Serving as a Community Schools site coordinator is hard work. However, as Steven Young of Mabelvale Middle School remarks, it should also be considered “heart work.” From addressing food insecurity to offering free personal care like haircuts, he said it’s not always easy to confront existing barriers in schools. But, by showing respect and listening, Young has seen how Little Rock School District (LRSD) site coordinators are helping create more inclusive, welcoming environments where students of differing cultures, backgrounds and abilities can thrive.
In partnership with the City of Little Rock, the LRSD now has created eight community schools, all overseen by site coordinators. Sky Brower of McDermott Elementary shares that each day is different for these school leaders. For him, the morning often starts by greeting students and parents before heading to his office to answer emails or crunch numbers. Above all, Brower says that LRSD site coordinators are relationship-builders and problem-solvers. He considers it their responsibility to discern needs and “make a difference” for students.
It’s a collective mission reiterated by Angelia Johnson at Washington Elementary. She notes how there are often different gaps and lags within the school day that teachers, administrators and other staffers may not have the capacity to handle. LRSD site coordinators target these pain points, connecting the dots for children and families in need. Johnson says students are at the center of their efforts, but it’s also about “being of service to everyone within the school building.” For site coordinators, it’s a team effort to ensure “the pieces of the puzzle fit” for the entire campus.
Marthelle Hadley of Stephens Elementary says being an effective Community Schools site coordinator requires continual evaluation and, often, recalibration. The LRSD team’s ability to effectively shape processes and policies around what is needed is their “biggest asset.” In their roles, Hadley shares they must “become stewards” of available resources, seeing how various support systems intertwine and connect for the maximum benefit of those within the LRSD. Young notes that this strategic thinking wouldn’t be possible without the buy-in of the LRSD administration. Their support allows site coordinators to collaborate, “flow in one direction,” and gain—or expand–access to previously siloed resources.
Briana Davis, the LRSD’s director of Community Schools, applauds the site coordinators’ ongoing efforts to “shine a light on the district’s needs” and fuel partnerships with local organizations, businesses and nonprofits. Yet, she points out that additional external help is always needed and welcomed. In honor of Coordinators Appreciation Week, Forward encourages those interested in learning more about LRSD’s community schools to schedule a tour with one of its site coordinators.