School & Community Network
Mission: To create the Conditions for Learning & Living for the students and families in the School District of Lancaster through strong and sustainable school and community partnerships.
The School & Community Network (SCN) embraces the Conditions for Learning & Living, which promotes:
- School readiness through early childhood development
- Quality education for all students
- Youth and character development
- Family supports and basic needs
- Meaningful community engagement and collaboration; and
- Safe schools and neighborhoods
SCN serves as a training and technical support center in the School District of Lancaster community. Its mission emphasizes the development of community resources, as well as the and integration of services and supports available to schools. SCN seeks to engage the public by bringing stakeholders together in concrete, effective ways that benefit children, brokering and aligning services between community based organizations and District schools, and promoting quality standards and accountability. Through professional development, education, awareness and other technical support, SCN helps to build capacity within and among schools and community organizations, as well as across systems in an effort to realize the vision of full-service community schools.
A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development and community engagement leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. Schools become centers of the community and are open to everyone ? all day, every day, evenings and weekends. With a strong commitment from community stakeholders, a Community School Director is hired to identify and coordinate all non-academic needs of students and their families with the resources available in the community. This individual shares equal responsibility for student success with the school?s principal, and is an integral member of the Leadership Team. The Community School Director coordinates non-academic staff and programs; and chairs his/her school?s Community School Team, a unique blend of the principal, the lead community agency, key teachers and support staff, other community partners, parents and students to provide strategic direction for the community school and its long-term sustainability.
The Conditions for Learning & Living
(The Community School Framework)
Condition #1: High quality, academic programs and linkages to kindergarten for students and parents
Condition #2: Quality leadership, challenging and engaging curriculum, highly-skilled teachers, and high standards for all.
Condition #3: There is active learning in school and in the community, during & beyond schools hours with an asset-building focus.
Condition #4: Physical, social, emotional and economic needs of the students and families are acknowledged and met.
Condition #5: Respect and collaboration between school staff and parents/families supports students? learning.
Condition #6: School is a safe and supportive climate that is welcoming to ALL. The school promotes lifelong learning for & from community and is the hub for neighborhood revitalization.
Using public schools as hubs, community schools bring together many partners to offer a range of supports and opportunities to children, youth, families and communities. Partners work to achieve these results:
- Children are ready to learn when they enter school and every day thereafter. All students learn and achieve to high standards.
- Young people are well prepared for adult roles in the workplace, as parents and as citizens.
- Families and neighborhoods are safe, supportive and engaged.
- Parents and community members are involved with the school and their own life-long learning.
To learn more about community schools, read the section An Enduring Vision in the Coalition for Community School?s ?s report, Making the Difference: Research and Practice in Community Schools.
For more information on what it means to be a community school, read Community Schools: Partnerships for Excellence.
For more information, contact:
Heidi Kraft, Director
Jennifer Van Buskirk, Project Specialist
Kendra Frederick, Administrative Assistant
The School & Community Network is located at:
The Phoenix Academy
630 Rockland Street
Lancaster, PA 17602
Phone: 717-391-8673
Fax: 717-291-6226