Children’s Home Society of Florida was awarded a $100,000 grant on behalf of Impact 100 Indian River County to expand the Community Partnership Schools™ model at Dodgertown Elementary. Funds from the grant will increase after-school and enrichment opportunities to students, their families and Gifford community.
“Impact 100 has made many transformational grants over the years, and this season, Children’s Home Society of Florida was grateful to receive a $100,000 grant to benefit Dodgertown Elementary Community Partnership School,” said Dale Jacobs, Vice Chair, State Board of Directors, Children’s Home Society of Florida. “With our core partners and now with the grant from Impact 100, the Gifford community will have access to impactful resources to help children and families achieve their full potential.”
“In these uncertain weeks ahead of us, the families of Dodgertown need this Community Partnership School to be resilient,” said Sabrina Sampson, Regional Executive Director of Children’s Home Society of Florida. “I know we have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but the work we do now will have transformational impact for years to come.”
Dodgertown Elementary, A Community Partnership School is a long-term collaboration among Children’s Home Society of Florida, School District of Indian River County, Treasure Coast Community Health and Indian River State College. Together, core partners work within the school to address key barriers to learning including poverty, food insecurity, lack of affordable healthcare and mental health care and more.
Prior to implementing the Community Partnership Schools™ model in 2019, 95 percent of kindergarten through second-grade students at Dodgertown Elementary were at least one grade level behind. Based on a highly successful initiative launched in New York City, the Community Partnership Schools™ model is proven to increase graduation rates, support parent engagement and decrease disciplinary referrals.
After-school enrichment is a key focus of the Community Partnership Schools™ model to improve course performance. In Brevard County, 89 percent of students who attended Endeavour Elementary, A Community Partnership School’s STEAM summer camp made learning gains, effectively eliminating the summer academic slide for the new school year.
Since implementing the first elementary school model in 2016, Escambia County’s C.A. Weis Elementary – another Community Partnership School in which CHS is a core partner – has seen a 49% decrease in disciplinary referrals, a key component of keeping kids in the classroom and ready to learn
Children’s Home Society of Florida brought the model to Florida in 2011 in partnership with Orange County Public Schools and The University of Central Florida. Children’s Home Society of Florida is a core partner in 18 Community Partnership Schools – more than any other entity in the state.
To learn more about Children’s Home Society of Florida’s local initiatives, please visit chsfl.org