Community Groups Come Together to Help Students Succeed

Resource Fair aimed at connecting community schools with organizations ready to pitch in.

At the heart of community schools is the recognition that it does, indeed, take a village to help students succeed in the classroom.

That commitment was on full display on Friday as United Way of Central New Mexico, the APS Education Foundation, the ABC Community School Partnership, and a host of nonprofits and other community organizations held a Resource Fair for community school coordinators. 

The event was about introducing coordinators to partners who might be able to help their students and families. It was also about forging strong ties between the organizations and coordinators so they know exactly who to reach out to when the need arises. 

“We want to make sure the community school coordinators have what they need in terms of resources, information, and materials … so that there is that alignment,” said Rada Moss, the corporate relations officer for United Way of Central New Mexico, the organization that hosted the fair.

Bryan Garcia, the community schools development specialist for APS, said it’s all about using an integrated system of supports to provide services to students and families intentionally and strategically. That means figuring out the barriers that are standing in the way of students’ being successful in the classroom and working to find the partners that can best help address those barriers.

What does that mean in the real world?

Debora Garrison, executive director of The Grief Center, noted New Mexico ranks second in the nation for bereaved children. One in seven children here will experience the death of a parent or a sibling before their 18th birthday, she said, adding that there are bad ramifications for those who don’t deal with their grief.

“There are a lot of grieving people out there,” said Garrison, a former longtime APS principal. “Schools face it every day. We’re hoping to let people know there’s a resource, maybe get people trained on how to work with kids who are grieving so their grief can be addressed.”

Beyond providing training for counselors and school staff, the organization offers free peer-to-peer support groups for children who have lost someone and for their families. It also offers a summertime camp for bereaved kids.

 Students don’t just wrestle with grief.

Kids come to school with a host of problems. Some are homeless or dealing with housing insecurity. Others have parents who have lost jobs or are struggling financially. Representatives from Goodwill Industries of New Mexico attended the Resource Fair to discuss the employment services they provide, including a new JumpStart program for those from 16 to 22. Central New Mexico Community College was there to discuss the educational opportunities it offers.

Then there were organizations one might not immediately think of as resources for community schools, like Animal Humane New Mexico.

“Our students are very attached to their pets,” said Cindy Smith, community school coordinator at Los Ranchos Elementary in the North Valley. “When a family begins to experience financial issues either through a loss of a job or an injury or medical illness, one of the very first things they look at is whether they can afford to keep their pet, which is devastating to the kids.”

Smith said one of the things she learned at Friday’s fair is Animal Humane has resources to help those families keep their pets. 

“Keeping a family intact as much as possible is critical,” she said.

Maria Marquez, the community school coordinator at Pajarito Elementary in the South Valley, said she was happy to learn about a CNM program that helps newcomer families, such as refugees, get on their feet.

She praised the Resource Fair and called the partners who showed up assets.

“You never know when you’re going to have a family that needs something.”