The Mountain View School District is celebrating that all eight of the District’s schools were awarded the California Community Schools Implementation Grant, totaling $11.6 million by the State Board of Education. The grant awards are a result of the collaborative leadership of the District’s Community School’s Steering Committee made up of District administration, Mountain View Teachers Association (MVTA) and California School Employees Association (CSEA) members, as well as the hard work and dedication of the Community Schools Advisory Boards from each school, and the essential input from parents, families and students.

According to California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, the goal of the California Community Schools Partnership Program is to transform educational outcomes for students through establishing whole child, whole family, and whole community connections at the school sites.   

A community school is a public school that serves prekindergarten through grade twelve and partners with education, county, and other nonprofit entities to provide integrated health, mental health, and social services alongside high-quality, supportive instruction with a strong focus on community, family, and student engagement.  The Four Pillars of a Community School are Integrated support services, Family and community engagement, Collaborative leadership and practices for educators and administrators, and Extended learning time and opportunities.

“Our district’s vision, mission and core values are aligned with the “whole-child” approach of the California Community Schools Framework,” said Dr. Raymond Andry, Superintendent.  “In 2014, our school board established four overarching goals for our Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) with input and feedback from our educational partners that explicitly support three of the four pillars of community schools.  We are proud to receive the grants and eager to continue our work and move forward creating our community schools which will serve as holistic education centers that provide a nurturing and inclusive environment, addressing not only the academic needs but also social, emotional, and practical aspects of students’ lives.”

Community schools support the needs of the whole child by strengthening family and community foundations with approaches that sustain mental and behavioral health through healing-centered practices, social–emotional learning, and restorative justice. Through a community-driven shared decision-making approach community schools increase access to nurses, counselors, and social workers, creating campuses that are community hubs where students and families have easy access to the services needed to close opportunity gaps.

"I am so excited that we will receive funding for all eight of our schools. This wonderful opportunity will bring a brighter future for all of our students and families in our community and will be truly transformative. I am so proud of the hard work and shared leadership of everyone that was a part of this process," said Eva Robles, Coordinator of Community Schools & Expanded Learning Programs.

MVSD was proud to be highlighted at the recent California Statewide Community Schools Conference: EMPOWER for its excellence in shared leadership.  Additionally, MVSD’s Community Schools are poised to serve as a model for other schools and districts seeking to implement the California Community School Framework.

“Community Schools are an extension of our Vision and Mission that the District put into place,” said Adam Carranza, Board of Education Clerk.  “In Mountain View we believe in a spirit of collaboration and we look forward to creating our Community Schools and enhancing the wonderful opportunities for student learning and success.  We appreciate and celebrate the grit, determination and hard work of the Community Schools Steering Committee, Advisory Board and school site teams.”