BRADENTON – Daughtrey Elementary will become the second public school in Manatee County to adopt the innovative Community Partnership Schools model this year. Partners include the Children's Home Society of Florida, Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County, MCR Health, School District of Manatee County, and the University of South Florida.

The Community Partnership Schools model was born of a collaboration between the Children’s Home Society of Florida, Orange County Public Schools, and the University of Central Florida. The three entities originally came together to design and implement this model at Evans High School in Orlando. There have since been many other schools that have adopted the model. In Manatee County, Manatee Elementary was the first to do so.

The effective Community Partnership Schools model requires at least 4 core partners – including the school district, a healthcare provider, a nonprofit organization, and a college or university – to agree to a 25-year commitment to the school and community, impacting generations.

Through the Community Partnership Schools model core partners, in collaboration with local nonprofits, businesses, the faith community, and other stakeholders, work within the schools to address key barriers to learning including poverty, food insecurity, lack of affordable healthcare, behavioral health services, and elevated rates of violence and crime, in addition to other challenges as identified.

"We have personally witnessed the positive impact Community Partnership Schools can have by observing the transformational differences made at Manatee Elementary the last two years,“ said Manatee Schools Superintendent Cynthia Saunders. "The services brought to bear by the partnering organizations and the tremendous commitment contributed by dedicated community members makes this the ideal model to renew and strengthen Title I schools.“

Children’s Home Society of Florida received $80,000 in state grant funds after being selected by UCF’s Center for Community Schools to launch a community partnership school at Daughtrey Elementary.

"This long-term approach is truly only the beginning of success for these students,“ said Jessica Davis, Regional Executive Director for the Children’s Home Society of Florida. "We are so proud to be a part of the collaborative, innovative initiatives that will surely provide opportunities for every student at Daughtrey Elementary, as we empower students and families to realize their full potential.“

The first step toward implementation is the planning phase, which includes a community needs assessment. Students, teachers, parents, and community members identify their primary needs and challenges, the results of which will determine the services and solutions that will be brought into the school.

"Many years ago, prior to the initial partnership schools in Manatee County, MCR Health committed itself to the health and well-being of our youth as a top priority,“ said Patrick Carnegie, CEO and President, MCR Health. "The MCR vision aligns with the School District of Manatee County’s Mission of providing education and development to all students today for their success tomorrow. This has been demonstrated by the prior launching of School-Based Health Centers at Southeast High School in February 2020 and Manatee Elementary in September 2020. We are proud to expand our continued partnership and footprint within the school district.“

Other critical components of this model include a focus on parental and family engagement, as well as comprehensive health and wellness efforts.

"The University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee is honored to partner with Daughtrey Elementary and Manatee County Public Schools to support the faculty and students at Daughtrey,“ said Cheryl Ellerbrock, Campus Dean of the University Of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee College Of Education. "This collaborative school-university partnership also includes an opportunity for our elementary education teacher candidates to develop their teaching skillsets in a community partnership school alongside Daughtrey’s teachers with support from university faculty. Our desire is for these teacher candidates to be hired by the district upon graduation and grow as teacher leaders within Manatee County Public Schools. It’s a win-win partnership!“

This collaborative approach leverages schools as central hubs toward improving child well-being by addressing key barriers to learning through counseling, medical and dental services, after-school enrichment, mentoring programs, and more.

"Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County has enjoyed an 11-year partnership with Daughtrey Elementary School, which was our first school-based Club in the county. We are thrilled to deepen impact with youth as a core partner in the Community Partnership School launch at Daughtrey,“ said Dawn Stanhope, President & CEO. "This model has shown tremendous results for reducing the economic opportunity gap in underserved communities. Our Clubs provide much-needed support by offering a variety of programs to support positive youth development. Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County is honored to serve alongside of our School District and fellow partners at both Daughtrey Elementary and recently-added Manatee Elementary Schools.“

Because they center on unique community needs, each Community Partnership School is different, but they all share a similar goal – to empower students to succeed in school and life. Specific successes through the Community Partnership Schools model include increased graduation rates, reduced disciplinary actions and increased parental involvement.

Could Community Partnership Schools be the Answer?