An initiative funded by the Philadelphia Beverage Tax, the City’s community schools initiative focuses on meeting local students’ and families’ needs in neighborhood hubs: schools.

To address those needs, the School District of Philadelphia and the Mayor’s Office of Education formed plans to cover the needs of schools as identified by students, parents, teachers, community members, and other partners. This comprehensive assessment involved a variety of input from more than 2,000 community members as well as 500 others who participated in 50 in-person focus groups.

There are some common themes across all the schools, including:

Job training and access to job opportunities.

Food insecurity and access to healthy foods.

Access to physical, social, and emotional health services, including the need for a “trauma informed” approach to serving students.

Access to clothing and uniforms.

Cultural and social opportunities.

Along with these overarching needs, each community school has its own specific plan, customized and relevant to the surrounding neighborhood’s unique concerns.

You can read briefs about each plan below or visit the Community School Plans site to check out the comprehensive plans in their entirety.

Increase social emotional health supports, including access to mental health services.

Increase access to jobs and job training for families and community members.

Increase access to healthy foods.

Align resources to improve school climate.

Increase access to healthy foods.

Increase job training and supports for students and adults.

Establish partnerships to increase extra-curricular activities.

Support a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Increase the number of resources and opportunities for families and community members.

Increase the physical activity of students.

Increase safety in the school and surrounding environment.

Increase resources for families, including access to health services.

Increase extracurricular opportunities for students.

Increase resource and supports for social and emotional health, including mental health.

Align community resources to strengthen academic supports for students.

Increase access to healthy food and physical activity.

Increase social and emotional health resources, including mental and behavioral health services, for students.

Increase access to healthy food.

Increase extra-curricular activities for students, including after-care for younger students.

Increase access to jobs and job training.

Increase access to services that support social and emotional health.

Align partners to provide academic supports including tutoring and homework help.

Increase supports for immigrant families, refugee families, and community members.

Increase social and emotional health services for students.

Increase community supports and programs to academics (with a literacy emphasis).

Align partners and resources to strengthen the school environment, including a school climate and behavior plan.

Coordinate resources to support the school environment.

Increase access to physical, social, emotional, and mental health services.

Strengthen job training and employment resources for families.

Do you want to stay updated on the latest information about community schools or education? Be sure to follow the Mayor’s Office of Education on Twitter and Facebook!