culture of belonging for all students, it enables them to feel a sense of belonging to something bigger than themselves.”

 

An afterschool club, lunch group to review math facts, and nighttime events for students and their parents are some examples of enrichment programs that Community Schools can deliver, in addition to providing mental health services and full-fledged health clinics to the student body.

 

“We have a saying, ‘If you’ve seen one community school, you’ve seen one community school,’” said Garner. “In Greece, each of our 13 Community Schools has tailored its offerings and approach based on the specific needs of its neighborhood and community, making them diverse in their implementation even though the overall concept is the same.”

At its core, Community Schools are about making connections, between students and community resources, between families and school staff, and between school psychologists and CPS.

 

“The Community Schools framework really aligns perfectly with social work perspectives and the whole child point of view,” Garner said. “There’s been a shift from the mandated reporter to the mandated supporter. We’re talking about primary prevention, which is a different way to address risk. We look at how to support families in advance, to meet those unmet needs, so it doesn’t get to the point of abuse or neglect, requiring CPS intervention.”

 

“There are plenty of helpers in our community,” added Fantigrossi. “Sometimes we need to think nontraditionally about what that looks like. The Community Schools strategy connects those who want to help with those who need it.”

 

Community schools create a bridge between families and services and supports that exist in the broader community.

 

“Everything we do in Community Schools is a two-way street,” he continued. “Young people benefit from resources, and it is our hope that the services benefit from their interaction with schools.”

 

“And the beauty of the framework” Garner concluded, “is that it is built to assist and adjust, rather than remain stagnant. The unique needs of one community may be different in five years. The model is designed to shift, to continue to meet the needs of students and their communities.”

 

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If you are interested in learning more about how to implement a Community School in your district, please contact Dr. Joseph Fantigrossi at [email protected].

 

*ESL Charitable Foundation recently announced a seed fund for schools interested in the Community Schools strategy but don’t have the economic funds for implementation: https://www.esl.org/community/community-impact/grant-requests