Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1509126
This results in students who f lourish academically and on a social-emotional level — and parents who are empowered to speak up, get involved and become leaders themselves. "We now have parents who serve on important boards within SFUSD, for example, on the community advisory council for special education. We have parents that are extremely adamant about demanding the kind of facilities our students deserve — having conver- sations not even at the district level, but at the state [level]." C handler says the development of the Stay Over Program taught BVHM administrators and educators a lot on how to engage families — how to build authentic partnerships and shared decision-making structures. "We surfaced flaws in how we were governing our school and how families participated. By having those hard conversations and building programming that was responsive to the highest needs as defined by our families, we were able to disrupt that pattern. It shifted our programming and our focus and intention. It shifted our goals and our mission. "It forced us to really articulate 'Why are we here? Who are we here to support? How are we going to be inclusive in that work?'" Current needs, according to surveys and data, center on mental health. As Chandler puts it, "How do we deliver trained, qualified bilingual mental health profes- sionals to our students and families that need it?" BVHM educators, h e says, are fully align ed with th e community school's objectives, particularly around family inv o lvem ent. " We have int entional ly brought in teachers that have the vision and philosophy of teaching that includes the family. Teachers are always strong advocates for families at our site." Educators city-wide are working hard to make community schools work long-term, says Curiel. "UESF is very intent on making sure that commu- nity schools is not a trend. is is not a moment, but instead this is a cultural shift, a movement from traditional sch o o lin g to a c ommunity schools model that includes so much community input, so much student, family, educator [input] that the school itself is fundamentally changed to be a place where families and students feel they are part of the entire day." To view videos on BVHM Community School and its Stay Over Program, visit youtube.com/californiateachers. Learn more about CTA and community schools and read previous coverage at cta.org/communityschools. Stay Over Program participants line up for dinner. A family set up to sleep in the BVHM gym. C O M M U N I T Y S C H O O L S 35 O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 "UESF is very intent on making sure that community schools is not a trend. This is not a moment. This is a cultural shift." —United Educators of San Francisco President Cassondra Curiel